Race Oncology (ASX:RAC) has announced the appointment of Professor Michael Kelso as its principal scientist.
The company said Professor Kelso will be responsible for providing scientific leadership, developing, managing and implementing its preclinical and clinical research programs in collaboration with chief scientific officer (CSO), Dr Daniel Tillett, and chief medical officer, Dr David Fuller.
Professor Kelso has more than 25 years of R&D experience that spans a wide range of areas in medicinal chemistry, including oncology, antimicrobial drug development and drug formulation. He has published 69 scientific research papers and 7 patents and has attracted 18 grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC), Australian Research Council (ARC), and the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), as well as industry and charity foundations.
He will join Race Oncology on 12 July 2021 from the University of Wollongong, where he was the Professor of Medicinal Chemistry. Prior to this appointment, Professor Kelso was a NH&MRC CJ Martin Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute in the US.
Race Oncology CSO Dr Daniel Tillett said, “This is an important appointment for Race as Michael brings significant scientific experience and capability. Michael has been a highly successful researcher and I look forward to working with him on the execution of our Three Pillar strategy and maximising the significant opportunities we have ahead for Bisantrene in the lab and clinic.”
Professor Kelso said, “I’m thrilled to be joining the team at Race at such an exciting and pivotal time for the company. Capitalising on Bisantrene’s exquisite FTO inhibitory properties and delivering major clinical impacts across multiple cancer types is a powerful motivator for a career drug hunter like me.”