For a new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham brings an unusual level of experience working with the life sciences sector. He was Health Secretary in 2009 when the former Labour government published the Life Sciences Blueprint – a forerunner to the current Life Sciences Sector Plan – and has seen first-hand the economic impact of the sector during his time as Mayor of Greater Manchester.
But he takes office at a time of continuing squeeze on the UK’s coffers and public impatience for change, which will put pressure on every decision he makes. What changes will he bring for our sector and what role can we play as he seeks to bring “Manchesterism” to every constituency of the UK?
Join BIA’s experts to hear what his policy priorities are for UK life sciences, who the new ministers are and how BIA is working to deliver the voice of our members to influence them.
This is a webinar exclusively for BIA members.
Prof. Chris Molloy
What does your role at BIA involve?
I work with the elected Board, our management and membership to shape and deliver BIA’s strategy for sector impact by its an advocacy for our sector, an advisor to it and home for current and emerging companies. From healthcare to food, from start-ups to scale-ups and services our sector reflects the business of biology: demand-driven, science enabled and entrprenereal. We link our membership with policymakers through expert, advisory committees and evidence-based campaigns to foster a fertile and sustainable business and regulatory environment that invents, funds and adopts innovation. In return our nation is healthier, wealthier and a global force in Life Sciences.
Previous experience and achievements
I have joined BIA from the Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC), where I was the founding CEO, leading R&D collaboration across academia, industry, the NHS and private capital to drive productivity; help start-ups thrive and drive global programmes in areas of unmet patient need. Previously I worked across global pharma, biotech, life sciences informatics and professional services. I have chaired successful venture capital and private equity funded UK biotech businesses and been an international government advisor on healthcare innovation. During the COVID‑19 pandemic, I led the UK’s Lighthouse Laboratories, delivering the largest diagnostics programme in the country, and chaired the UK consortium responsible for the manufacture and scale‑up of lateral flow testing. I am a Trustee of the Institute of Cancer Research and have an honorary position at the University of Manchester
Martin Turner
What does your role at BIA involve?
Martin leads the BIA's policy and public affairs team, overseeing all of the BIA's policy development work, Advisory Committees and engagement with government and other stakeholders. He also supports the BIA Chair, Dan Mahony, in his role as the Government's Life Sciences Investment Envoy and leads BIA's investor relations. He is chief editor of BIA's finance reports and a regular commentator on the life sciences sector in the national media.
Previous experience & achievements
Outside BIA, Martin serves on the Advisory Board of the Cambridge University Science Policy Exchange (CUSPE). He has over fifteen years experience in policy and public affairs and has worked at the Royal Society, the Campaign for Science and Engineering, and the Association of Medical Research Charities. He holds a PhD in molecular biology from the University of Sheffield.
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