Paul M. O'Neill

Professor Paul M. O'Neill is a distinguished academic at the University of Liverpool with appointments spanning the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacology. With over 30 years of experience in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery, he has established himself as a leading researcher in anti-infective drug development, particularly for neglected tropical diseases.

His research interests focus on synthetic organic chemistry, pharmacology, drug-design, chemical biology, and medicinal chemistry of anti-infectives. Professor O'Neill's work spans the entire drug discovery pipeline from hit identification through to clinical candidate selection. His group has developed several drug candidates that have progressed to clinical trials, including Isoquine for malaria and AWZ1066S for filariasis.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on malaria drug discovery, tuberculosis research, and filariasis treatment. His work combines medicinal chemistry with chemical biology approaches to understand mechanisms of action and validate drug targets. A significant portion of his research involves collaborations with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM).

• Royal Society of Chemistry Malcolm Campbell Award (2011)
• RSC Chemistry Biology Interface Horizon Prize: Rita and John Cornforth Award (2024)
• Queens Anniversary Prize in Pharmacology (2018)

Professor O'Neill has supervised 52 PhD students to completion and authored 191 publications with impressive citation metrics (WOS h-index = 55, Google Scholar h-index = 70). His research has been supported by major grants including funding from GSK, MMV, Wellcome Trust, MRC, and Eisai Ltd. His laboratory operates at the interface of chemistry and biology, with active programs targeting malaria, tuberculosis, and filarial diseases, making significant contributions to anti-infective drug discovery for neglected tropical diseases.