Charlie is a PhD student working in Anglia Ruskin University and the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Cambridge. Before beginning his doctoral research, he worked as a protein purification scientist and holds an MSc in Bioveterinary Science from the Royal Veterinary College, University of London.
His PhD project focuses on vascular calcification (VC), defined as a pathological deposition of hydroxyapatite in the walls of blood vessels. The disease causes blood vessels to stiffen and increases the morbidity and mortality of stroke and heart attack. There is currently no therapeutic available for this disease, despite it affecting 90% of men and 67% of women over the age of 70.
Charlie's research specifically investigates Runx2, a key molecular promoter of the disease. Runx2 is a master transcription factor, promoting a bone-like phenotype, and is overexpressed in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) undergoing calcification. Recent studies have demonstrated the diabetes drug metformin limits calcification of VSMCs by promoting autophagy, leading to the degradation of Runx2. Charlie is investigating this link between autophagy and VC and aims to develop a targeted protein degradation therapeutic capable of specifically binding to Runx2 and transporting it to autophagy machinery for degradation.
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