This week’s blog was written by Abigail Lampkin. Abigail is a Senior Analyst at Costello Medical, a medical consultancy that provides scientific support in the analysis, interpretation and communication of clinical and health economic data.
Abigail describes her experience working with the Beacon team, as part of a secondment to support Beacon’s drug repurposing project with REMEDi4ALL.
From June to September 2024, I embarked on an exciting journey with Beacon, dedicating two days a week to support their work in drug repurposing. Beacon is part of the REMEDi4ALL consortium, an ambitious EU initiative focused on building a sustainable platform to advance the repurposing of medicines across Europe.
As part of this initiative, Beacon, alongside EURORDIS, is developing the ‘Digital Academy’—a comprehensive educational resource designed to guide patient groups, clinicians, researchers, funders, and industry stakeholders through the drug repurposing process.
During my secondment, I had the opportunity to dive into content creation for the Digital Academy. My main focus was developing e-learning modules that covered essential topics such as the steps needed to make repurposed drugs accessible to patients, and the regulatory processes required to ensure their safety and efficacy.
I also played a role in overseeing project management, helping ensure that the Digital Academy was ready for its initial launch in September 2024. Thanks to the team’s dedication and collaborative efforts, we proudly met this deadline.
As we speak, the Beacon/EURORDIS team are finalising the Digital Academy content, adding interactive features for the final launch.
The secondment was a valuable and enjoyable experience.
Exploring the field of drug repurposing, guided by industry and patient engagement experts, was both fascinating and useful for my professional development.
This newfound knowledge has already started to make a difference in my role at Costello Medical! The experience also allowed me to refine my project management skills in a diverse team environment, by coordinating multiple aspects of the project.
One of the most rewarding aspects was building meaningful connections within the Beacon team. Right from the start, their supportive and enthusiastic culture made me feel at home.
Working closely with Gabriel, the talented Projects Officer at Beacon, was especially rewarding as we were able to learn from each other and exchange ideas to enhance our approach.
Although the secondment was primarily remote, visiting Beacon’s office and meeting the broader team was another highlight. It enriched my experience by creating new friendships and a sense of belonging.
In summary, this secondment was a unique opportunity to collaborate on an impactful project with industry professionals and patient engagement experts.
It highlighted the value of embracing new roles and environments, fostering personal growth and enduring professional relationships.
A heartfelt thanks to the Beacon team for their friendly and warm support throughout this journey!
Thank you to Abigail for sharing this blog with us. We hope you enjoyed learning about her time at Beacon!
