Chairs
Steve Rees, VP Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, AstraZeneca
Steve Rees, VP Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, AstraZeneca
Steve currently leads the Discovery Biology department at AstraZeneca with global accountability for protein and cellular reagent generation and assay development, target identification and validation and chemical biology. Prior to this Steve led the Screening Sciences and Sample Management department and successfully implemented strategies for hit identification, compound profiling, sample management and open innovation. Steve has led multiple international collaborations and has authored >60 scientific papers. Steve is currently Chair of the European Laboratory Research and Innovation group (ELRIG), has served as Chair of the SLAS Europe Council, and is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for Axol Biosciences, LifeArc and the Centre for Membrane Protein and Receptor Research at the Universities of Nottingham and Birmingham.
13:00-13:15
Returners: the barriers, the business case and the benefits
Dr Katie Perry, Chief Executive, The Daphne Jackson Trust, UK
Abstract
Katie will provide an overview of the work of the Daphne Jackson Trust and in doing so will link it to three key areas for returners. She will explain the barriers to STEM researchers, particularly those in biosciences returning to research careers after a break for a family, caring or health reason.
She will articulate the business case for organisations who want to engage with returners, and finally clearly set out the benefits of working with returners. Katie will highlight the key features of Daphne Jackson Fellowships and why they are so successful in returning researchers back to careers, and keeping them there.
The Fellowships are individually tailored to each Fellow and offer the opportunity to conduct research alongside a retraining programme, which allows Fellows to refresh skills in the same research area they were in before their break or shift their area of expertise to widen their career prospects. Fellowships are for two or three years and are held predominantly in universities and research institutes, but a small number are in industry.
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Dr Katie Perry, Chief Executive, The Daphne Jackson Trust, UK
Dr Katie Perry, Chief Executive, The Daphne Jackson Trust, UK
Katie became Chief Executive of the Daphne Jackson Trust in 2011, having previously worked at the Trust for 8 years as Trust Manager. She is a physicist with a background in science communication and holds a degree and PhD in Physics from the University of Surrey, where she worked with Professor Daphne Jackson.
Katie manages the Trust’s activities at a strategic level and liaises closely with the Board of Trustees. She works with and develops relationships with a range of stakeholders and sits on a number of national committees addressing diversity issues in STEM careers.
Katie’s drive, commitment and ability to successfully engage with key stakeholders has transformed the Daphne Jackson Trust. Under her leadership, the Trust has become a proactive and dynamic organisation that, in addition to successfully returning career-break scientists and engineers to work, also helps set the agenda for policy developments for women in scientific careers.
13:20-13:35
Taking an access course to enter the life sciences as a second career
Professor Simon McQueen-Mason, CNAP Director and Chair in Materials Biology, University of York, UK
13:40-13:55
Growing skillsets and networks, and evolving careers
Professor Chas Bountra, Professor of Translational Medicine, University of Oxford, UK
Abstract
My training (still ongoing!) spans three broad phases. The first as a post-doctoral fellow and lecturer in academia, the second as a practical scientist growing into a science manager/leader in industry, and the current phase back in academia as faculty. In the first, I undertook practical ‘deep’ research, learnt to critique science, present data, write papers and grants, and teach. In industry, I learnt about the processes of target and drug discovery, and the various scientific, regulatory and commercial challenges, as well as the importance of long term goals, intermediate milestones, team-play and leadership. In the past decade or more back in academia I have had to secure resources for global partnerships with many academic institutes, patient groups and pharmaceutical companies. I have tried to focus on major global challenges, through innovative science, entrepreneurship, and collaboration, with all above stakeholders, governments and philanthropic funders. Common themes across these many years of learning is wonderful teachers, supervisors and mentors, the rapid pace of technological innovation, and the globalisation of goals and science.
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Professor Chas Bountra, Professor of Translational Medicine, University of Oxford, UK
Professor Chas Bountra, Professor of Translational Medicine, University of Oxford, UK
Chas is Professor of Translational Medicine in the Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine and Associate Member of the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Oxford. He is also a Visiting Professor in Neuroscience and Mental Health at Imperial College, London. Chas is an invited expert on several government and charitable research funding bodies, and an advisor for many academic, biotech and pharma drug discovery programmes. He is currently working with 9 pharmaceutical companies, 8 disease foundations and more than 100 academic labs to develop new drugs for a range of common and rare diseases. He’s been also building stronger links with local hospitals, regulatory agencies, private investors, CROs and biotechs to create a new, more efficient ecosystem for pioneer drug discovery. Chas believes the Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC) has become a leader in human protein structural biology and epigenetics chemical biology, and is arguably one of the most successful open innovation, public-private partnerships in the world, sharing new tools, data and knowledge freely and immediately. Chas has recently been appointed as Oxford’s Pro Vice-Chancellor for Innovation.
14:00-14:15
Life sciences as a second (or third, or fourth) career
Jonny Ohlson, Founder and CEO, Touchlight, UK
Abstract
Jonny is founder and CEO of Touchlight. He is not a scientist and regularly suffers from bouts of impostor syndrome. But he believes passionately that life science is the new creative industry, and will describe how he has applied knowledge from his former creative careers (from Saatchi and Saatchi to Soho House) to building one of the world’s leading DNA technology companies.
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Jonny Ohlson, Founder and CEO, Touchlight, UK
Jonny Ohlson, Founder and CEO, Touchlight, UK
Jonny is CEO and Founder of Touchlight, a London based biotechnology firm, which has developed the world’s best platform for DNA manufacture. He is a member of the UK BioIndustry Association’s Synthetic Biology Advisory Committee. His previous positions include board director at Saatchi and Saatchi Advertising Ltd, Managing Director of Griffin Bacal Advertising, Chairman of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising Society, main board director of Soho House Ltd. He also founded the UK-registered charity The Reconstruction Project.