Nordic Life Science 1
“This transition back into the lab is teaching me
a huge amount about what is needed to make a drug development project successful, and it’s giving me the exciting opportunity to follow the development process from computational design all the way to the clinic." to the Helleday Lab where I am now using computational structural biology to help develop new drug candidates for several different cancers.” D 28 | NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG escribe your current research project? “The new wave of AI tools, particularly within protein structure prediction, has opened the door to the design of small proteins (peptides) that bind to targets implicated in disease. One of my projects looks at how we can design peptides that recognize and treat ovarian cancer cells without impacting other cells, with the aim of designing oral cancer therapeutics that have minimal off-target effects. I started out looking at the problem from a computational design perspective, however I quickly realized that I needed to get myself in the wet-lab to be able to fully understand the project and run the experiments I needed.” “This transition back into the lab is teaching me a huge amount about what is needed to make a drug development project successful, and it's giving me the exciting opportunity to follow the development process from computational design all the way to the clinic.” Describe your career path and your career choices so far? “Soon after I started studying computational structural biology, AlphaFold came out, completely transforming the way the field looked. Before then, getting the structure of a previously unsolved protein required a very different process, but suddenly everything was different. We learnt very quickly that in order to keep up, we must always be willing to try new things that felt out of our skillset. This turned out to be a very important skill in itself and helped me not only expand my abilities in computational biology to get through my PhD, but also be ready to take on new challenges in whatever form they come. In the case of my current role as a PULSE postdoctoral fellow, this has looked like starting from scratch in developing my wet-lab skills, which is not something I expected to be doing as a postdoc, but it is something I am very grateful to have the opportunity to do through the PULSE program!” “One thing I wish I had known earlier is the value of sitting down with someone with a completely different area of expertise and asking them lots of questions about what their day-to-day challenges are. It’s impossible to be an expert in everything but getting a view of the wider picture often helps focus the scope and impact of the work you’re doing.” D field of expertise? “The biotech job market seems to be stabilizing after some dips, and more jobs are becoming available, in both academia and industry. Computational skills are in high demand, and I would encourage anyone to start learning how to use computational tools to aid your work.” “That being said, interdisciplinary communication skills are potentially even more important, as the ability to collaborate with a team who come from different backgrounds and perspectives is central to making an impact. Being able to bridge the gap between different disciplines can also help you stand out and see the bigger picture, which is a skill that is increasingly important as the techniques used in biotechnology grow to be more and more diverse.” NLS o you have any advice for someone exploring a career in science today? “Biomedical research is constantly evolving, and your niche may not yet exist – so it might be difficult to identify an end goal. Instead, pursue what you find interesting, and let that guide you. Even if that means a major pivot and trying something completely out of your comfort zone, it’s worth it if it motivates you. Being a beginner again is scary, and can feel like you're going backwards, but trying new things and learning new skills will give you a new perspective and will build your individual way of thinking.” How would you describe the job market within your CAREERS // CAREER CHOICE