Dr Dorothy Wai completed her PhD at the University of Sydney in 2017, using NMR and other biophysical techniques to characterise protein-protein and protein-RNA interactions that regulate mammalian gene expression. Since moving to MIPS, she has worked on highly collaborative fragment-based drug discovery projects against protein targets in type 2 diabetes and graft-versus-host disease, utilising her experience in molecular biology, protein biochemistry and structural biology. Her current research focuses on developing peptides that inhibit the potassium channel K_V1.3, a novel molecular target in neurodegenerative disease, with the aim of generating therapeutic leads that have improved brain permeability and pharmacokinetic properties. Her work has attracted competitive funding and has the potential to expand the currently limited therapeutic options available to people with neurodegenerative disorders.