We are delighted to announce that Dr. Heather J. Bax has been selected as the 2023 James S. Huston Antibody Science Talent Award Recipient!
Dr. Heather J. Bax is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at St John’s Institute of Dermatology, King’s College London. She trained at GlaxoSmithKline as an industrial placement and undergraduate project student supporting drug discovery for asthma and allergic inflammation. She completed her PhD in Professor Hannah Gould’s laboratory, King’s College London, focusing on the interaction between IgE antibodies and mast cells in the context of allergic diseases.
As a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Professor Sophia Karagiannis’ laboratory, King’s College London, Dr. Bax undertook multidisciplinary research on the ground-breaking preclinical development of the first-in-class IgE antibody, MOv18 IgE, for the treatment of folate receptor alpha (FRα)-expressing ovarian cancers. In this role, she established and implemented several clinical trial assays to support the now successfully completed first-in-man, Phase 1 clinical trial of MOv18 IgE (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02546921). She also led the preclinical studies of CSPG4 IgE, another IgE therapeutic candidate targeting melanoma.
Dr. Bax currently supports a translational research program funded by the King’s College London spinout Epsilogen Ltd (formerly IGEM Therapeutics Ltd.), the first immuno-oncology company focusing on IgE immunotherapies for cancer. Leading a team of two postdoctoral researchers and working closely with colleagues at Epsilogen Ltd., she oversees several research studies focusing on the next generation of IgE-based antibodies for the treatment of solid tumors.
The James S. Huston Antibody Science Talent Award is sponsored by The Antibody Society to recognize and encourage upcoming scientists in the field of Antibody Engineering and Therapeutics. Early career research scientists who have received an advanced degree (Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent) within the past ten (10) years are eligible for the Award. The scientist is recognized for making important contributions to the antibody field and/or the dissemination of antibody knowledge. The recipient will be invited to give a lecture on their work, which will be made available on-line on The Antibody Society’s website, and to give a lecture at the Antibody Engineering & Therapeutics conference in December 2023.
The award includes: international recognition of the scientist’s accomplishments, a $1500 USD prize, and travel costs and registration fees to attend the annual Antibody Engineering & Therapeutics conference in San Diego, California.
