Dr. David Thurston

Biography

David Thurston is an Emeritus Professor at King's College London, specializing in Drug Discovery. He has obtained a degree in pharmacy, an MSc in Precision Medicine, and a PhD in Synthetic Medicinal Chemistry. As a Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, he has served as founding Director and past member of the Executive Committee. David has a robust academic background, having worked in several renowned institutions, including the University of Texas at Austin and various UK universities. His research led to significant discoveries, such as the C8-linked sequence-selective DNA-interactive PBD dimer, which reached Phase II clinical trials for treating hematological cancers. Additionally, he co-founded Spirogen Ltd to commercialize PBD dimer technology, serving as Chief Scientific Officer until its acquisition by AstraZeneca/Medimmune. David has played a pivotal role in advancing drug delivery mechanisms in cancer therapies and has supervised numerous PhD students and postdoctoral fellows while authoring around 200 publications. He is recognized as an editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry's Drug Discovery book series and has contributed to multiple granting committees and assessment panels related to pharmacy and medicinal chemistry.

Research Interests

Experience