In the third year of my PhD I undertook a 3-month industrial placement at the Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) which was supported by DiMeN's flexible funding. I was given my own project to work on which was to investigate the binding mechanism of drugs that target the adenosine A3 receptor. To do this, I used industry level molecular modelling software to computationally predict the noncovalent interactions that the drug compounds make with the receptor. Many of these drugs are in clinical trials, but their binding mechanisms have not been experimentally determined. Therefore, my results helped to uncover how these drugs work, which will aid their optimisation into treatments for liver cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and glaucoma.
During my time at MDC I was based in the informatics team and supervised by postdoctoral scientist Dr Roxana-Maria Rujan. I gained a lot of knowledge in protein modelling by working with Roxana, who completed her PhD on the modelling of similar G-protein coupled receptors. Being in the informatics team gave me a realisation of the power of bioinformatics and data science when applied to discovery medicine challenges. I also gained experience with coding during my project, and my whole team were always helpful in teaching me new coding skills. The head of informatics, Dr Mark Pinches, welcomed me into the team and was very conscious of making sure I got maximum value out of my placement by letting me tailor my work experience to my interests. I was treated as an employee and invited to all company wide meetings, including a small group induction with the CEO, which was very eye opening. As a not-for-profit research outfit, MDC showed me how research can be done across the public and private sector boundary where the sole focus is accelerating discovery medicine in the UK, which was motivating and inspiring.
Working at MDC’s site on Alderley Park meant I was surrounded by other leading biotech and pharmaceutical research companies which made me feel immersed in the scientific community, even bumping into old colleagues in new positions, on this beautifully modern science and technology campus. I lived in Macclesfield which gave me a very short commute, access to the superb Cheshire countryside and good links to Manchester for social plans.
My placement allowed me to develop new technical skills in molecular modelling and chem- and bioinformatics, which I have been able to apply to my own PhD project on the study of another G-protein coupled receptor. It also gave me a taste of working in research in an industrial, rather than academic, setting. The industry exposure that I received and contacts that I made will be very beneficial when I transition into industry in my future career.
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