Jo Francis

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT JO FRANCIS

Experienced pharmacologist with expertise in the whole drug cascade from target identification to delivery of new candidate molecules for Oncology, Neuroscience and Diabetes therapeutics, supporting the delivery of both safety and efficacy data.Focus on the development and implementation of translational models to reduce both efficacy and safety liabilities to both target identification (Functional genomics) and small molecule hit to lead projectsApplying advanced image analytics, high performance computing environments to bring AIML into drug discovery.• Experienced project manager and with over 20 years of pharmaceutical drug discovery experience• Passion for innovation with the ability to question the status quo to provide innovative solutions and processes.Valued Leader of a diverse team of Scientists, Associate Principle scientists and Team Leaders, pharmacological validation of targets throughout the discovery pipeline from target identification to candidate selection focused on Neuroscience, Oncology an Immunology targets. Leading implementation of new High Content techniques such as single cell transcriptomics, High Content biology, Stem cell systems, advanced analytics, collaborating with AI/ML teams to deliver analytics tools to support target identification and image analytics workflowsGlobal High content Biology lead, matrix management of high content biology teams in both the UK and US to deliver cellular models of cell homeostasis.Scientific expertise, leading the development of iPSC derived cellular models to support compound screening, including cellular models for on target activity and downstream functional readouts, such as cell cycle control, autophagy, protein translocation and neuronal outgrowth/retractionDriving the development of cellular models to support early safety screening, new assays embedded into screening portfolio, including cellular models for cardiac function (iPSC derived cardio myocytes) and hepatoxicity (3D primary hepatocyte spheroids). Implementing automation platforms to support high content screeningRepresenting AstraZeneca, presenting and chairing meetings/sessions at numerous internal and external conferencesSpecialties: In vitro and ex vivo pharmacologyGenomicsSmall molecule and RNAi screening technologies.Complex and stem cell models.High Content Biology.Image analysis and Informatics.Automated CRISPR and RNAi screening in primary models.MiRNA research. Target identification and validation.Neuroscience, cancer and metabolic disease area expertise.