Speakers Biography Dr Dale Athey – Orla Protein Technologies Ltd Prof Jas Pal Badyal - Durham University Dr Mark Birch - University of Newcastle upon Tyne Alex Buchan – NorthStar Equity Investors Dr S.C. Costigan - Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Sjaak Deckers - Philips Imaging Dr Helen Floyd - Smith & Nephew Niall Head-Rapson - McDaniel & Co Herbert Kim - Codeworks Tom Kirkwood - Institute for Ageing & Health, University of Newcastle upon Tyne Duncan J. Lowery – NEL Fund Managers Limited Prof Andrew McCaskie - University of Newcastle upon Tyne Dr Amanda McMurray - Cenamps Prof Calum McNeil - University of Newcastle upon Tyne Dr Keith Morris - Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences (CELS) Ltd Mark A Phillips - Glaxo Smith Kline Dr Mike Pitkethly - Cenamps Dr David Robbins - Cenamps Dr Angela Silmon - INEX - Innovation in Nanotechnology Exploitation Fionagh Thomson - Policy and Ethics Life Sciences (PEALS) Jerel Whittingham – Amphion Innovations UK Ltd Dr Mark Yeadon - Harrison Goddard Foote Dr Dale Athey – Orla Protein Technologies Ltd Dr Dale Athey co-founded Orla Protein Technologies Ltd in 2002 with Jeremy Lakey Professor of Structural Biochemistry at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK. Dr Athey led Orla to a first round of venture capital finance from Northern Enterprise in April 2003, taking the post of full-time Managing Director in 2004. Formerly a Clinical Biochemist in the NHS, he gained industrial R&D experience with Cranfield Biotechnology Ltd, and Cambridge Life Sciences plc. He then gained further commercial experience in the clinical diagnostics industry with Chiron and Bayer Diagnostics, as Product Manager for ACS and ADVIA Immunodiagnostics and Clinical Chemistry systems. Back to top Prof Jas Pal Badyal - Durham University Jas Pal Badyal obtained BA/MA (Natural Sciences) and PhD (Surface Science) degrees from Cambridge University, in 1985 and 1988 respectively. Subsequently he remained in Cambridge where he held a King’s College Fellowship and the Oppenheimer Fellowship. In 1989 he moved to Durham University to take up a lectureship and was promoted to Professor in 1996. He has published 148 refereed research articles and 22 industrial patents. He has been recipient of the Harrison Prize from The Royal Society of Chemistry; Burch Prize from The British Vacuum Council; and an EPSRC Advanced Research Fellowship. During the past 5 years, his research has directly led to 3 spin-off companies: Dow Corning Plasma Ltd (atmospheric plasma processing), P2i Ltd (stain-repellent garments), and Surface Innovations Ltd (bioactive coatings). Back to top Dr Mark Birch - University of Newcastle upon Tyne Mark Birch is a Lectuer in Biomaterials and Bone Cell Biology and member of the Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology (INSAT) at the University of Newcastle. MB completed his graduate studies at the University of Liverpool, moved on to positions at CIBA-GEIG AG (Basel Switzerland) and Boots Pharmaceuticals (Nottingham, UK) before returning to academia at the University of York and finally coming to Newcastle in 1998. The research team led by MB focuses on understanding the relationship between implants and their target tissues and aims to provide the basis for rational design of new biomaterials that orchestrate appropriate cellular responses, improve tissue integration and have enhanced functional lifespan. These goals are addressed through a portfolio of research projects that encompass aspects of cell biology and micro/nanoscale fabrication. The strategy is to translate basic research findings that investigate the regulation of bone-forming cells, osteoblasts, and identify biomolecules that when incorporated in or coated onto suitable biomaterials can improve osteointegration and other tissue responses. This is coupled with studies that investigate how specific micro/nanotopography can influence all aspects of cell behaviour including proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. This work has been supported by funding from the EPSRC, BBSRC, Arthritis Research Campaign, Nuffield Foundation and a European Framework VI project. Back to top Alex Buchan - Investment Manager – NorthStar Equity Investor After completing a PhD in Microbiology, Alex spent 3 years in the City of London as a stockbroker before moving into a series of commercial roles in Biotech companies. Initially he worked for a university spinout developing novel systems to decontaminate complex effluents. After this he ran the European subsidiary of a US diagnostics company setting up distribution networks into the food, water and environmental industries. Prior to joining NStar, Alex was European Sales Director for a Bioinformatics company. Back to top Dr S.C. Costigan - Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency My research background was in electrophysiology (PhD) and cellular membrane modelling to identify pressure effects on membrane protein folding (post doc). My commercial background is in the toxicology of household products and medical devices, and most of my 5 years with the MHRA (or Medical Devices Agency, one of the predecessor organisations of the MHRA) has been spent looking at the area of toxicology of medical devices as well as performing adverse incident investigations. However, after the merger with the Medicines Control Agency the need for a new forward looking post was felt that would identify what technologies would play a role in the future of healthcare and assess whether we, as a regulatory agency, needed to do anything to be prepared for this. I started in this role last summer. Nanotechnology was seen as a priority area. It is from this experience that my presentation stems, though since a couple of months, the post has been made redundant due to financial constraints. Back to top Sjaak Deckers - Philips Imaging Sjaak Deckers (1960) has a MS in applied physics, a PhD in experimental physics and MS in Business Marketing. He has worked on different Research and Development assignments at various product divisions of Royal Philips Electronics. He has a large experience in managing multi-company multi-cultural collaborations. Since 1996, he was the Philips representative for the joint development by Siemens Medical Solutions, Philips Medical Systems and Thales Electron Devices of a new solid-state flat X-ray detector in a joint venture company called Trixell, located in Grenoble. Since 2003, he has joined the PMS Corporate Technology Office as Technology Officer Molecular Imaging. He is alliance manager for the Philips collaboration with Schering AG from Berlin, Germany, and responsible for the coordination of PMS European molecular imaging research and development activities. Back to top Dr Helen Floyd - Smith & Nephew Completed a PhD at University of Manchester (1997) investigating the characteristics of mature human scars. Followed by postdocs at the University of Oxford and University of Dundee before moving to the US and the University of Washington, to continue work investigating various aspects of the innate immune response. I returned to the UK in 2004, to Smith and Nephew Wound management research centre, based at York Science Park. Currently hold position of the team leader for infection and inflammation. Back to top Niall Head-Rapson - McDaniel & Co Niall Head-Rapson is the principal of niche practice McDaniel & Co. which is based in Newcastle. McDaniel & Co. is a specialist Intellectual Property practice focusing on the needs of businesses whose sole assets are Intellectual Property based. Niall Head-Rapson is also a director and board chair of Biostatus ( www.biostatus.co.uk ). Biostatus is a company who provide novel solutions for imaging, cytometry and screening. Niall also spent time as the Intellectual Property Manager at the Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences in Newcastle. Niall has a degree in Biotechnology and a Diploma in Intellectual Property. Niall trained at city firm Gouldens and was a partner at top 100 firms Martineau Johnson and Ward Hadaway. Niall has been described in Chamber's Guide as a leading lawyer in Intellectual Property and in the Legal 500 as the foremost Biotech lawyer in the North East. Niall established McDaniel & Co. Niall's experience extends to all Intellectual Property matters and advises regularly on Intellectual Property strategy and enforcement. Back to top Herbert Kim - Codeworks As the CEO of Codeworks, (the Centre of Digital Excellence), Herbert brings 12 years of experience in technology and media related businesses. Prior to his current role, Herbert was at MM02, where he was originally Head of Business Development for BT Cellnet and then Head of Marketing for 02’s incubator division. Other senior roles include Other senior roles include UK Managing Director for QXL.com, Head of Partner Relations at Bertelsmann’s E-commerce shop. General Manager of Blackwell’s Online Bookshop and Marketing Manager at IBM. Herbert has an MBA in Strategic Management from Wharton School and graduated in History, with honors at Princeton University. Herbert was born in Brooklyn, NY and has resided in the UK for 7 years. Back to top Tom Kirkwood - Institute for Ageing & Health, University of Newcastle upon Tyne Tom Kirkwood is Professor of Medicine and Head of the Department of Gerontology in the Institute for Ageing and Health at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Educated in biology and mathematics at Cambridge and Oxford, he worked at the UK National Institute for Medical Research from 1981 where he was Head of the Laboratory of Mathematical Biology until 1993, when he became Britain’s first Professor of Biological Gerontology at the University of Manchester. He has been Chair of the British Society for Research on Ageing, Regional President of the International Biometric Society, Adviser to the United Nations ‘Research Agenda on Ageing for for the 21st Century’, Governor and Chair of the Research Advisory Council of the medical research charity Research into Ageing. He is European Editor of Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, has served on various national grants committees (e.g. Wellcome Trust, MRC Human Genome Mapping Project), and is currently a Council Member of the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). Books include Time of Our Lives: The Science of Human Ageing, Chance, Development and Ageing (coauthored with Caleb Finch) and The End of Age based on his BBC Reith Lectures in 2001. He is winner of the inaugural Henry Dale Prize for multidisciplinary research from the Royal Institution (see Nature 2002;417:471). Back to top Duncan J. Lowery - NEL Fund Managers Limited Duncan joined venture capital firm NEL in July 2000 as a Fund Manager. His responsibilities include fund raising, investor relations, and generation, appraisal, negotiation and execution of investment opportunities. He also serves as a member of NEL’s investment committee. A Masters graduate in Industrial Biotechnology he has worked in the technology transfer and funding industry since 1996. Duncan is a non-executive director of two biotechnology portfolio companies and holds the Investment Management Certificate of the UK Society of Investment Professionals, the IOD Diploma in Company Direction and is threshold competent for FSA purposes. Back to top Prof Andrew McCaskie - Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery - University of Newcastle upon Tyne My clinical interest is in lower limb joint replacement. In particular I am interested in innovation and improvement in the performance of arthroplasty. This includes research into new implants and new techniques e.g. minimally invasive techniques and computer guided surgery. I am also interested in service delivery and outcome measurement. More recently we have been evaluating the incidence of osteoporosis in arthroplasty patients. I am also intersted in basic science research. Initially this was concerned with biomaterials and more recently has addressed the biological aspects of materials; particularly cell adhesion and bone formation on surfaces. This has lead to and involvement in nanoscale science - particularly in the formation of novel surfaces. From an institutional point of view, I facilitate the MRC IDBA award to the university: Medicine and Nanotechnology. This initiative aims to bring together relevant researchers and clinicians to develop nanoscience for real-world patient applications. Back to top Dr Amanda McMurray - Commercialisation Manager - Cenamps As Commercialisation Manager, Amanda engages on driving technology transfer and commercialisation activities for small businesses and universities in the North East. Amanda has over 10 years experience of new technology evaluation and commercialisation in life sciences, pharma, and biotechnology. She has worked in fields such as genomics, proteomics, drug discovery and medical devices, for industry and academia and as a consultant, both independently and for a global consulting practice. Amanda holds the MBA from the Cass Business School, London and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Cambridge. Back to top Prof Calum McNeil - University of Newcastle upon Tyne Professor Calum McNeil obtained the degrees of BSc and PhD in Chemistry from Strathclyde University, Glasgow in 1979 and 1983, respectively. After periods of post-doctoral research at the University of Alberta and Oxford University, he was appointed as a "New Blood" Lecturer in the Department of Clinical Biochemistry at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1987. In 2001 he was promoted to a Personal Chair in Biological Sensor Systems in the now School of Clinical and Laboratory Sciences (rated 5* in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise). Professor McNeil's research concentrates on the design and development of electrochemical and microelectromechanical (bio-MEMS) sensors and their application to investigations of the biochemical mechanisms underlying disease processes. Professor McNeil has published over 100 papers and 8 patents in the area of sensor systems for clinical diagnostics. At present he is the Coordinator of the EC Integrated Project SmartHEALTH and manages research grants from the EC (Framework 5 and 6), UK Research Councils and industry worth in excess of £12M. Back to top Dr Keith Morris - Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences (CELS) Ltd As the Director of Markets & Technologies for Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences (CELS) Ltd, Keith leads the market foresighting team to understand market opportunities in healthcare and biotechnology, identify unmet market needs, and technology ‘gaps’ and to develop programmes to deliver market-ready technologies for commercialisation. Keith supports regional start-up companies and assists regional Venture capital firms to assess investment opportunities. Keith has spent 18 Years in industry, supplying Pharmaceutical, Healthcare and Medical Industries with 8 years spent managing the product development of medical devices and laboratory filter products which involved scouting for opportunities to ‘in-license’ new technologies. He has experience of working in USA and supporting customers throughout Europe. Keith holds a BSc in Chemistry with Biochemistry, Leicester University and a PhD in Biochemistry, University of Birmingham. Back to top Mark A Phillips - Glaxo Smith Kline Currently, VP and Head of OE Strategy and Deployment within Global Manufacturing and Supply at GlaxoSmithKline. He has over 20 years experience in GSK covering manufacturing operations, capital projects, new product and new technology introduction, business process improvement, change management and developing product supply strategies and business strategy. Until recently was Head of Network Strategy responsible for defining Global Manufacturing and Supply network strategy and undertaking network reviews. Previously, was Manufacturing Strategy Director for several therapeutic areas including Psychiatry, Neurology and HIV. He has a BSc in Chemical Engineering from University of Loughborough, a Masters in Manufacturing Leadership from Cambridge University and is a Visiting Professor at Leeds University. Married with two sons, his interests outside work include occasionally playing and coaching Rugby (as an RFU Level 2 Coach), Music, Photography and Travel. Back to top Dr Mike Pitkethly - Chief Executive Officer - Cenamps Mike brings to Cenamps considerable experience in managing high technology businesses and undertaking technology exploitation. He has a strong technical background and has specialised in nano and micro technologies for over ten years. He was a founding director of QinetiQ Nanomaterials Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of QinetiQ Group, which was established in October 2001, where he was Commercial Director. As a seasoned presenter / speaker at international and UK conferences, he has a wide-reaching network of contacts across the nano and micro technology fields. Mike is a Chartered Engineer; Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and Visiting Lecturer at Imperial College London and Surrey University on Nanotechnology MSc courses. Back to top Dr David Robbins - Chief Technology Officer - Cenamps David works closely with stakeholders, regional universities and companies to build a strong collaborative research base in small-scale technologies in the North East. The aim is to create a world-class network that links multi-disciplinary university science with industry-facing technology in purpose-designed facilities, taking leading-edge research from the laboratory through to commercial application. David is an internationally-recognised expert in semiconductor epitaxy and in the application of semiconductor devices in microelectronics and photonics. He has extensive experience of initiating and managing collaborative R&D involving universities and industry, gained as leader of research teams for the UK Ministry of Defence and then QinetiQ in their Malvern laboratories. Back to top Dr Angela Silmon - INEX - Innovation in Nanotechnology Exploitation Following a degree in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Durham I studied for a PhD in Cellular Neuroscience also at Durham. I then moved to a postdoctoral position at Newcastle University in epithelial electrophysiology of Cystic Fibrosis. I came to INEX in 2004 to investigate the interface between implantable medical devices and the body as part of a European Framework VI project. Within that post I have been developing INEX’s “bio” orientated business and research opportunities. Back to top Fionagh Thomson - Policy and Ethics Life Sciences (PEALS) I am a research associate at PEALS, University of Newcastle exploring the social, ethical and legal implications of an EU Nanomedicine project: SmartHEALTH integrated Biodiagnostic Systems. My research interests include the production of knowledge from everyday experiences, sci-art research methodologies, particularly participatory approaches, and the role of research evidence in informing public policy. My training is in business (BA), marketing and human resource management (chartered diplomas), natural resource management (MSc), based on fieldwork in Papua New Guinea, and educational research (MPhil). My doctoral thesis focused on the diversity of meanings of land in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. In previous posts, I have worked as a senior research officer in the Scottish government’s Environment and Rural Affairs Department and a project co-ordinator on both fair-trade forest products from the South Pacific and native timber products from Scotland. I also work as a freelance participatory researcher with both urban and rural communities. Back to top Jerel Whittingham – Managing Director - Amphion Innovations UK Ltd Mr. Whittingham brings over 12 years of technology commercialization experience in investor, start-up and opportunity development roles with companies including Amphion, Generics Group PLC, Durlacher PLC, and a materials science start-up. Most recently he established the commercialization activities of CENAMPS (Centre for Emerging Technologies) where he raised over $2.5m of funding for early stage technology companies. He has worked on commercialization projects at more than 10 UK universities and a number of leading European companies in diverse areas including media technologies, biosensors, diagnostics, materials science and medical imaging. He has spoken at a number of conferences and chaired sessions of both Nanomed and the World Nano-Economic Forum. His interest and commitment to technology commercialization builds on earlier experience in R&D and then strategy development (with consultancies or in senior staff roles), including roles with Prime Strategy Consultants, BBC Corporate strategy and the office of the Director General at INMARSAT. Mr. Whittingham has an MBA (Distinction), MSc. In Aerospace Engineering and BSc. in Physics (Honors). He is a graduate of London, Cranfield and Brussels Universities. Back to top Dr Mark Yeadon - Harrison Goddard Foote Mark is an Associate in the Leeds office of Harrison Goddard Foote, an established firm of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys. He holds an honours degree in Electronic and Structural Materials Engineering from the University of Oxford, and a doctorate in Metallurgy and Materials from the University of Birmingham. Since graduating he has worked in University and Government research laboratories in both the United States and South East Asia. He spent four years as Senior Scientist at the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), having a joint appointment with the National University of Singapore. He headed a team of scientists developing novel materials for semiconductor and optoelectronic devices, and novel nanomaterials including nanoscale cages, particles and wires. He gained extensive experience in the design and development of scientific equipment, including an in-situ ultrahigh vacuum transmission electron microscope, which was used to video the formation of BN nanocages. He also served as scientific advisor to two Singapore-based companies. Mark's practice spans the areas of engineering, physics and materials science. He handles a range of subject matter in addition to inventions relating to nanotechnology, including advanced electronics and telecommunications, mechanical and structural engineering, scientific equipment, instrumentation and computer software. His activities include advising multinational and SME clients in both the UK and overseas, and he is a regular visitor to Asia. He works with a number of UK Universities and start-up companies, having first-hand experience of the academic and Government research environments and the development of spinout technology. Mark provides strategic, commercially sensible advice in the development of intellectual property portfolios, in addition to handling all aspects of the process of obtaining patent protection in the UK and overseas. Back to top