Management
Emeritus Professor Colin Self BSc, MB, BChir, PhD, DSc, FRSC, FRCPath
Chief Executive Officer
Colin has a wide medical and scientific background and has been closely involved with the biotechnology industry during has career as a clinician and academic entrepreneur. During his time as a medical student he invented and patented the technology of Enzyme Amplification, allowing the great amplification of signal (and thus speed and sensitivity) from immunodiagnostic and genetic tests. From this technology one of the first successful Cambridge Biotechnology Companies, IQ Bio Ltd, grew rapidly. Colin was Research Director during the formative years of the company. He has since gone on to establish further biotechnology companies into which he has been responsible for major UK and EU funding flowing. He was, and remains, the force behind the development of light activated antibody therapeutics stemming from the first seminal publication in Nature Medicine.
Dr J. Jonathan Harburn BSc (Hons.), MSc, PhD, FRSC
Chief Operating Officer
Jonathan is a senior research scientist with a breadth of experience over 25 years within the drug discovery and medical device sectors. After an MRC AIDS Directed Programme doctorate in Medicinal Chemistry and a NIH/NCI Post-Doctoral fellowship at University of Missouri-St Louis (USA), Jonathan joined the faculty and then biotech start-up Stereotaxis Inc. focussing upon medical devices toward the treatment of cardiovascular interventions. On return to the UK, Jonathan has been a key driver in programmes for oncological and infective settings in both industrial and academic sectors, most recently Head of Chemistry and site lead at ReViral Ltd and then Pfizer leading a team focussing upon H2L, lead opt and pre-clinical anti-infective drug discovery.
Declan Cunningham BSc FCA CTA
Finance Director
Declan was a tax partner at Ernst Young in their Entrepreneurial Services Office in London until 2002 when he left to establish his own accountancy practice. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a Chartered Tax Adviser. Through this work he has experience working with a wide range of clients from large multinational companies to early stage technology companies, including software and life sciences. He has advised a number of University spin-out companies in the life science sector on many issues including:
Dr Gwyn Cole BSc, PhD (Cantab)
Director of Intellectual Property
Gwyn set up the patent department of Smith and Nephew plc and was head of Merck & Co Inc’s European Patent Department and is currently Senior Attorney at Avidity. He has a wealth of experience in patent drafting, prosecution and appeals in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. He has over 20 year’s experience in the diagnostics area including lateral flow. He has numerous clients mainly in the US in the diagnostic area and this includes some of the world’s largest corporations in the area.
Emeritus Professor Colin Self BSc, MB, BChir, PhD, DSc, FRSC, FRCPath
Chief Executive Officer
Colin has a wide medical and scientific background and has been closely involved with the biotechnology industry during has career as a clinician and academic entrepreneur. During his time as a medical student he invented and patented the technology of Enzyme Amplification, allowing the great amplification of signal (and thus speed and sensitivity) from immunodiagnostic and genetic tests. From this technology one of the first successful Cambridge Biotechnology Companies, IQ Bio Ltd, grew rapidly. Colin was Research Director during the formative years of the company. He has since gone on to establish further biotechnology companies into which he has been responsible for major UK and EU funding flowing. He was, and remains, the force behind the development of light activated antibody therapeutics stemming from the first seminal publication in Nature Medicine.
Dr J. Jonathan Harburn BSc (Hons.), MSc, PhD, FRSC
Chief Operating Officer
Jonathan is a senior research scientist with a breadth of experience over 25 years within the drug discovery and medical device sectors. After an MRC AIDS Directed Programme doctorate in Medicinal Chemistry and a NIH/NCI Post-Doctoral fellowship at University of Missouri-St Louis (USA), Jonathan joined the faculty and then biotech start-up Stereotaxis Inc. focussing upon medical devices toward the treatment of cardiovascular interventions. On return to the UK, Jonathan has been a key driver in programmes for oncological and infective settings in both industrial and academic sectors, most recently Head of Chemistry and site lead at ReViral Ltd and then Pfizer leading a team focussing upon H2L, lead opt and pre-clinical anti-infective drug discovery.
Declan Cunningham BSc FCA CTA
Finance Director
Declan was a tax partner at Ernst Young in their Entrepreneurial Services Office in London until 2002 when he left to establish his own accountancy practice. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a Chartered Tax Adviser. Through this work he has experience working with a wide range of clients from large multinational companies to early stage technology companies, including software and life sciences. He has advised a number of University spin-out companies in the life science sector on many issues including:
- providing expert advice and support for Research & Development Tax Credit claims. His methodology in identifying and documenting the qualifying costs has led to a 100% success rate in claims made to HMRC;
- raising funds including through the Enterprise Investment Scheme and the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme;
- advising on share option schemes including the Enterprise Management Incentive Scheme to provide highly tax effective solutions; and,
- restructuring to optimise the overall tax position.
Dr Gwyn Cole BSc, PhD (Cantab)
Director of Intellectual Property
Gwyn set up the patent department of Smith and Nephew plc and was head of Merck & Co Inc’s European Patent Department and is currently Senior Attorney at Avidity. He has a wealth of experience in patent drafting, prosecution and appeals in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. He has over 20 year’s experience in the diagnostics area including lateral flow. He has numerous clients mainly in the US in the diagnostic area and this includes some of the world’s largest corporations in the area.