Influencing policy
The BIA advocates extensively in the UK, Europe and beyond to ensure that the interests of our members are represented to key policymakers, regulators and stakeholders. We also work collaboratively with other industry groups, charities and academia to present a unified message on shared issues, as well as the importance and strength of the life sciences ecosystem in the UK.
Explore our policy priorities in the following areas:
Meet our Policy and Public Affairs Team
Dr Martin Turner
What does your role at BIA involve?
Martin is responsible for all the BIA's policy outputs and public affairs activities and leads on finance and tax policy as well as the BIA’s engagement with the investment community. He authors the BIA’s investment analysis reports and is a regular commentator on the life sciences sector in the national press. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the Cambridge University Science Policy Exchange (CUSPE).
Previous experience & achievements
Martin has over ten 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. Before embarking on a career in policy, he completed a PhD in molecular biology at the University of Sheffield, where he also co-founded and was director of an award-winning science communication charity called Science Brainwaves. He has a BSc in molecular biology from the University of Manchester.
Dr Emma Lawrence
What does your role at BIA involve?
Emma leads BIA's genomics, digital, data and artificial intelligence (AI) policy areas. She engages with members who work in these fields to understand their policy needs. Emma provides the secretariat for BIA's Genomics Advisory Committee (GAC) and looks after the TechBio community as part of this. Emma also leads BIA's influence agenda for these areas, engaging with civil servants and other senior stakeholders.
Previous experience
Prior to joining the BIA, Emma worked at the cross-party think tank Policy Connect on a Cell and Gene Therapy Parliamentary engagement programme. She has previously worked in the biomedical research sector understanding the barriers to accessing human samples and data for research. This included leading engagement at the UKCRC Tissue Directory and Coordination Centre (UCL) and the Immunotherapy Trial Simulation Project (Imperial College London). Emma has a PhD in Immunology from the University of Manchester.
If you could invite any scientist or entrepreneur to dinner, who would it be and why?
Ada Lovelace, the godmother of computer programming because she was the first to recognise that a machine would have uses beyond calculations. We’d chat about maths and 19th-century gossip over cocktails.
Linda Bedenik
What does your role at BIA involve?
Linda leads on intellectual property (IP), engineering biology (EngBio), R&D and innovation policy and animal research. She provides the secretariat to BIA's two advisory committees - Intellectual Property (IPAC) and Engineering Biology (EBAC) as well as the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Life Sciences.
Previous experience & achievements
Prior to joining BIA, Linda worked as a Policy Analyst at a non-profit looking into university-business collaboration and knowledge exchange in the UK and as a researcher at a public policy-focused think tank identifying challenges to state-level public service delivery and rural health in India. Linda has an MA in Global Political Economy from the University of Sussex.
If you could invite any scientist or entrepreneur to dinner, who would it be and why?
Santos-Dumont and the Wright Brothers – to have them settle the debate over who flew first.
Dr Christiane Abouzeid
What does your role at BIA involve?
Christiane has been with the BIA since May 2004. She is a lawyer responsible for regulatory issues concerning the research and development of novel technology products and has been involved in influencing legislative and policy developments affecting the life sciences industry in the EU. Christiane is the Clinical Trials Topic Leader for EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries.
Previous experience & achievements
Previously, Christiane was part of the Biosciences Group at Eversheds, joining shortly after qualification at Llewellyn Zeitman (now Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP). She worked at the European Commission for one year. Prior to her legal career, Christiane was a research scientist at University College London and Imperial College School of Medicine for over 12 years. She holds a PhD in microbiology and biochemistry from the University of Louvain (Belgium).
Rosie Lindup
What does your role at BIA involve?
Rosie leads the BIA’s policy work on access to medicines, rare diseases, cell and gene therapies and antimicrobial resistance. This involves providing the secretariat for the BIA’s Cell and Gene Therapy Advisory Committee (CGTAC) and Rare Disease Industry Group (RDIG). She is also responsible for organising the BIA’s annual Parliament Day, which brings CEOs and senior representatives from BIA member companies to Westminster to meet with politicians and policymakers.
Previous experience
Previously, Rosie worked as a Senior Research Consultant at a Westminster-based public affairs agency, where she supported clients from a range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, technology and financial services. Prior to that, Rosie worked as a Management Consultant at KPMG, where she assisted on financial and regulatory projects with large corporate clients. She has a BA in Human, Social and Political Sciences from the University of Cambridge.
Lewis Miles
What does your role at BIA involve?
Lewis leads the BIA’s policy work on finance and tax, which involves campaigning to increase investment in the UK’s life science industry. He engages with members across the sector to understand their policy needs. Lewis also provides the secretariat for the BIA’s Finance and Tax Advisory Committee (FTAC).
Previous experience & achievements
Previously, Lewis has held a number of roles related to policy within the STEM sector. These have included work at the Royal Society of Chemistry, where he led on policy areas including research culture, diversity and inclusion, and funding; as well as supporting the passage of the Environment Act 2021 through Parliament at DEFRA. In addition, he has worked as a Project Officer at the Royal Society, managing projects to make the landscape of STEM in the UK more inclusive and diverse. Lewis has a MSc in Natural Sciences from the University of Birmingham, where he majored in Biology and Physics.
If you could invite any scientist or entrepreneur to dinner, who would it be and why?
So many to choose from, but I think it would have to be Jane Goodall. With a lifetime’s experience working with chimpanzees, I doubt I’d ever run out of things to ask, with the added bonus of not having to worry too much about table manners – I’m sure she’s seen worse. Plus, I hear she loves a glass of whiskey every night.
Maddie Cass
What does your role at BIA involve?
I work on supporting the BIA's expansion into the deep biotech space. Deep biotech is the use of biotechnology to address some of the world's most pressing challenges, particularly the climate crisis. As a part of this I support the Engineering Biology Advisory Committee.
Previous experience & achievements
After studying genetics at Glasgow University, I gained international experience by living and working in Taiwan during the pandemic. In my previous job I provided policy advice on the education sector to head teachers and school governors.
If you could invite any scientist or entrepreneur to dinner, who would it be and why?
I would invite the remarkable cytogeneticist, Barbra McClintock to dinner. Her pioneering work in genetics and her ability to challenge existing paradigms in the field have always been a source of inspiration.
Emily Klein
What does your role at BIA involve?
I support the BIAs policy work on access to medicines, which involves campaigning to improve NHS uptake of medicines as well as addressing issues surrounding access to medicines and reimbursement. My role supports the BIA’s Rare Disease Industry Group (RDIG), including engaging with key stakeholders and supporting the delivery of projects and activities carried out by RDIG.
Previous experience & achievements
I joined the BIA in September 2023 having previously worked as a Programme Executive at a London based public sector events organisation. This role involved conducting public sector research and applying these insights and analysis to create innovative and commercially attractive event agendas that provide comprehensive solutions to key challenges across a range of UK policy areas. I also have a degree in Politics and International Relations.
If you could invite any scientist or entrepreneur to dinner, who would it be and why?
I would invite Thomas Edison, an innovative American inventor and businessman, on what I imagine would be a very fascinating discussion on his incredibly influential contributions to inventions and its impact on modern life.
