The inaugural Early Career Researchers Dragons’ Den competition in July saw researchers from across the University pitch their ideas, with seven finalists bidding for up to £3,000 to fund their research. Eleanor Jayawant, Research Fellow in the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, took £1,500 for her pitch about her scoping project to identify novel therapeutic targets in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, conveying complex information particularly well to the non-specialist audience.

Tell us a little about your research  

I work on the most common type of blood cancer, an aggressive lymphoma called diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The standard treatment for DLBCL has remained unchanged for over a decade, and cures only about 60% of patients. In my postdoctoral research I am working to understand differences between patients, and why treatments might work for one patient but not another. The research I proposed in my Dragons’ Den pitch involves trying to identify kinder, more effective treatments by finding genetic differences between cancerous and healthy cells within patients and targeting those differences with drugs.

What impact do you hope your research will have?  

I hope that by identifying novel targets for drug treatments in DLBCL, my research will benefit patients, researchers, clinicians, and pharmaceutical companies. In the long term, work like this will save the NHS money and contribute to the research and innovation environment in the UK. Through my research and follow-on work, I aim to improve outcomes for blood cancer patients and enhance their quality of life by reducing side effects and providing more effective treatments.

What is your favourite thing about being at Sussex, or your favourite place on campus? 

My favourite place on campus is the grassy spot between the Medical Research Building and John Maynard Smith. When it’s sunny it’s lovely to sit on one of the benches there to eat lunch or an ice cream. In general, my favourite thing about Sussex is the green spaces, I love the wildflowers in the summer.

What do you do away from your research? 

Outside of my research, I am a big board game lover. I have a collection of around 100 different games, and a few years ago I was a finalist in the Rummikub UK National Championship. I also love to make things – my craft room is my happy place!

What’s next for you, in your work or otherwise? 

I will be taking some time off work as I venture into parenthood and welcome my daughter into the world sometime in October. Upon my return to work next year, I’m excited to start applying for fellowships and progressing my career further, continuing to identify kinder treatments in blood cancers and beyond.

You can read more about the ECR Dragon’s Den event - keep an eye out for more profiles of our winners soon.

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