Park People: Dr Peter Sargent, Physiomics

In this month’s Park People, the Milton Park team hears from Peter on his role in the fight against COVID-19 and how his work to tailor cancer treatment is helping to maximise patients’ chances of success. 

Hi Peter! Please tell us a bit about Physiomics… 

Physiomics is a consultancy that provides solutions in quantitative pharmacology, data science and biostatistics to drug development organisations, including biopharmaceutical companies and research institutes. 

We aim to help these organisations make better use of the data they have, alongside publicly available data, to derive insights that can enhance their drug development processes. This includes predicting the efficacy and toxicity of drugs, helping to optimise dosing decisions and supporting the statistical design of clinical trials. 

In addition to our consultancy services, we are also developing personalised dosing software tools for chemotherapy patients. The goal here is to move away from the traditional ‘one size –fits all’ approach and instead tailor chemotherapy doses to the individual patient, maximising the chances of success. 

What inspired you to pursue a career in the life sciences sector?  

Since childhood, I’ve always been fascinated by STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects and chose to focus my studies on life sciences. This led me to pursue a PhD in Biochemistry at King’s College London, where I worked collaboratively with industry and gained exposure to the commercial side of the sector.  

It was during this time that I realised academia wasn’t the right fit for me and I was eager to apply my research to tangible, real-world challenges. This shift led me into industry, where I’ve been able to focus on developing novel diagnostics and therapies that can directly improve patients’ lives. 

Can you tell us what your role at Physiomics involves?  

As CEO and a Company Director, I’m never short of things to do! I focus on guiding the overall strategy of the business, helping to expand our consultancy services and driving forward the development of our personalised dosing software, which tailors doses to improve efficacy and reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy. 

We’re a smaller company, so as you can imagine, my role doesn’t stop there. I get involved in many aspects of the business, from operations and finance, to HR and investor relations. 

Luckily, I still get the opportunity to apply my scientific knowledge and you’ll often find me delving into projects, engaging with clients on their drug development needs and working with clinicians on our personalised dosing initiative.  

What do you enjoy most about your role?  

First and foremost, I have to say it’s the people. I’m very lucky to work with super smart individuals from all walks of life. There’s always an opportunity to learn something new from them, whether it’s scientific or commercial.  

I also love to apply science to solve real-world problems. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how the work we do can improve treatments for patients with often devastating illnesses.  

Have there been any particularly rewarding moments in your career so far? 

There are a number of highlights, but one particularly rewarding period was working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for International Trade during the pandemic.   

We worked together to identify diagnostics, vaccines and therapies from around the world that could help in the fight against COVID-19. It was amazing to see the world’s scientific community, both industry and academia, come together to develop solutions so quickly.  

Are there any exciting projects or developments at Physiomics that you can tell us about?  

Yes, it’s an exciting time at Physiomics. We’ve recently expanded our service offerings in Biostatistics and Data Science and have hired some key expertise to help accelerate our growth.  

What do you like most about being based at Milton Park?  

We’re very happy with our base at Bee House. It offers a great working environment that’s both smart and friendly, while also providing the flexibility we need as a business.  

Many of the Physiomics team work remotely, so when we do need to bring everyone together, the easy transport links to Milton Park are great bonus. Bee House also gives us the flexibility of meeting rooms and additional desk space, making it ideal for a growing company. 

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