Gary Evans
GaryEvans,ProfessorofVictoriaUniversityofWellington,LowerHutt,NewZealand.MostofProfessorGaryEvans’synthesisworkismedicinalchemistry,makingenzymeinhibitortargetsfortreatingcancerandotherdiseases.Thislong-runningprogrammeiscarriedoutinconjunctionwithProfessorVernSchrammfromtheAlbertEinsteinCollegeofMedicineinNewYork.“Acareerhighlightformewastogetoursecondimmucillincompoundsub-licensedtoRochebackin2005.WedesignedthemoleculewithVern,synthesisedit,hadittested,workedouthowtomakeitonalargescaleandlicensedittoaUSbiotechcompany.Notmanycompoundsmakeitthatfar.”Currentlyhisworkisfocussedonantibacterials,antibioticresistanceandinhibitingenzymesthatimpactonbacterialcommunicationprocessessuchasquorumsensing.Garyconfessestoaveryintenseworkingstyle.“Itendtoreallyfocusonachemicalproblem,suchaswhyareactionhasn’tproducedwhatIexpected.It’sanintellectualchallengeandItendtogoatitprettyharduntilI’vecrackedit.Ialsolikethepracticalsideofthework—thingsjustdon’tfeelrightunlessIhaveatleastonereactiononthego.”Garyd