We were thrilled to welcome Professor Angela Russell from the University of Oxford to Newcastle University as part of our Inspiring Women in ChemBio seminar series, generously sponsored by the Biochemical Society.
Prof. Russell delivered an insightful talk titled: “Development of Next Generation Utrophin Modulators for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: Learning from Clinical Setbacks.”
Her presentation explored the journey of developing small molecule drugs aimed at increasing utrophin levels in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) – a progressive muscle-wasting disorder with no current cure. She shared lessons learned from the clinical development of ezutromid, the first-in-class utrophin modulator, and how her team identified its mechanism of action through binding to the arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR). This discovery has paved the way for new lead compounds with improved efficacy and alternative screening strategies.
Beyond the science, Prof. Russell offered valuable insights into medicinal chemistry, resilience in research, and constructive ways to navigate setbacks. We were also delighted that she joined our postdoctoral researchers and PhD students for lunch, fostering further discussion and collaboration.
