Closing Remarks

As the outgoing Head of the DDU, I now (almost) have the time to reflect back on the truly amazing journey we have been through over the past almost 16 years. No one imagined how the DDU would develop from the empty labs when I first visited Dundee back in 2006, to the fully functional, professional drug discovery organisation of 130 people as of today. The main part of our annual report outlines the major advances we have made across many fronts, even just this past year, but it has been a highlight to have delivered four compounds for clinical development and helped to create a number of new companies. I have my fingers crossed for further additions in preclinical development in the near future.

The DDU team has expanded and evolved over time and everyone has played a part in our development and successes, so thank you to all past and present DDU members for the making it possible, and your hard work and commitment. It has been highly rewarding to watch many of you grow and blossom over the years, and for some of you to take up senior positions within the DDU. Although, it’s difficult to single out individuals, I would like to thank Mike Ferguson and Alan Fairlamb for conceiving the concept of DDU and giving me the opportunity to take on the leading role in its journey and particularly to Mike for his mentorship and friendship that has guided and sustained me. I would also like to thank the DDU Senior Management Team (David Gray, Kevin Read, Louise Burns, Manu De Rycker, Ian Gilbert, Julie Brady, Catherine Goddard) for your support, massive contributions, and keeping me sane and driving me insane over the years. A further key element of the DDU is that everything we do is in collaboration. This has not only helped us deliver our programmes and improved our approaches to drug discovery but also has given me the opportunity to develop many wonderful collaborations and make friends, too many to list here, and to visit some amazing places. Although I will not miss the hours sitting in airports, I will miss working and socialising with you, so thank you for your help with our programmes and your camaraderie.

Finally we could not have developed and sustained the DDU without backing from the University of Dundee and our funders, so thank you all for your generous support. I would particularly like to thank Diana Tay and Peter Warner for your help and guidance over many years. I will miss filling out your grant application forms and the thrill of receiving news of successful applications. It has been like winning the lottery many times over, without having a flash car to show for it.

My departure is far from the end of the DDU. As everyone is now horribly aware, there are many challenges in the future from infectious diseases old and new, particularly ones not noticed because they don’t directly affect G20 countries (yet) and other diseases that pose a constant and growing threat to all, neurodegeneration, cancer, antibiotic resistance. The DDU remains highly committed to playing its part in addressing these threats and has an excellent team and facilities to deliver many more achievements in the future whatever the disease. So best of luck, success and health to all the team for the future.

Finally, as Director for the Wellcome Centre for AntiInfectives Research (WCAIR), I would like to acknowledge the major impact the Centre activities have had on advancing the DDU’s drug discovery approaches and technologies. The WCAIR’s output has been outstanding, thank you all for your hard work and dedication.

While being Head of the DDU has been challenging, and sometimes tough and frustrating, these downsides have been swamped by the opportunity to develop something very rare and precious, that can contribute to saving and improving many lives in the future and make many great friends across the world. I would commend the role of Head of the DDU to anyone who wants to make a difference to the world and themselves. So, I will finish by wishing my successor every success and happiness in the role, it will challenge you, but the rewards are more than worth it.

Professor Paul Wyatt (for the time being) Head of the DDU and Director of the Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research University of Dundee.

Drug Discovery Unit School of Life Sciences University of Dundee Dow Street Dundee DD1 5EH

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