Team
In addition to the core team, PTNG Consulting works with a core team of 8 consultants and an additional team of over 20 expert consultants offering detailed knowledge in antibody design, bioinformatics, immunology, proteomics, biotech valuation, grant development and more.
Dr Simona John von Freyend
Managing Director
Cell biology, Microbiology, Cell signalling, Communication, strategy and project management
Dr John von Freyend is the Managing Director of PTNG Consulting. Her background in cell biology, high-level stakeholder management and strategic development, combined with her capabilities of team building, facilitation, and communication skills makes her ideal to lead PTNG’s science consulting business.
Dr John von Freyend completed her PhD in cell signalling in parasites in 2010 after working at Strathclyde University, Glasgow (UK) and the Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine in Hamburg (Germany). Her postdoctoral research brought her to Australia where, she worked at the Department of Biochemistry, Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne and the Department of Microbiology, Monash University, commencing as Research Fellow and reaching Senior Research Fellow.
Dr John von Freyend is passionate about the applied combination of niche research skills, communication and connecting people to deliver targeted developments with economic outcomes to scientific companies and groups to revolutionise medicine through novel drug discovery and new treatments.
Associate Professor Sheena McGowan
Advisory Board Member
Microbiology, Structural Biology, Drug discovery, Microbial disease control
Sheena McGowan has a PhD in Microbiology from Monash University (2004). After her PhD, she joined the laboratory of Professor James Whisstock to learn structural biology and protein biochemistry. Sheena used the award of an NHMRC Career Development Award as well as an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship to establish her own laboratory in 2011, focussed on structural microbiology and the development of novel antimicrobials. Her research has generated over 120 PDB structures and published papers in top journals including PNAS, EMBO J, J Med Chem and Nature Micro. She has a long standing interest in research translation and drug discovery, and in addition to academic projects, has worked with industry, philanthropic and venture capital partners.
Dr Ashley Buckle
Advisory Board Member
Structural biology, protein engineering, protein folding, molecular dynamics, protein evolution, strategic advice
Ashley Buckle is VP, Head of Protein Engineering and Structural Biology at Replay, a Genomic Medicine/SynBio Biotech based in San Diego. He has more than three decades of expertise in structural biology and protein engineering, and has published >155 papers. He is named author on 10 patents, encompassing: minichaperone refolding, hypo-immune iPS cells, development of activators of GAD65 as therapeutic agents in anxiety disorders, engineered antibodies, stabilised anti-inflammatory protein biologics, and highly stable monobodies. He has determined high resolution X-ray crystallographic structures of over 90 proteins, including several ‘firsts’ of medically important proteins; the autoantigen GAD65, Membrane Attack Complex / Perforin (MACPF)-like protein, the bacteriophage lysin PlyC, and T Cell receptor-MHC complex. Ashley performed his PhD studies at Cambridge University and the MRC Centre for Protein Engineering, in the group of Sir Alan Fersht, a founder and pioneer of protein engineering.
Our Roots
PTNG Scientific, is led by Dr Simona John von Freyend and aims to support biotech and pharma businesses in their discovery projects.
PTNG Scientific took over operations from PTNG Consulting, which was founded in 2020 by Dr Ashley Buckle, motivated by the increasingly important role of protein engineering in the development of biologics and therapeutics. Based on his 3 decades worth of experience in structural biology research, Ashley was able to recognise the value of applying deep protein design and structure/folding/function knowledge in combination with bioinformatics and molecular dynamics to boost commercial projects. He built up PTNG Consulting accordingly with a team that fully understands the needs and challenges of industry while drawing on long-standing academic expertise.
Ashley is currently VP of Protein Engineering and Structural Biology at Replay, a VC-backed cell and gene therapy company with headquarters in San Diego, USA.
Protein engineering is revolutionising medicine