This article has been paid for and developed by MSD. Job code: GB-NON-10480 November 2024
Dr Fiona Thomson is an executive director and head of UK Neuroscience Discovery Research at MSD. Fiona is a pharmacologist who has spent most of her career in the pharmaceutical industry, where she has led a range of projects that have successfully delivered novel drug candidates into the clinical pipeline.
What is discovery science?
Discovery science is a critical part of our work at MSD. It involves exploring cutting-edge research within the scientific community and using those innovations to uncover new drug targets that could significantly impact human health. We focus on innovation at every step of the way, from discovery of fundamental mechanisms of disease through to drug development and clinical studies, with the aim of bringing forward medicines and vaccines for some of the world’s most challenging diseases.
In my role as a neuroscientist at MSD, I focus on neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. Our goal is to discover new ways to treat Alzheimer’s and related dementias to improve the quality of life for our ageing population. We aim to do this through scientific discovery and innovation that may lead to new treatments. Changes in the brain that can lead to diseases like Alzheimer’s often occur in middle age, rather than old age. Therefore, our focus at MSD is on understanding the underlying changes in brain biology that occur before symptoms manifest, with the hope that this will lead to the development of more effective treatments.
What are the potential impacts of discovery science for individuals and society?
Discovery science holds immense potential to significantly impact both individuals and society at large. We all strive for a good quality of life for ourselves and for our loved ones and many of us are impacted by diseases such as cancer, heart diseases, and in the context of my research, brain health. Especially in older individuals, we see the challenges and burdens posed by diseases that impact their ability to live a healthy, independent life.
However, whilst our goal is to turn breakthrough science into medicines and vaccines that are going to make a difference to people, these new innovations can only have an impact if there is a clear path for them to reach the right people at the right time. We are very fortunate to have a healthcare system like the National Health Service, but we must address healthcare access and inequalities to ensure that everyone can benefit from the discovery science that has led to or will lead to new innovative medicines and vaccines.
What makes the UK an exceptional destination for discovery science?
The UK has a rich history of scientific innovation, with world-leading institutes and a heritage of groundbreaking developments in life sciences. MSD is an integral part of the scientific community here and we are significantly investing in a world leading Discovery Centre which will be located in London’s knowledge quarter. Ahead of the opening of our new Discovery Centre, our growing team of discovery scientists are currently located at the London Bioscience Innovation Centre and the neighbouring Francis Crick Institute. Discovery research is a collaborative endeavour, and our proximity to King’s Cross and St Pancras stations enables connectivity with European and global research networks to further enhance our ability to leverage scientific innovation for societal impact.
We want to generate innovations for everyone irrespective of geography and background, and our global research network, including research groups in the United States, Singapore and our London Discovery Centre, benefit from access to a wider research biotech community for collaboration. A diversity of training, thinking and cultural perspectives also bolsters our research.
How do partnerships benefit the progress of discovery science?
Innovation in drug discovery and development needs an army and it needs a community – we cannot do it alone.
Partnerships play a pivotal role in advancing the progress of discovery science and this goes beyond researchers and institutions; it involves a comprehensive community effort encompassing government, healthcare professionals, the NHS, and most importantly, the participation of volunteers.
These volunteers are crucial to our work, whether they have a disease and choose to participate in a clinical trial or are healthy individuals who contribute to studies that help us better understand the risks of developing diseases. By understanding these risks, we can explore ways to potentially prevent or treat diseases at an early stage, slowing down their progression for individuals at risk.
Additionally, the availability of comprehensive datasets from partnerships can greatly enhance our understanding of how to prevent, detect and treat diseases earlier. For example, MSD is a founding industry member of Our Future Health, the UK’s largest health research programme, which will provide new ways to predict with better accuracy who is at higher risk of diseases and would benefit from faster access to screening and prevention interventions.
What specific support would you like to see from the government to facilitate the growth of discovery science in the UK?
The government can support discovery science by enabling laboratory infrastructure and by investing in a robust skills infrastructure to nurture talent in the UK whilst also encouraging the attraction of top talent from around the world.
Moreover, support for life sciences should go beyond encouraging investment in research to ensure that the medicines and vaccines developed because of discovery research reach patients through the NHS. This requires horizon scanning and collaboration to develop appropriate patient pathways. For instance, existing cancer screening programmes have been pivotal in detecting early-stage patients, enabling swift treatment and improved survival rates. Similarly, envisioning a similar approach in the future for brain diseases, with a focus on pre-screening, would be a significant advancement for patients and public health.
The UK’s academic research, biotech companies, and pharmaceutical industry have played a pivotal role in advancing innovations, with many medicines and vaccines tracing their origins back to scientific breakthroughs in the UK. This is our legacy, and we need to work hard to ensure that it’s also our future.
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