Paul Leeson

Chemist, Director of Medicinal Chemistry at Astra Zeneca

Paul became interested in physics and chemistry at school. 

He originally opted for a joint degree in physics and chemistry but changed to chemistry, and after enjoying his final year research project decided that this was what he wanted to follow.  He then studied for a PhD in synthetic organic chemistry at Cambridge University followed by a postdoc at Sussex University.  Paul then began a career in the pharmaceutical industry when he joined SmithKline and French as a research scientist.  This was followed by a move to Merck Sharp and Dohme in the UK as Associate Director of Chemistry, one year in the United States as Director of Central Nervous System Chemistry at Wyeth Ayerst, Princeton and then a move to his current post of Director of Medicinal Chemistry at AstraZeneca, Charnwood.

Initially Paul did not have any fixed ideas about his future career or contemplate a career in industry.  He did not wish to take the route of a long term postdoctoral researcher so applied for more permanent posts after finishing 2yrs post doc at Sussex.  

With no experience of the industrial environment, Paul had assumed that interesting science was carried out in the public rather than the private sector and so sought both academic and industrial positions. However, he was surprised by the innovative and ‘blue skies’ approach to drug discovery adopted by SmithKline and French at that time and the interesting science that he would be able to carry out when joining the company.

Research in SmithKline was unconstrained and led to publishable work and unexpected findings – not what he initially thought would happen in the private sector. This was largely due to the philosophy of local management, who had previously been successful in discovering drugs when adopting this approach. Then a change in approach occurred around which time Paul moved to Merck Sharp and Dohme. 

He saw this as an interesting possibility of working in a science driven company in a new developing site, studying a very interesting area (Central Nervous System).  The approach of the company was quite academic and enabled him to publish quite prolifically.  By the time Paul left SmithKline he was running a small research group. The Merck post had a greater managerial aspect with a larger group.
Whilst at Merck his role was widened and the group grew and Paul moved out of practical chemistry to a full time supervisory/managerial role, although as supervisor he was still closely associated with the chemistry of his group.  A scientific ladder for promotion was available but he chose the managerial route. 

After 10 years at Merck Paul took up a larger post at Wyeth Ayerst in the US as director of CNS chemistry, however he was soon headhunted to manage the Medicinal Chemistry department at AstraZeneca. 

At AZ, Paul collaborates on projects with the other AZ sites and chairs the Global Chemistry Forum in which chemists from AZ worldwide interact to communicate and establish good practice.  Paul finds it scientifically stimulating seeing science being taken through to a product and having an impact on patients.