Jessie Stow - 2024 RSC Apprentice Prizes winner

Jessie Stow MRSC

Winner: 2024 RSC Apprentice Prize

Astex Pharmaceuticals

For outstanding contributions to drug discovery through the introduction of a viable biocatalytic workflow able to generate useful quantities of synthetically challenging compounds, and contributions to internal diversity, equity and inclusion and outreach in the local community.

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I love piecing the puzzle together to draw a sound conclusion, and it feels even better knowing that conclusion may put us a step closer to discovering a new drug for a patient in need.

Jessie Stow has developed technology to use naturally occurring enzymes to modify compounds and increase their potential to become new drugs. Jessie’s work contributes to the discovery of new drugs to treat cancer and neurodegeneration associated with aging. She studies how drugs behave in the body which helps to evaluate their safety and dosing requirements.

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Jessie Stow started her career in drug discovery using apprenticeships as a platform to develop her chemical sciences expertise. She undertook her Level 5 apprenticeship in the Analytical 91AV Department at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, UK, which helped her gain an insight into the drug discovery process and learn key laboratory techniques. In just a year there, she became technically skilled in the use and maintenance of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) instruments, which are fundamental tools for quantitative analysis of molecules.

Jessie expanded her knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry by building an understanding of fragment-based drug discovery at Astex Pharmaceuticals. Here, in the Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK) team, she applied her LC-MS knowledge to analyse samples following experiments to determine how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolised and excreted from the body. These properties, when combined, define the pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of a drug and can be used to predict how a drug will behave in a human. Jessie studied mechanisms of enzymatic drug metabolism to support this work, and this knowledge contributed towards her Honours Degree Apprenticeship in Applied 91AV with the University of Kent. She then went on to do a Master’s Degree Apprenticeship in Drug Discovery and Development. Alongside this, she began to investigate how chemical technologies can be used to mimic enzymatic mechanisms of drug metabolism. Since then, she has expanded this research to drive the use of biocatalysis as an effective alternative to traditional synthetic methodologies.

Q&A

Tell us about somebody who has inspired or mentored you in your career.

I have had some fantastic mentors in my career, so it is hard to name just one! When I started my first apprenticeship, I was introduced to analytical science by Suzi Cowan, and I admired her diligent approach to problem solving. After moving to Astex, Nicola Wilsher and Lynsey Fazal were both my mentors. I was inspired by Nicola’s breadth of knowledge and her drive to support the progress and development of those around her, which has made her an excellent leader. Lynsey mentored me while working, studying for a PhD and being a parent, which highlighted her inspirational dedication. There are many more mentors who have impacted my career, too, and took the time to answer my questions, provide training or guidance when I needed it.

What motivates you?

In drug discovery, you often face new challenges and I enjoy using these as an opportunity to research and expand my knowledge. I love piecing the puzzle together to draw a sound conclusion, and it feels even better knowing that conclusion may put us a step closer to discovering a new drug for a patient in need.

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?

Gaining workplace experience is a fundamental first step on your chemistry career ladder. Finding a voluntary role, placement, or apprenticeship can help you to get an insight into industry, start networking and start to apply your knowledge. There are so many different careers in chemistry, you can use workplace experiences to try them out!

What does good research culture look like/mean to you?

Good research culture is being able to generate hypotheses and diligently gather data to draw a conclusion. Teamwork, collaboration, communication and recordmaking skills are all essential. In an ideal culture, researchers can share knowledge with other researchers to apply the appropriate expertise to answer research questions.

Why do you think collaboration and teamwork are important in science?

Scientists often specialise in a particular field, and collaborating means that experts from different areas can come together to share ideas and knowledge. This is very important in drug discovery since it is a multi-disciplinary activity.