Jessica Eden

BBSRC PhD Student, Downing College

jpe40@cam.ac.uk

About me

Hello, I’m Jess, a PhD student in David Gershlick’s lab at CIMR. I am on the BBSRC-DTP programme and a member of Downing College at the University of Cambridge. I studied for my BSc (Hons) Biochemistry degree at the University of Bath, where I developed a keen interest for understanding the molecular mechanisms of protein trafficking and degradation. As part of my degree, I spent a year in industry at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in the Protein Degradation Department, focusing on the development and characterisation of Protein Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) to induce proteasomal degradation of target proteins.

I am currently interested in neuronal protein trafficking and constitutive secretion. I hope to learn more about the molecular machinery involved in sorting proteins into the neuronal constitutive secretory pathway, using a combination of molecular biology, biochemistry and super resolution imaging techniques. I am also investigating how mutations in these highly regulated processes can lead to neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Publications

Targeting IRAK4 for Degradation with PROTACs

Nunes, J., McGonagle, G. A., Eden,J., Kiritharan, G., Touzet, M., Lewell, X., Emery, J., Eidam, H., Harling, J. D., & Anderson, N. A. (2019) ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters

Background

2019 – Present

PhD Candidate in the Gershlick Lab

University of Cambridge

2020

Rotation Project in the Lindon Lab

University of Cambridge

2018

Final Year Research Project in the Licchesi Lab

University of Bath

2017 – 2018

Industrial Placement Year in Protein Degradation

GlaxoSmithKline

I gained hands-on laboratory experience in industry-based research, working on a novel approach to drug discovery using Protein Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) to induce proteasomal degradation of target proteins. I played a key role in the planning, execution and analysis of several cell-based assays to inform critical biology decisions at early and lead-optimisation stages of drug development. I learnt in detail about the processes involved in early drug discovery and advanced my understanding of small molecule discovery when developing exploratory medicines.

2016

Summer Placement in the Pudney Lab

University of Bath

2015 – 2019

BSc (Hons) Biochemistry with Industrial Placement

University of Bath