Growth industry

摘要

Discoveries in cell and molecular biology, new tools such as gene-expression profiling, and information from the human genome sequence are converging to brighten employment prospects in industrial cancer research. Two of the first cancer drugs to use these sources for 'rational' design ― Herceptin, a protein-based treatment for breast cancer, and Gleevec, a small-molecule chemotherapeutic for some forms of leukaemia ― are proving successful, and others such as Avastin and Erbitux are already following in their footsteps. This trend has created some bright spots in cancer R&D recruitment, even though drug discovery in general has been adversely affected by mergers, a few high-profile failures and a shaky US economy. "Everyone is recognizing that there are going to be a lot of opportunities with all of the new information," says Jeff Hanke, vice-president for cancer research at AstraZeneca R&D Boston in Waltham, Massachusetts. Strong medical demand and a tremendous amount of new science makes this the time for a big push, he says. With that in mind, the company has taken on R&D staff in the United States and Britain during the past few years and built a new cancer facility in Waltham. And although opportunities are patchy, with some companies expanding cancer research and some not, there is currently a general upswing in hiring.