Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard Award

We are delighted that Maitreyi has been awarded an Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard Award, which aims to support early career researchers within the biomedical sciences.

The COVID-19 pandemic, and SARS and MERS outbreaks in recent years has highlighted to need for new antiviral therapies. Through this grant, we will be developing novel host-targeting antivirals against current and emerging coronaviruses.

Viruses typically hijack several host cell pathways, and targeting key proteins required by coronaviruses will allow us to identify new broad-spectrum antivirals that can target all coronavirus infections.

We'd like to thank the Academy of Medical Sciences, and the Springboard programme funders, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), Wellcome, British Heart Foundation, and Diabetes UK, for the opportunity to undertake this research and support the lab.

Lab Challenge: Fight the virus! at the Oxford IF Festival

Lab Challenge is an interactive lab-themed activity aimed at younger children - step into a drug discovery lab to perform experiments and find a drug to fight a virus! ​ We had a great time running Lab Challenge at the Science Oxford Centre as part of the Oxford IF Science + Ideas Festival on 15 October 2023. Over 90 young scientists undertook our screening, cytotoxicity and compound building experiments, recorded their results and found our antiviral compound!

Oxford IF Festival 2023

Screening compounds

Cytotoxicity station

Compound building

We had great engagement throughout the day, and feedback from participating children (and their parents/carers) was positive, with 86% rating the activity 5* or 4*.

Feedback

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Well done!

Finally, thanks to our Ph.D. student volunteers - Gemma Cooper, Brandon Moulds, and Katie Silver - for their help setting up and running Lab Challenge!

Brandon Maitreyi Gemma Katie

Setting up

Setting the scene

Charlie's Angels volunteers!

If you'd like to learn more about Lab Challenge, or would like us to host the activity at your school, please do get in touch.

Applied Microbiology International summer studentship

Undergraduate student Nicole Sibanda joined us in the lab this summer, funded by the Applied Microbiology International summer studentship. Nicole worked in the lab with Ph.D. student Brandon Moulds, to investigate the reusability of a novel catalyst for norovirus disinfection.

Nicole and Brandon

Lab meeting - August 2023

Nicole said of the experience, "During my internship, I had the privilege to engage in various tasks that provided me with a comprehensive understanding of microbiology and its practical applications.

"The hand-on experience of assessing the efficacy of cleaning products in killing norovirus has broadened my perspective on the practical aspects of combating pathogens. One of my highlights was delving into my independent research on norovirus and the potential implications for disinfection strategies by hydrogen peroxide and the catalyst.

"The skills I have acquired during my time in the lab, including laboratory maintenance practices, will undoubtedly be valuable as I pursue my Masters degree. I am extremely confident that the insights gained during my internship will be instrumental in shaping my career in the pharmaceutical industry in the coming years."

Through the eight week project, Nicole developed our understanding of the stability and activity of the catalyst following various treatments. She is now undertaking an MSc in Molecular Biotechnology at the University of Manchester.

If you are interested in completing a summer studentship in the lab, get in touch!