Andy Merritt Head, Associate Director

Dr Andy Merritt has held the post of Head of Chemistry at the LifeArc (formerly MRC Technology) Centre for Therapeutics Discovery (CTD since the summer of 2009. In close collaboration with academic scientists, the CTD develops and subsequently prosecutes innovative drug discovery programmes emerging from academic research. Prior to his current position Andy was a Director of Discovery Medicinal Chemistry at GlaxoSmithKline, covering early lead discovery from screening campaigns, global responsibility for outsource support for lead discovery chemistry and the supply of tool compounds for target validation. Between 1995 and 2001 as part of the GlaxoWellcome organisation he led interdisciplinary teams focusing on lead discovery and optimisation incorporating the development of new chemical technologies.

Andy joined the former Glaxo organization as a senior medicinal chemist in 1988 following postdoctoral studies in the US, and initially worked on oncology and pain drug discovery programs, leading to one clinical candidate submission. Andy sits on the RSC Chemistry World editorial board, has been a regular undergraduate lecturer in pharmaceutical medicine at Imperial College, Warwick and Sussex universities, and was the industrial organiser for the RSC Medicinal Chemistry residential summer school.