Ian Winfield joined the Domainex team in October 2021 as Team Leader for Assay Biology. For our next ‘Meet the team’ blog, Ian tells us a bit more about his role at Domainex and his career to date. Ian began his career in academia but wanted to move into something with a real-world impact so made the transition into industry, gaining extensive experience in drug discovery with a particular focus on the effect of small molecules and peptides upon GPCRs.
How did you get into a career in drug discovery?
“I completed my PhD and was lucky enough to obtain a Postdoc position, and initially wanted to have my own research group. However, I become frustrated with the process for obtaining funding and I rapidly realised I didn’t want to work in a career where my ability to work relied on this process. Despite this I still wanted to utilise my pharmacological knowledge, and during my brief academic career I had worked upon understanding the action of various small molecules and peptides upon GPCRs, so this was something I wanted to continue with. Thus, the logical option was to move from purely academic research to something with ‘real world’ impact, and I therefore moved into drug discovery.”
What are your main responsibilities at Domainex?
“My main responsibilities are for the management of projects as well as mentoring and developing staff, allowing them to grow scientifically and within the company. My scientific work predominantly focusses upon cell-based and pharmacological assays as well as leading and having input into HTS projects across multiple target classes and modalities.”
Can you give us a brief insight into your day-to-day activities?
“As a team leader, my day-to-day activities are varied as I have both a scientific and managerial aspect to my job. On the managerial side I can be having one-to-ones with my team, ensuring they are happy with their workload and the activities they have been assigned. In contrast, with the scientific side of my role I can be in the lab aiding others learn a new technique or developing a new, bespoke assay. I can also be analysing data, helping people understand what they have seen, why things haven’t worked, and what are the logical next steps to undertake. I regularly partake in meetings with clients, updating them on the latest findings and helping to drive their drug discovery projects forward.”
What are your favourite parts of your role and working at Domainex?
“I enjoy being able to interact with a broad range of scientists, both staff and clients, with differing levels of experience and areas of expertise. It is rewarding interacting with this group of people and you rapidly realise there is always something new to learn, be that from the most or least experienced member of your team, someone always has a good idea that should be heard.”
What do you find the most challenging?
“The most challenging aspect would be the shear breadth of targets that are worked upon, you can quickly go from looking at something very much in your comfort zone to a target you have never heard of before. Whilst this is challenging, it is also highly rewarding, as you quickly begin to gain knowledge about a new area of science.”
Do you have any advice for someone interested in a career in drug discovery?
“My advice would be talk to people, do not be afraid to put yourself out there and ask questions. Nobody knows everything, and nobody expects you to so ask as many questions as you want. I feel the greatest asset a scientist has is curiosity, never be afraid to challenge people or just ask ‘why?’.”
And finally, what do you enjoy doing outside of work?
“I am currently working towards obtaining my private pilots license (PPL), so, weather permitting, I can be found at Duxford flying in a C150, often also being berated by my instructor (as I said earlier, nobody knows everything!). When not flying, you can find me going for hikes or visiting sites of historical interest.”
We’re always looking for innovative scientists to join the Domainex team, so if you’re interested in joining Ian, check out our current career opportunities.