Dr Wesley Blackaby

Wesley Blackaby is Head of Chemistry and Analytical Sciences at Servier, a global and independent pharmaceutical Group. Prior to joining Servier Wesley was formerly VP of Chemistry at STORM Therapeutics (2017 – 2021), leading the chemistry function and helping to demonstrate inhibition of RNA modifying enzymes as a chemically tractable approach to indirectly modulate RNA function for therapeutic benefit. Wesley began his industrial career within process chemistry at Glaxo-Wellcome in Dartford before moving to Merck Sharpe and Dohme (MSD) in 1996. In 2006 he joined BioFocus, initially part of the Galapagos group, and subsequently as Charles River Laboratories, advancing in project leadership roles culminating as Senior Director in Medicinal Chemistry, and was responsible for maintaining large multidisciplinary collaborations, overseeing the delivery of multiple drug discovery projects and pre-clinical candidates. Wesley completed his BSc in Chemistry at the University of Southampton followed by PhD studies at University of Southampton and University College Cardiff.