Alexander Stephens

Scientist in the protein engineering team. Responsible for the design, expression, and functional testing of bispecific TCR-CD3 molecules targeting novel cancer antigens. Develops and optimises high-throughput workflows for protein expression, purification, and screening to support rapid candidate evaluation. Designs and implements in-house assays to assess the quality, stability, and activity of TCRs and bispecific constructs. Contributes to the advancement of T-cell based immunotherapies by integrating molecular engineering with data-driven assay development to enable informed therapeutic decision-making.

Recombinant overlapping peptides (ROPs) are peptide cancer vaccines consisting of short overlapping amino acid sequences formed into a single-chain polypeptide encompassing the sequence of an antigen. Engineered between each overlapping region is a Cathepsin S target sequence, a key protease in the endosomal antigen cross-presentation pathway. The aim of the project was to use ROPs and synthetic peptides to investigate the contribution of Cathepsin S and the various pathways to antigen cross-presentation, to inform the design of next-generation peptide cancer vaccines.

Spearheaded an impactful industrial collaboration aimed at optimising a novel Recombinant overlapping peptide (ROP) clostridium-based delivery system.

Scientist in the Cell Line Development Group. Utilised advanced molecular biology and cell culturing techniques to generate stable cell lines for monoclonal antibody production, ensuring consistent and high-quality output.

Oversaw end-to-end production, purification, and testing of recombinant antigens from both mammalian and bacterial expression systems. Proficient in the use of the AKTA FPLC system and have worked with Yeast expression systems and with Class II organisms including C. difficile.