What first drew you to pursue a career in science?

My scientific background is in organic chemistry, which is the science of building molecules from small components. I really fell in love with this science after high school when I started to be exposed with its more fundamental aspects.

I loved to learn and apply a science that could build complex structures from simple building blocks made of a combination of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen. A bit like being an architect at the atomic level, although you can never directly see the result of the design.

While studying, I became particularly interested in total synthesis – the application of organic chemistry to build compounds that nature makes very easily.

These compounds have extremely complex structures that represent major challenges for chemists to address, with the techniques available in the lab. But it’s these same challenges that force chemists to be incredibly inventive and often drive major advances in chemical transformations, which are then applied in other areas of chemistry, such medicinal chemistry.

What has been your proudest scientific achievement?

There are many but one that stands out is establishing the National Drug Discovery Centre (NDDC), located at WEHI.

My own research has benefited so much from WEHI’s capability for small molecule high throughput screening, which is essentially the first step towards developing a new medicine. So, it was an amazing moment to see the NDDC deliver an expanded screening capability that was open to external
organisations and researchers around the country.

Seeing what the centre has enabled across Australian research, and how it continues to contribute to building a stronger innovation ecosystem – that’s something I’m really proud of.

What’s your Holy Grail – the one thing you’d like to achieve in your research career?

I was part of an incredible collaboration that ultimately led to a new anti-cancer treatment – and one of my goals is to be part of the development of another medicine discovered here in Australia that can make a real difference to patients.

We have several programs progressing towards that goal, with one in pre-clinical development in the area of inflammatory disease, for which we hope to secure funding to progress into the clinic.

I am also hoping that our ambitious program aiming to deliver novel approaches to treat advanced forms of brain cancer will make a significant impact to this incurable disease.

Looking back over your career so far, what have been some of the key moments, people or experiences that have shaped your work?

Definitely working with inspiring people, who combined a love of science with rigour and curiosity but also demonstrated exceptional leadership grounded in generosity and a ‘Team Science’ approach.

In this regard, Peter Colman, who headed WEHI’s Structural Biology Division (that also included the medicinal chemistry team in the early 2000s) had a profound influence. He has helped to shape the values and leadership philosophy that have guided me throughout my career.

Equally, working with amazing colleagues in large multidisciplinary teams aiming to solve challenging problems has always been the source of great enjoyment throughout my career.

What does this AAHMS recognition mean to you?

I am very honoured and humbled to be welcomed into the AAHMS as a new Fellow.

Working in the translational space within an academic organisation, my career has not followed a straightforward and classical path. Although I recognise that there is rarely a straightforward path in research!

Medicinal chemistry often means that a significant part of my work is not published according to the timelines that are traditionally expected in academia. However, translational research is one of the ways we can ensure that discoveries made in Australia are progressed towards patient impact.

I am therefore particularly grateful that the AAHMS recognises the value of this work and its contribution to turning scientific discoveries into therapies that can make a difference to patients.

–

Professor Marco Herold, WEHI Laboratory Head and CEO of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute has also been inducted as an AAHMS Fellow for his scientific leadership and contributions to the field of cancer research.