Rapid development of kinase inhibitors that cross the blood brain barrier and target brain malignancies

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common and aggressive cancer that begins within the brain. Without treatment, the average survival following diagnosis is merely 3 months, while with the best available surgical and adjuvant therapies can only be extended to 12-14 months. Pharmacological treatment of this incurable disease is severely limited by the lack of drugs capable of reaching the brain at therapeutic levels. Using a cost-effective drug discovery strategy recently developed by researchers at the Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre of the University of Edinburgh, an innovative programme of research is proposed to generate novel drug candidates that are able to penetrate the brain and specifically target brain cancer growth and survival. Due to its clinical importance, successful project outcomes will be protected under patent and progressed towards commercialization as appropriate by IOmet Pharma, a Scotland-based life sciences company specialized on the development of anticancer drugs. In addition, the PhD student will receive invaluable training in multiple cutting-edge techniques at the interface of chemistry and biomedicine within a world-class research environment that will significantly promote his/her professional career.