Professor Chris McGuigan 1958-2016

It is with great sadness that we have learned of the untimely death of Professor Chris McGuigan (11 March 2016) following a battle with cancer. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Our thoughts are with his family, friends and close colleagues at this very sad time. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A specialist drug designer and developer Professor McGuigan has been at the heart of vital scientific research for more than 30 years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor Gary Baxter, Head of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences said: “Many of us have lost a friend as well as a colleague and mentor. So wide was Chris’s influence in the School, the University, Wales and beyond that there will be many personal tributes paid in the weeks ahead. For now, let me record the privilege of working with a man whose scientific achievements and personal attributes were inspirational.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor McGuigan, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, was one of the UK’s leading scientists in the field of anti-cancer drug discovery. He had a strong drive to use his scientific ideas for social good, working tirelessly to address medical needs where they were unmet. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He was Chair of the Life Sciences Hub, the nerve centre of life science business growth in Wales with the aim of nurturing home-grown companies and attracting top international talent. He also directed the Life Sciences Research Network Wales, a £15M initiative aimed at funding 100 new drug discovery projects across Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor McGuigan’s research expertise was in new drug discovery and development for cancer, HIV, hepatitis B and C, shingles, measles, influenza and CNS disease. He was inventor on four new experimental drugs that have entered human clinical trials and published over 200 scientific papers and submitted over 100 patent applications. This work involved close collaboration with scientists throughout Europe and USA. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor McGuigan was an exceptionally gifted inventor and chemist and had devoted over 30 years to leading a major research team of international renown, training in excess of 100 PhD students and post-doctoral researchers. His loss will be felt across the University and the wider scientific community. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​