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Postgraduate Training:

Cancer Medicinal Chemistry:
4 year programme funded by CRUK

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  • Chemistry
  • EaStCHEM
  • Edinburgh

    • EaStCHEM Centre for Cancer Medicinal Chemistry

    Funded by CRUK

    The CRUK-funded EaStCHEM Centre for Cancer Medicinal Chemistry training centre was established in September 2006. It offers a training programme which consists of a 1-year MSc in Life Sciences with projects in Cancer Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Cancer Medicinal Chemistry, followed by a 3-year PhD programme in Cancer Medicinal Chemistry. The training centre will equip at least 20 young scientists with the requisite skill-set essential for future breakthroughs in cancer drug discovery. In addition, it will also deliver cutting edge research of relevance to the development of cancer therapeutics.

    Students Currently On-Programme:

  • Daniel Smith (StAU, O'Hagan group): Rational design improvement of telomerase inhibitors using the C-F bond
  • Nicolas Petitjean (UoE, Hulme group): Design and synthesis of inhibitors of the MDM2 RING domain
  • Linna Zhou (StAU, Westwood group): Novel strategies for combating melanoma
  • Martha Mackay (UoE, Bradley group): Fluorous phase synthesis of dual MRI and NIR probes for aptamer-based cancer imaging
  • Andrew Nortcliffe (StAU, Botting group): Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel nitric oxide donors for the treatment of prostate cancer
  • Kevin Ralston (UoE, Hulme group): Novel natural product-based potent tubulin inhibitors
  • Alan Healy (StAU, Westwood group): Studies on cancer-relevant protein-protein interactions
  • Faye Cruickshank (UoE, Hulme group): The design and synthesis of new affinity resins for cancer targets

    • Graduates of the Cancer MedChem Training Centre:

  • Tom Elliott (StAU, Conway group): is now a Post-doctoral researcher with Dr Jason Chin at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge.
  • Alexandra Clipson (UoE, Greaney group): is now a Post-doctoral researcher with Professor Ming-Qing Du in the Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge
  • Federico Medda (StAU, Westwood group): is now a Post-doctoral researcher with Professor Christopher Hulme in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona.
  • Alastair Cant (UoE, Greaney group): is now a Post-doctoral researcher with Dr Andrew Sutherland in the School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow.
  • Scott Eadie (StAU, Florence group): is now writing up.

    • Additional Affiliated Students:

  • Lisa Pirrrie (StAU, Westwood group): Selective sirtuin inhibitors as anticancer agents
  • Helen Niblock (UoE, Hulme group): Synthesis of the tubulin inhibitor disorazole C1 and novel analogues
  • Martin Krembuszewski (UoE, Mareque group): Quantum dot based methods to induce anticancer responses
  • Edward Richmond (StAU, Smith group): Asymmetric synthesis and evaluation of 3,3'-oxindole derivatives
  • Sarah Thomas (UoE, Hulme group): New synthetic tools for the investigation of protein-GAG complexes
  • Ross Wilkie (StAU, Westwood group): The synthesis of cancer-relevant natural product-like compounds
  • Heather Johnston (UoE, Hulme group): Synthesis and biological evaluation of anticancer agents based on the natural product bisebromoamide

    • Local Outreach Activities:

    CRUK is entirely publicly funded, thus giving people the opportunity to find out about local research is very important. The Cancer MedChem Training Centre has close connections with the Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Centre and has worked closely with the Local Engagement and Development Manager employed by CRUK to coordinate such activities.

    Training centre members have participated in a number of outreach activities to demonstrate real research to the public and encourage young people into science. Students on the programme have taken part in CRUK activities at the Dunbar Science Festival, the Edinburgh International Science Festival and the Summer Science Festival. One of the affiliated students is undertaking a University of Edinburgh Postgraduate Development Scholarship in Public Engagement and has developed a workshop called "Glowing Diagnosis" which has been presented at these science festivals.

    The Training Centre Coordinator spoke about local research supported by CRUK before the Edinburgh Race for Life 10k, and students on the programme have given similar talks to the public before the Inverness and Kirkaldy Race for Life events. The Hulme groups girls raised >£1,500 running in the Edinburgh 10k Race for Life race in June 2011 and were pictured for the Edinburgh Evening News alongside Amanda Hamilton to raise awareness of the race earlier in the year.

    We have also organised Lab Tours for CRUK fundraisers and politicians at both the Edinburgh and St Andrews sites to showcase the work supported by CRUK.