James Duffy

What I do at MMV:

My role is to give medicinal chemistry input and strategic leadership to multidisciplinary MMV supported drug discovery projects in collaboration with academic, biotechnology and pharmaceutical partners. I provide project teams with advice on all aspects of the drug discovery process especially those directly associated with medicinal chemistry, including the design and selection of compounds for biological evaluation and analysis of the data with regard to in vitro and in vivo efficacy and safety.

Why I work at MMV:

Without question, contributing to the discovery of new treatments that prolong and improve quality of life is one of the key motivations and rewards for working in life sciences research. MMV gives me the unique opportunity to work as part of a team, with diverse backgrounds and experience, all sharing a common goal, to overcome the challenges associated with the discovery and development of novel treatments for malaria.

More about me:

I joined the MMV drug discovery team in 2015. Before that I worked as a medicinal chemist at BioFocus (Cambridge, UK) managing drug discovery projects. In collaboration with a wide range of partners, I worked on  the design and synthesis of small molecule drug candidates, including the recently FDA approved HDAC inhibitor Belinostat. To have been involved in the discovery and development of a drug that is now being used in a clinical setting is something that I am very proud of. Prior to working in the pharmaceutical industry, I received my D. Phil in bioorganic chemistry from the University of Sussex in 1998.

Ask me about:

Please ask me anything to do with drug discovery and in particular medicinal chemistry. If I can’t answer your question….then I’m sure that we can find out and both learn something new! Beyond MMV, I love to travel and explore. Visiting different places and meeting friends, old and new, is something that I will never get tired of.