Pioneering Sheffield Uni antibiotics scientist Kirsty Smitten dies aged 29

Dr Kirsty Smitten was conducting ground-breaking research before her death

An "exceptional" scientist who worked on developing a new class of antibiotics has died aged 29.

Dr Kirsty Smitten had studied at the University of Sheffield and went on to help create drugs to tackle antimicrobial resistance.

She won several awards during her career and was recently named on Forbes magazine's "30 under 30" list.

Dr Smitten died from a rare form of heart cancer on 4 October, the University of Sheffield confirmed.

The co-founder and CEO of spin-out company MetalloBio Ltd, Dr Smitten was also actively involved in various sporting teams across South Yorkshire, the university said.

This included AFC Norton Woodseats Ladies, which she helped launch.

Dr Smitten, who was originally from Solihull, had been diagnosed with cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare terminal disease which affects just two people in the UK every year.

Dr Smitten founded MetalloBio Ltd together with Professor Jim Thomas

In April, she told the BBC: "It's so rare that my oncologist and none of the sarcoma team in Birmingham had ever seen it before.

"No one knows that you can even get heart cancer. I didn't, and I work in medicine."

Despite the diagnosis, Dr Smitten continued to work, saying it helped her keep going.

Paying tribute, Professor Jim Thomas, co-founder of MetalloBio Ltd, said Dr Smitten had been "an exceptional individual".

"Apart from her academic and burgeoning commercial successes, she was a keen and competitive sportswoman," Prof Thomas said.

"When diagnosed with an exceptionally rare and aggressive cancer, she went on to document her life on social media and use this as a lever for fundraising activities.

"She even set up an online support group for cardiac angiosarcoma to help others across the world, and was nominated to become a SarcomaUK Young Sarcoma Voice of the Year."

Prof Thomas added: "Kirsty was the most extraordinary person I have met in my career."

Dr Smitten's family said they wanted to continue her work and planned to set up a charity in her name.