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Interview with Claudia Antoni

Claudia Antoni, Scientific Project Manager within the project’s Work Package 6 at the Innovative Medicines for Tuberculosis (iM4TB) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Work package description – what does your work package do overall within ERA4TB
We work in close contact with both molecular owners and CROs/CDMOs (partners with capabilities to conduct the selected activities on their site). We participate to the first introductive meeting with the CROs/CDMOs and we proceed to the final selection based on their technical capabilities but also based on the best value for money principle. As WP6 we establish formal contracts (MSA, TO etc.) with the CROs/CDMOs. We are constantly present during the several study phases, implementing amendments to the study when necessary, ensuring that the project progresses in the several study steps. Finally, we proceed to the upload of the final reports to the ERA4TB platform, which will be available for every WPs member.

Length of time working on ERA4TB
From November 2022

Outline your background before joining ERA4TB e.g., previous job roles, areas of research, education
I have a M.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (University of Pisa – ITA) and a PhD in Structural Biochemistry (Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology, Dormtund – DE). Afterwards, I moved to Lausanne where I have worked for a start up as Pre-Clinical and Clinical Project Manager, finally joining iM4TB at the end of 2022.

Tell us about your role within ERA4TB
Together with IPP, I am in close contact with the molecular owners and the respective CROs/CDMOs involved in the studies. iM4TB and IPP are involved in CMC studies (Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls), chemical synthesis optimization as well as in API scale up, pharmaceutical studies, preclinical activities (in vitro, in vivo and non-GLP or GLP, etc.). All these activities are practically carried out by the selected CRO/CDMO.

Who do you collaborate most with in ERA4TB?
I mostly collaborate with the other member of the WP6 (IPP), with the variuos CROs/CDMOs and with the molecular owners. Depending on the study plans, we could also be in close collaboration with other WPs.

From your point of view, what are ERA4TB’s key achievements to date?
The immense network and collaborations made with all ERA4TB partners, which has created a powerful research team of experts.
In addition, the selection of potential anti-TB molecules which show great potentials for the next research phases.

Why is the ERA4TB important?

  • The commitment to fight TB which make every ERA4TB member doing his best in his field.
  • The cause that brings all ERA4TB member together. In order to do our best at work, it is essential to truly believe in the final goal.

What would you like both yourself and the ERA4TB project as a whole to achieve by the end of the project?
I hope that we will be able to find few very good candidates against-TB, with possibly a selection of few more interesting molecules with different mechanism of action that could progress into the anti-TB research.

In what ways, if any, has being involved in ERA4TB been beneficial for you and your career, and what have you most enjoyed about being part of the project?
Being part of such big group, learning how the group itself can exist and can progress, listening to many experts on different fields enriches me from the scientific and personal point of view.

Outside of work what do you enjoy doing?
I really enjoy spending time with people, but also swimming in the see, cycling and running.

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