Ian Gilbert

Ian Gilbert is a Professor and Head of the Drug Discovery Unit & Roscoe Chair in Drug Discovery at the University of Dundee. His work focuses on advancing drug discovery for neglected tropical diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and infectious diseases like malaria and Chagas disease. He leads multidisciplinary projects with global collaborators, including the Medical Research Council, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and institutions such as MIT and the University of Tokyo.

His research spans structural biology, computational chemistry, and high-throughput screening. Recent projects include developing preclinical candidates for Chagas disease, leveraging AI for compound optimization, and designing co-culture models for persistent lung infections in cystic fibrosis. His team also contributed to the Global Health chemical diversity library v2.

Publications highlight his expertise in targeting enzymes like Phe-tRNA synthetase in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and lysyl-tRNA synthetase in Plasmodium falciparum and Cryptosporidium. Methodological advancements include overcoming false-positive mechanisms in screening technologies and improving fragment-to-lead growth strategies via P-score ranking.

Scientific Awards:

• Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (2020)
• Industry and Academic Collaboration Award (2023)
• Mary Somerville Medal (2024)

He actively engages in public outreach, including talks at science festivals and schools, and has been referenced in media coverage of automated drug design innovations. His collaborations extend to organizations like the Medicines for Malaria Venture and academic institutions in the UK, US, and Japan.