Suchergebnisse

Since 2001 Professor Jo Silvester of City University London and academic colleagues have pursued a programme of applied occupational psychology research designed to improve the selection, development and performance of UK politicians. Original research with the Conservative Party (2001 to 2003) aimed to improve the quality and diversity of prospective parliamentary candidates by analysing the competencies required by MPs and designing the first evidence-based selection process for political candidates. The research triggered wide media interest and led to further projects creating and implementing evidence-based development practices for elected members in local government. In 2008 Silvester redesigned candidate selection procedures for the Liberal Democrat Party and today approximately 60% of UK parliamentary candidates are assessed using procedures developed by Silvester based on best practice in occupational psychology.

Are the traits preferred by voters also associated with success in political office? Drawing on the ascription-actuality trait theory of leadership the present study examines whether traits ascribed to politicians predict leadership outcomes differently to the actual traits they possess. We collected self-ratings of politicians' personality (N = 138) using the NEO-PI-R (actual traits) and observer ratings of politicians' facial appearance (ascribed traits) to examine their relationship with (a) leadership emergence, measured using share of vote in election, and (b) in-role leadership effectiveness, rated anonymously by political and local authority colleagues. Facial appearance predicted leadership emergence but not effectiveness. Personality had a more nuanced relationship with leadership outcomes. Conscientiousness predicted effectiveness but not emergence, and Agreeableness revealed a trait paradox, positively predicting emergence and negatively predicting effectiveness. These findings suggest a need to understand the contested nature of political leadership and qualities required for different aspects of political roles.

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record. ; In this paper we discuss the factors that influence women's likelihood to gain positions of power, and what impedes women's effectiveness once in these roles. We have reviewed the research from an international perspective and have highlighted the common trends that impact women across the globe. Although progress has been made, there is still much that needs to happen before equality of opportunity is realized. This paper highlights the macro and micro level factors that have an impact on women's rise to powerful positions and the progress and reactions thereafter. The psychological research indicates that it is not sufficient to address the individual challenges of being a woman in business or in politics. The current emphasis is on women as individuals and relies on them taking action. But this fails to address the wider societal impacts. It is not sufficient for women to focus on building their networks, increasing their social capital and enhancing their motivation. This fails to take into account the institutional and societal biases that undermine opportunities for women. We recommend changes in the way that women approach opportunities in the workplace, and in the way that policy makers and employers act. We highlight the importance of embracing diversity more broadly, not simply from a gender perspective. Only in this way, can there be equality of opportunity and an enhancement of diversity in the workplace. We address the practical implications from the psychological research and provide advice for organizations, senior executives, women throughout their professional careers and for young women as they start their career journey. ; This research was sponsored by the Alliance for Organizational Psychology (AOP) and coordinated through the Board Effectiveness Group of the British Psychological Society.

G-quadruplex DNAs form four-stranded helical structures and are proposed to play key roles in different cellular processes. Targeting G-quadruplex DNAs for cancer treatment is a very promising prospect. Here, we show that CX-5461 is a G-quadruplex stabilizer, with specific toxicity against BRCA deficiencies in cancer cells and polyclonal patient-derived xenograft models, including tumours resistant to PARP inhibition. Exposure to CX-5461, and its related drug CX-3543, blocks replication forks and induces ssDNA gaps or breaks. The BRCA and NHEJ pathways are required for the repair of CX-5461 and CX-3543-induced DNA damage and failure to do so leads to lethality. These data strengthen the concept of G4 targeting as a therapeutic approach, specifically for targeting HR and NHEJ deficient cancers and other tumours deficient for DNA damage repair. CX-5461 is now in advanced phase I clinical trial for patients with BRCA1/2 deficient tumours (Canadian trial, NCT02719977, opened May 2016). ; This work was supported by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation BC/Yukon, BC Cancer Foundation, Stand Up to Cancer Canada (SU2C-AACR-DT-18-15), TFRI Grant 1021, CCSRI Grant 701584, CIHR Grant MOP-126119, Canada Foundation for Innovation and Cancer Research UK. Grant Brown lab is supported by CCSRI Impact Grant 702310 (to G.W.B.) and Ontario Government Scholarship (to B.H.). S.A. is supported by a Canada Research Chair in Molecular Oncology. The Balasubramanian lab is supported by a programme grant (C14303/A17197) and core funding (C14303/A17197) from Cancer Research UK.