In this series, we talk to early career researchers to find out more about their interests, projects and how they see the future of drug repurposing. In this special edition of Researcher Insights, we caught up with Tamsin Baxter, PhD Researcher at the University of Edinburgh and #iDR26 poster competition winner about her work and her experience at #iDR26 in Brussels.
What was the title and main focus of your poster?
My poster was titled “Drug Repurposing to Modulate eEF1A2-expression in a Rare Neurodevelopmental Disorder”. It covered the major work of my PhD which was all about developing a screening platform to identify potential therapies for a rare childhood neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in the eEF1A2 protein.
What inspired you to pursue this research topic?
When I saw the PhD project advertised, I was drawn to it because it has a strong translational element and gave the opportunity to make a meaningful difference to an underserved field. There are currently no disease-modifying therapies for the condition I work on so I really valued the chance to work directly at the drug developmental level for this disease.
What’s one key finding or insight you hope others will take away from your work?
I hope people can see both the challenges and success that can come from a drug repurposing project. You have to test a huge number of compounds to achieve positive results but once you get them there’s so much value that can be gained.
How does your research contribute to the drug repurposing landscape?
I was working directly with a repurposed drug screen so it not only opens up drug repurposing opportunities for the condition we work on but also reveals more insight into the mechanisms and effects of a huge array of compounds used for repurposing opportunities.
What was the most rewarding part of presenting your work at iDR26?
It was great to present my work to such an interested yet varied audience as drug repurposing can feel quite niche at a lot of scientific conferences. To have the work so well received and win the prize for best poster was an amazing addition too!
How do you think events like iDR26 support early-career researchers?
The ability to network with people so closely linked to my field was a great opportunity, especially at the stage of my career that I’m in as my PhD draws to a close.
Learn more about Tamsin’s work by viewing her poster here. Moreover, if you want to know more about the iDR Conference Series and upcoming opportunities, follow this link.
