Dr Laurence Bishop

PhD

Laurence is an experienced DMPK and toxicological Scientist, with 20 years of non-clinical drug development and chemical experience at medium and large CROs as well as within AstraZeneca. Specialising in Business Development for the last 13 years Laurence combines a passion for appropriate pharmaceutical development and a knowledge of project scientific and commercial needs. he is well placed to support both our customers and ApconiX to best deliver non-clinical safety programmes. Laurence has a proven track record for communication, ownership, integrity and delivery, building mutually beneficial and lasting customer relationships.

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Kemal Haque

PhD

Kemal is a toxicologist with 25 years’ experience supporting biopharma projects (from early discovery through marketing authorisation) across different therapeutic areas, target classes, and modalities (small molecules, biologics, and targeted drug conjugates). Kemal has worked in both small biotech and large pharma organisations and has a track record of designing and delivering fit-for-purpose safety assessment strategies and successfully devising risk mitigation approaches.

Tanya Coleman

PhD

Tanya has more than 25 years’ experience in pharmaceutical project teams as a nonclinical ADME specialist and clinical pharmacologist. She held project and team leader roles at several large pharma companies before becoming an independent consultant.  In these roles, she has supported research teams as well as early and late clinical development projects, with a particular strength in oncology and infection.  Tanya has also led specialist groups in in vitro metabolism and drug transporters.

Olivia Turner

Olivia has recently completed her second year studying Biomedical Sciences at Sheffield University. Choosing to take the Physiology and Pharmacology route in her second year, Olivia is currently on a placement year (jointly with ApconiX and Aptus Clinical) to gain greater understanding of drug development and the pharmaceutical industry. She hopes to be able to finish her degree and move straight to studying for a Ph.D. Versatile, enthusiastic and highly adaptive, Olivia is a great addition to the ApconiX office as she learns about the essential role of drug safety in pharmaceuticals as well as what it’s like to be part of a growing company.

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Andrew Winkley

PhD, DABT

Andrew has over 20 years of drug safety experience in industry at AstraZeneca and Vertex. He has a broad scientific background that includes mechanistic and regulatory toxicology, and biochemistry. His drug development experience covers the complete life cycle of drug development from discovery to late-stage development in several therapeutic areas including orphan indications, neuroscience, pain therapeutics, inflammatory diseases, infectious diseases, and oncology. Andrew has been involved in bringing several candidate molecules to clinical trials and most recently completed an NDA/MAA for a cystic fibrosis drug. Andrew is a highly adaptive project toxicologist who can assimilate and interpret a broad range of data from various disciplines to provide clear guidance to the project team.

Dr Paul Duffy

PhD, ERT, FBTS

Paul is senior project toxicologist with particular expertise in new modalities including RNA therapeutics and regenerative medicines. He is an extremely highly experienced project toxicologist with invaluable submission experience in multiple territories including repurposing of existing drug projects for new applications. He has served on the BTS Executive and Communication Committees and SOT Committees and has many publications in peer reviewed journals. Paul is former senior Project Toxicologist at AstraZeneca and a former board member of Stem cells for Safer Medicines (SC4SM).  Paul is a Fellow of the BTS and the RSB and a UK/EU Registered Toxicologist.

Marie Cumberbatch

MSc

Marie is an established immunologist with over 30 years of experience gained in industry and academia. She has specific immune expertise in oncology and toxicology, most recently in the field of immuno-oncology biomarkers for efficacy, mode of action, patient selection and safety across all phases of the drug discovery process from early target identification through to clinical trials. Marie has many peer reviewed publications in her specialist area of immunology and is a former team leader the AstraZeneca Oncology Translation Sciences.

Dr Damian Deavall

PhD

Damian is a project leader with notable expertise in global drug development, gained over more than 20 years. He has led the nonclinical safety assessment of 50+ candidate drugs encompassing a wide range of modalities (small molecules, antibodies, peptides, oligonucleotides, therapeutic viruses and vaccines) in multiple therapy areas, including oncology, infectious disease and metabolic disorders. Damian has contributed to drug development at every phase, from discovery, through clinical trials to marketing approval applications in EU and US. He leads and manages drug safety programs for biotech and larger pharma clients, bringing a pragmatic and considered approach to those collaborations, which teams greatly appreciate.