Our research is focused upon improving existing treatments for cancer patients. Central to this work is the enzyme SAMHD1, which we identified as a therapeutic barrier to an important group of anti-cancer drugs (Herold & Rudd et al., Nat. Med. 2017; Rudd et al., Mol. Cell. Oncol. 2017). Continuing from this study we wish to further define and, if possible, exploit this role of SAMHD1 by developing small molecule inhibitors of this enzyme. Practically, this project entails working in a small interdisciplinary team using an array of different techniques, including biochemical, biophysical, and cell-based assays.