We were honoured to welcome Abbey alumna Dr Alice Brown (2001) to give our annual Jo Trott Memorial Lecture last week. The achievements of our alumnae continually amaze me, and Dr Alice Brown (2001) was no exception. As one of Mrs Trott’s former students, Dr Brown has gone on to become the Chief Scientific Officer at Purespring Therapeutics, and her inspiring lecture on the power of gene therapy in curing kidney disease and cancer was a fitting tribute to her memory. The students were fascinated by her talk and queued up to speak with her afterwards. Here are some words from a couple of students who attended:

I was really grateful for the opportunity to attend the annual Jo Trott Memorial Lecture last Thursday by Dr Alice Brown; I was incredibly fascinated on her work on the development of gene therapy in curing chronic genetic conditions. At the end of the lecture, we had the opportunity to ask Dr Brown some questions and discussed the topic of treating symptoms versus curing chronic illnesses. I found it very interesting how scientists are working to find cures for many illnesses caused by genetic factors, taking into consideration that the cost of the gene therapy in the long-term will still be less expensive than existing treatments that only reduce the symptoms.
Diya, Lower VI

Dr Alice Brown’s talk was profoundly fascinating, and I found it very interesting to learn about recent advancements in gene therapy and its applications within medicine. The story of Mateo was particularly inspiring: he had a mutation in a gene known as the “SMN1” gene, leaving him with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. This affected the nerve cells connecting the brain to the muscles, all of which are crucial for walking, breathing and swallowing. Thanks to gene therapy and careful clinical management, he is now much better; his story is definitely very encouraging and highlights the potential of modern genetic medicine. Overall, the talk provided a lovely insight into how rapidly this field is developing, and I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, with the annual Jo Trott Memorial Lecture remaining a highlight of the Spring term for me!

Nikita, Lower V