A Career in Medicine
Our VI Form students discovered that there were a lot of interesting things to find out about Dr Akshay Vaishnaw, when he visited us in December.
After taking his A-Levels in Preston Manor VI Form, Dr Vaishnaw trained and practiced as a doctor in the UK before emigrating to the US. He then became interested in the biotech industry and has held various positions of responsibility across Research and Development (R&D), and most recently as the President of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Dr Akshay and his team devised a novel drug discovery and development platform based on a Nobel-prize winning technology termed, RNA interference (RNAi). To date, five RNAi therapeutics have been approved globally for a range of rare and common diseases, including TTR amyloidosis, heart failure and hypercholesterolemia. Currently, Alnylam is developing RNAi therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease, severe hypertension and a range of other high unmet-need disorders.
"I gained invaluable insights into what a research career would look like, how varied the path into medicine can be and how it can change later on," commented Wesley in Year 12. "This talk gave me a clearer sense of direction and how I just need to stay curious and do what I love."
Preston Manor VI Form would like to thank Dr Vaishnaw for giving up his time to return to Preston Manor and share his experiences with our students.