panel profiles - biotechnology enent

8/7/2019 Panel Profiles - Biotechnology Enent

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Commercial in confidence

Page 1 of 4Copyright 2008 County Durham Development Company

Biotechnology

debate

NETPark 6th May 2008


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Panel Profiles:

Mike Asher, CEO, Cels (Panel chair)

Mikes experience in the health industry includes most recently working as a

consultant for the Association for Greater Manchester Primary Care Trusts, helping

to develop a new approach to healthcare s ervice commissioning. Between 1998 and

2004 Mike ran medical diagnostics company Drew Scientific Group PLC which

specialised in diabetes and haematology testing systems. As chief executive officer

he achieved sales growth of 400 per cent from 2.5 to 12.5 million in five years. He

also successfully raised over 15 million new equity and increased the product and

technology portfolio by acquiring three US companies. Mikes career in health

started in 1992 - based in Milan, Italy, he worked for Instrumentat ion Laboratory, a

US multi-national owned by C-H Werfen. During this time he ran the $80m Clinical

Chemistry division, and was also responsible for establishing a manufacturing and

commercial joint venture in Eastern Europe, of which he became chairman.

Professor John Anstee, NETPark Scientific Director

John is Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences, Durham University and the

Scientific Director for NETPark. Until his retirement in July 2004, he held the position

of Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Sub-warden at Durham University. He is a graduate of

the University of Nottingham (B.Sc., Ph.D.), a Fellow of the Royal Entomological

Society, a Fellow of the Zoological Society of London and a Member of the Society of

Experimental Biology. He holds directorships in a number of companies associated

with scientific research and Technology Transfer including the Centre f or Process

Innovation (CPI) Ltd , the Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences (Cels) Ltd, the

Company of Biologists Ltd, and is a former Associate Director of County Durham

Development Company. He is a Member of the County Durham Economic Strategy

Steering Group, Chairman of the Knowledge Economy Working Group and a Deputy

Lord-Lieutenant for County Durham.

Professor Chris Hutchison, School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences , Durham

University

Research in Chris group focuses on the structure, function and biosynthesis of the

nuclear envelope. The nuclear envelope has been proposed to be an archit ectural

device similar to a geodesic dome, which is designed to resist forces of deformation.

The function of nuclear envelope has recently been highlighted by the discovery that

a number of genetic diseases, including progeria, bone diseases, muscular

dystrophy, cardiomyopathy and white fat disorders, arise through mutations in

nuclear envelope proteins. Research groups include Bioactive Chemistry, Bioactive


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Chemistry: Biological Sciences Staff, Institute of Biomedical and Cell Science.

Research interests include:

y Structure, Function and Biogenesis of the Nuclear Envelope

y The role of nuclear envelope proteins in cancer progression

y The role of nuclear envelope proteins in cell cycle progression

y The role of nuclear envelope proteins in human adult stem cel l function

y The role of nuclear envelope proteins in human ageing

Nigel Perry, CEO, CPI

Nigel Perry is a Chartered Engineer with 25 years of experience in the international

Process Industry. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers and al so

the Institution of Engineering and Technology, as well as a member of both the

British Computer Society and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. He has an MA

in Engineering from the University of Oxford, and is an alumnus of the Accelerated

Development Programme at London Business School and the Entrepreneurship

Development Program at MIT. He spent over 20 years with ICI, enjoying an

international career in engineering, operations, technology management, and project

and business management. He joined PwC Consulting and then IBM before

becoming the Chief Executive Officer and a Director of the Centre for Process

Innovation Ltd, taking the company from start -up to today where it employs over 45

high calibre scientists and engineers and is recognised internationally as a world -

class resource supporting the Process Industry in low carbon energy, fuel cells,

flexible electronics, nanomaterials and bio -processing. Nigel is also a non -executive

director of Renew Tees Valley, and until recently was a non -executive director of

Chemistry Innovation, the DTI Knowledge Transfer Network. He is also a member of

the University of Newcastle's Molecular Engineering Advisory Board, and a Visiting

Professor at Newcastle.

Dr Mike Pitkethly, Deputy CEO, Centre for Process Innovation

Mike 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 Dir ector.

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.


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Professor Miles Whittington, Professor of Neuroscience, Newcastle University

Miles primary research focus is on the mechanisms underlying neuronal networ k

behaviour. His group has developed and characterized a number of in vitro models of

EEG rhythms which allow greater understanding of network mechanisms underlying

neuronal population behaviour associated with sensory processing. Professor

Whittingtons background is in Pharmacology (BSc Hons. Bristol, 1987) and

postgraduate research was carried out on the role of dihydropyridine -sensitive

calcium channels in neuronal hyperexcitability during ethanol withdrawal, under the

supervision of Dr Hilary Little ( PhD Bristol, 1990). Neuronal excitability states

remained a theme for post -doctoral work carried out with John Jefferys at St. Mary's

Hospital Medical School and Imperial College London where he focused on the

generation and propagation of epileptiform act ivity in brain slices in vitro. More recent

work at Imperial College London (1995 -1999) and Leeds University (1999 -2005) has

focused on aspects of physiological network rhythms of cognitive relevance.

About NETWorks magazine:

NETWorks magazine is a quarte rly publication that reports on the very latest science

and technology news. NETWorks is the only title that showcases the scientific and

technological excellence of the North East region to key influencers and decision

makers in both public and private s ectors, not just in the North East but nationally

and internationally. The mailing list includes KTNs, Research Councils, British

Ambassadors and government ministers.

Each issue has a focus around a different technology and the features and interviews

follow a structure from fundamental research to successful commercialisation:

Cutting edge research from the regions universities

Support from the commercialisation framework

Case studies and success stories from companies in the region

So far the themes have included energy, nanotechnology, plastic electronics , and

medical devices, and the issue currently in development features biotechnology.

Cels is the key sponsor of this issue of NETWorks and Mike Asher is acting as guest

editor.

panel profiles - biotechnology enent

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