Making a difference with medicinal chemistry

I studied chemistry at the University of Sheffield, first completing the MChem course and then moving on to complete a PhD with Professor Joe Harrity in organic chemistry. Both degrees provided me with the necessary skills and knowledge to move straight into a role in the pharmaceutical industry.

During my PhD I had the opportunity to work at GSK in Stevenage for a three-month placement which fuelled my interest in medicinal chemistry.

Tracy Maiden

Senior Scientist, Sygnature Discovery

I have always loved chemistry and wanted to continue with the subject following my studies. The opportunities I had during my time at the University of Sheffield helped me to find a career that fulfilled this ambition.

Medicinal chemistry, whilst being challenging at times as a career, is also incredibly rewarding – the potential to make a difference to someone’s life has always been a key motivation for me.

In my current role as a Senior Scientist at Sygnature Discovery in Nottingham, I have worked on a variety of projects based on different biological targets and disease areas. My role is primarily lab based: synthesising and purifying compounds for biological testing, analysing biological data, designing new compounds, in addition to supporting the running of the project.