Blanchard, Helen Prof.

Professor Helen Blanchard was appointed Head of School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience in October 2019. She obtained her B.Sc (Chemistry) and PhD (X-ray crystallography and chemistry) from the University of London. She has worked in academia, research institutes and industry in Canada, USA, Australia and Switzerland; establishing her research group in structural glycobiology at the Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University in 2002. 

Professor Blanchard's research interests are in understanding structure and function of proteins involved in disease progression. Elucidating atomic structure and using this information toward the design of therapeutics, including those to reduce cancer growth and metastasis. 

In 2006 Professor Blanchard was deemed a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) in recognition of her contributions to structural biology and inhibitor design. She received the 2017 Pro Vice Chancellor's (Science) Award for Excellence in Research Supervision. At Griffith she held positions of Director of Higher Degree Research and Deputy Dean Research (Griffith Sciences).