2026 SPEAKERS

Finn Bauer is Vice President of Life Science Research & Development at Croda, where he leads a global team driving cutting-edge innovation in pharmaceutical and agricultural solutions. His work focuses on translating scientific discovery into real-world impact, advancing the frontiers of...

Dr Ian Brotherston is Deputy Director for Innovation Funding Products at Innovate UK, leading the development and delivery of funding mechanisms that support innovative businesses across the UK. He brings a wealth of experience from across the innovation ecosystem, having worked at the...

Holding a bsc in Applied Science, I started my career in a pharmaceutical lab. Working on many internal projects, I decided to move into sales and started my sales career at a large distributor, Avantor. Being more effective as a consultant, I took the opportunity at Eppendorf to represent a more...

Kathleen Fisher is the Chief Executive Officer of ARIA. She previously worked at RAND, where she established a new centre applying AI and formal methods to cybersecurity challenges. Previously, she served as Director of DARPA's Information Innovation Office (I2O) from May 2022 to September...

Ben is R&D lead for Data Mesh and Semantic Infrastructure at AstraZeneca he is responsible for the application of graph technology in support of Information Discovery. He is focused on delivering FAIR Data-centric architecture to create multimodal integrated data sets to enable exploration and...

Dr. Davide Gianni is Senior Director of Functional Genomics at AstraZeneca’s BioPharmaceuticals R&D, where he leads a team of scientists advancing new therapeutic opportunities across key disease areas.   He joined AstraZeneca in 2015 from Boehringer Ingelheim, where he led oncology target...

I help businesses in the food, beverage, and flavour industries innovate, solve complex challenges, and bring winning products to market.As an experienced Flavourist and B2B consultant, I’ve worked with major CPG brands to develop flavours that have generated multi-million-dollar annual...

Dr. Radhika Gudipati is a Technical Specialist in Robotics at ARIA, with 15 years of experience in AI and Deeptech. She holds a PhD in Robotics for rehabilitation from the University of Hertfordshire. Her expertise lies in commercializing high-TRL research, a strength she honed at robotic startups...

Antima Gupta, PhD. is an Application Scientist in the technical support team at Collaborative Drug Discovery based in the UK. As a skilled data solution scientist she is dedicated to educating the CDD community with best data management practices and bettering the user experience with reliable...

Graham Hewson is a seasoned innovation leader with over 20 years’ experience designing, scaling, and operating high‑impact incubation environments for science and deep‑tech ventures. He currently serves as Head of Incubation and Prototyping Spaces at Imperial College London, where he oversees the...

Cristina Hidalgo is a Senior Automation Scientist at AstraZeneca and a member of the High‑Throughput Screening (HTS) Team. She leads the transfer of cellular and biochemical assay onto HighRes Biosolutions Automation Platforms, develops and scripts Cellario protocols, and delivers pragmatic...

Dr Stephen Hilton is an Associate Professor at UCL School of Pharmacy, having previously worked as a Senior Lecturer and as an academic fellow at the School of Pharmacy, University of London. He previously carried out postdoctoral research at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and at UCL...

Jonathan Hirst is Professor in Computational Chemistry at the University of Nottingham. In 2020, he was awarded a Chair in Emerging Technologies by the Royal Academy of Engineering, focusing on research that will empower the development of next-generation molecules that chemical engineers and...

I’m COO of Quest, dedicated to building a more sustainable food future through science, creativity, and smart operations. My work connects biotechnology, food innovation, and sustainability, supporting the growth of the alternative protein and cultivated meat industries. With a PhD in Material...

Dr Uyai Ikpatt is Research & Technology Manager at Croda working in the consumer care area of the business.  Her role is focused on using robotics, automation and instrumentation to innovate in the chemical industry space.  She’s interested in using digital tools in combination with automation...

Eghe Ikponmwosa-Eweka is an Artificial Intelligence Developer affiliated with Teesside University and Scott Bros, specializing in the design of end-to-end digital systems for environmental and industrial applications. With a background in Chemical Engineering and a master’s degree in Applied...

Dr Shazia Iqbal is a Senior Lecturer and Program Lead at the University of Buckingham and a Member of the WHO Regional Office for Europe Knowledge Community, with extensive experience in medical education leadership, curriculum design, and digital health innovation. She has previously served as...

Rivka Isaacson is Professor of Molecular Biophysics in the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical and Engineering Sciences, King’s College London. Her research team investigates the miniature molecular machinery operating inside each of our thirty trillion crowded cells. She is a passionate communicator ...

Marius has more than 15 years of experience in business development across software, medical technology, and regulated industries. His work has centered on supporting organizations operating in controlled and compliance-driven environments.He has worked with stakeholders in life...

Louise has almost 30 years’ experience working across the health and life sciences spectrum, working within academia, biotech and medium and large pharmaceutical organisations; from target discovery and R&D through to product launch and lifecycle management. In 2024, she was awarded a Royal...

Pankaj Kale is a purpose-driven entrepreneur, thought leader in sustainable innovation, and the founder of AnyFeast—an AI-powered food-tech platform transforming how we cook, eat, and connect with food. With over 24 years of global experience across technology, business strategy, and product...

Aaron Kalvani, over the last 30 years, has shaped the tapestry of the United Kingdom’s technological landscape across laboratory research and development within government, healthcare, and education, supported by the judicial system. His groundbreaking work in AI and data governance has transformed ...

Sachin Khandelwal is a seasoned Strategy & Innovation Manager at Reckitt, with a proven track record of driving business growth through strategic planning and innovative solutions. With a background in business development and a keen eye for market trends, Sachin excels at identifying new...

Andrew has a background in environmental science, with experience of experimental research from his PhD assessing Chemical fate in the environment.  He has previously worked in the water industry but moved to pharmaceuticals in 2018 when he joined AstraZeneca. In that time, he has held a few...

Professor Graham Lord, SC1 Co-Chair, Executive Director of King’s Health Partners (KHP) Senior Vice-President (Health & Life Sciences) King’s College London, Chief Academic Officer & Board Director, Guy’s & St Thomas’ and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trusts.

Emily McGibbon is a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience in the biotechnology industry. As the Director of Operations at Phycobloom Ltd, she plays a pivotal role in overseeing the company's day-to-day activities and ensuring operational efficiency. With a strong background in...

Tamara graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry, from the University of Witwatersrand. After graduating, she spent some time working as a process engineer  for a Mining Research and Technology business before moving into the LIMS industry. She has behind her more than 25+ years’ experience in the...

Michael McLeod is the co-founder of UniGreenScheme, a pioneering circular economy business specialising in the reuse and resale of laboratory equipment. While undertaking his postgraduate studies, Michael witnessed firsthand the large volumes of perfectly functional laboratory equipment being...

Neta Meir is a global innovation and digital-transformation leader, currently serving as Head of Digital Experience & Open Innovation at Lesaffre. She specialises in building powerful innovation ecosystems, mobilising teams, technology, and external partners to accelerate growth, strengthen...

Dr Puja Myles is Director of the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), which is a UK government real-world data research service with a mission to facilitate research benefiting public health and clinical care of patients. She is a Public Health Specialist and Epidemiologist. She also leads...

Matthew Partridge is a Senior Enterprise Fellow (PSDI) within the School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering at the University of Southampton, specialising in all things Physical Chemistry Data related. He leads the development of the Physical Chemistry Properties Data Collection and has...

Dr Rachel Paskell is an experienced clinician, researcher, senior lecturer, academic director and speaker on issues relating to psychological trauma and wellbeing that impact how individuals and teams function, particularly related to the workplace. She is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist and...

Karthik is the CEO of Persist AI. A company that’s using AI x Robotics to accelerate drug formulation development. He previously received his PhD from the University of Utah, where his research focused on sustained drug delivery to the brain. Most recently he held an automation role at...

Samira Richardson is a multidisciplinary business leader with extensive experience in strategic business management and operations. Alongside her business and public service roles, she serves as a Board Trustee at Success Life After Cure, is a member of the Finance, Fundraising and Development...

Mohammad Salehian is a Senior Research Fellow in Modelling and Simulation at CMAC, University of Strathclyde. His research focuses on the digital transformation of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes using computational modelling, machine learning, Artificial Intelligence, mathematical...

Burkhard Schaefer has been an active member of the laboratory informatics community for over 25 years. He started his career working on instrument control and data standards at Los Alamos National Laboratory and later the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He co-founded BSSN...

Tapas Sen is a dynamic and innovative professional with a passion for nanotechnology and its applications in various industries. As a Reader and Founding Director of NanoSen Ltd at the University of Lancashire, Tapas brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the field of nanotechnology. With a...

Jim is a veteran technology leader with over 30 years of experience driving digital transformation across the life sciences and manufacturing sectors. Currently the Director of Product Management at PerkinElmer, Jim oversees software solutions designed to optimize lab services and streamline...

Professor Andrea Townsend-Nicholson is at University College London (UCL) investigating the molecular basis of health and disease using experimental and computational methodologies. She is interested in facilitating the introduction of personalised medicine into clinical practice and teaches...

Aakash Varambhia is a Data Science Lead in Johnson Matthey's Advanced Characterisation Department, where he spearheads the delivery of innovative imaging data science solutions for research and development. Aakash has a DPhil from the University of Oxford in quantitative electron...

Kate Witkowska is a Strategic Partnerships Director with a passion for translating genomic science into real-world impact. She began her journey in Canada, earning a PhD in Molecular Physiology from the University of Alberta, where she uncovered novel pathways regulating urate balance—work powered...