On her path to becoming a pharmacist, Brandi Hudson discovered her passion for chemistry in an organic chemistry class. Encouraged by her professors, she decided to change her major. Gaining hands-on experience in organic chemistry research during her senior year further solidified her interest in the field, ultimately leading her to pursue a career in chemistry, specifically in drug discovery.
Now, Hudson is a Principal Scientist in biotech working to discover new therapies for cancer and rare diseases.
“I’m grateful to my professors for guiding me toward this path,” said Dr. Hudson who will present the 2025 Sylvia M. Stoesser Lecture at 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 19. This marks the 25th anniversary of the lecture series that was created in 2000 with generous support from Dow and Illinois chemistry alumna, Dr. Yulan Tong (MS, ’58; PhD, ’61).
The lecture recognizes one of the early pioneers for women in chemistry, Sylvia M. Stoesser, and each year features an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the chemical community.
Hudson’s lecture will focus on her work with a team at Relay Therapeutics that discovered, Lirafugratinib, a small molecule effective in treating rare bile duct cancer and other tumors, including gastric, pancreatic, head, and neck cancers.
What sets this molecule apart, she said, is its reduced toxicity, allowing for continuous treatment without the dose reductions or interruptions that limit the effectiveness of other therapies. Hudson will also share her journey in fostering inclusion and psychological safety, empowering teams to push boundaries and overcome challenges in drug discovery.
Launching DEI initiatives wasn’t something Hudson planned to pursue in her career. It happened organically in her previous position at Relay Therapeutics when she spoke up about the lack of gender balance on an interview panel.
That conversation sparked broader discussions, and soon, Hudson said a group of 20 colleagues were eager to share their perspectives with the Chief Operating Officer and head of Human Resources.
“They eventually asked if I’d be interested in leading DEI efforts. Despite my imposter syndrome, minimal leadership experience, and limited subject matter knowledge, I embraced the opportunity,” Hudson said.
She said she reminded herself of the Emma Watson quote: “If not me, who? If not now, when?”
“It turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences. I expanded my understanding through research and case studies, collaborated across the organization, and helped implement lasting change,” said Hudson, whose efforts led to the launch in January 2020 of Relay’s Diversity, Equity, Belonging, & Inclusion (DEBI) initiatives.
In three years, Hudson oversaw the creation of two employee resource groups, introduced company-wide DEI training, implemented inclusive meeting practices, and organized year-round events celebrating diversity. In recognition of her impacts at Relay Tx, she was named to Google Ventures’ Impact List in 2021.
In her role as a Principal Scientist at Remix Therapeutics, she has applied a model-first approach to hit validation, fragment X-ray screening, and lead optimization across multiple RNA-targeting programs. In her five years at her previous employer, Relay Therapeutics, Hudson was part of the team that discovered lirafugratinib (RLY-4008), a highly selective FGFR2 inhibitor. Lirafugratinib is currently in the global ReFocus trial for FGFR2-altered tumors and has received FDA breakthrough therapy and orphan drug designations. In addition, she co-led a team in the discovery of molecules that can inhibit PI3Ka, a lipid kinase commonly mutated in cancer.
Hudson said there are three aspects of her work that she enjoys most.
“Contributing to the development of potential lifesaving or life-altering medicines, knowing that my work has the potential to make a real difference in patients' lives; collaborating with talented, multidisciplinary team members, where diverse perspectives drive innovation and problem-solving; and continuously learning, whether through scientific advancements, new techniques, or insights from my colleagues, keeping me challenged and engaged every day,” Hudson said.
Her advice to graduate students preparing for their own careers in the chemical sciences is to take advantage of university and department resources to expand skills in a low-risk environment and actively network, seeking informational interviews, collaborating across departments, attending interdisciplinary seminars, learning complementary skills, and utilizing the career center.
“For future women chemists, build a strong support network, seek diverse mentors and sponsors, and find advocates who will help you grow while teaching you to advocate for yourself,” she said.
Hudson completed her postdoctoral training in structural biology at UCSF (2018), earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry from UC Davis (2016), and received a B.S. in Chemistry from the College of Charleston (2011). Between college and graduate school, she worked as a chemist at o2si, a chemical standards company, and spent a year as an adjunct organic chemistry lab instructor at Trident Technical College.