Avril Robertson
Avril is an experienced medicinal chemist who completed a commercially focused degree and PhD in bio-organic chemistry, including several awards, at the University of St Andrews, Scotland in 2000. She also has qualifications in both secondary and tertiary teaching. Avril had a successful 10 years in the UK biotechnology and drug discovery industry before she moved to The University of Queensland (UQ) in 2011, where she is now Associate Dean (Research) and Deputy Executive Dean in Faculty of Science.
Avril’s research has founded two companies and is focused on novel treatments for diseases of unmet medical need, particularly infectious and inflammatory disease areas. Her invention of NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors has led to several granted patents which were licensed to found the UQ spin out company Inflazome Ltd. Inflazome sold to Roche in 2020 in the largest deal of its kind in Australian history and these inhibitors are now progressing through clinical trials.