As part of his PhD thesis, Ron contributed to several research projects related to ferroptosis—a form of iron-dependent cell death involved in neurodegeneration and ischemic reperfusion injury, and believed to be a proverbial Achilles’ heel for treatment of therapy-resistant cancers. Many of these studies were published in leading journals, including a paper in Nature in late 2019. As part of an international, multidisciplinary collaboration, Ron and his colleagues in the Pratt Group explained the molecular mechanism of ferroptosis suppressor protein-1, an enzyme expressed in various cancer cells and a new therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Key to this breakthrough, and several others he made, was the development of a novel method for characterizing radical-trapping antioxidants in phospholipid bilayers. This now makes it possible to accurately evaluate the antioxidant activity of potential drugs and predict their intracellular efficacy without the need for cell culture. In recognition of his outstanding thesis, Ron was awarded the 2020 IUPAC-SOLVAY International Prize for Young Chemists, a highly competitive prize awarded annually to only five students worldwide.
Ron is extremely grateful to his thesis supervisor Prof. Pratt, and mentions that, “he has constantly motivated me to excel by providing opportunities to pursue new research avenues and allowing the freedom to operate independently.” Prof. Pratt shares that, “Ron is one the students that a supervisor can only realistically hope to have once or twice in their career—a student that will open new doors for your team and provide them with the momentum to breeze through them.”
Moreover, Ron found extracurricular activities to be extremely helpful in managing stress and restoring motivation, which is why he actively volunteered with Let’s Talk Science, an organization dedicated to increasing science outreach. This has given him the opportunity to share his passion for science by presenting hands-on activities and teaching fundamental scientific concepts at various outreach events.
Currently, Ron is a Product Development Scientist at Infineum, a world-leading company in the development of petroleum additives for oils and lubricants. In the coming year, Ron plans to expand his knowledge of business development and customer relations while successfully completing the R&D projects he manages at Infineum. Working in industry gives Ron the opportunity to regularly translate the scientific knowledge and research experience he gained during his graduate studies into real-world applications, which he finds very exciting.
