Annie Bligh

My research has evolved from a focus on synthetic drug discovery to the investigation of natural products, with particular emphasis on traditional Chinese herbal medicine. Working with colleagues in Shanghai, my research has concentrated on designing a comprehensive quality control system, using both chemical profiles and biological response fingerprints, to ensure safety and efficacy of individual medicinal herbs and complex herbal prescriptions.

My research areas have spanned from natural products in herbal medicine (standardisation, pharmacology and molecular cellular mechanisms) to drug delivery.

Since 2006 I have been a Visiting Professor at the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and am a Visiting Researcher to China as part of a joint programme between the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Chinese State Administration for Foreign Experts Affairs, the Visiting Researchers to China Programme.

Long interested in pharmaceutical research, I have carried out full time research in drug discovery at Roche Discovery Welwyn and GlaxoSmithKline, after being awarded a Royal Society Industry Fellowship.

I am a Fellow Member and Chartered Chemist of the Royal Society of Chemistry; and a Senior Fellow Member of Higher Education Academy.