2023 Speakers - BMJRESEARCHFORUM

Keynote Speakers

Prof. Cathie Sudlow

Chief Scientist, Deputy Directory of HDR UK and Director of the BHF Data Science Centre at BHF Data Science Centre

Professor Cathie Sudlow is Chief Scientist and Deputy Director of Health Data Research UK, the UK’s institute for health data science and Director of the British Heart Foundation Data Science Centre, which aims to improve the public’s cardiovascular health through the power of large-scale data and advanced analytics across the UK and beyond. She is also Chair of Neurology and Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Edinburgh.

As a neurology specialist doctor, Cathie’s clinical work has focused mainly on the assessment and treatment of patients with suspected stroke.

Cathie’s research interests have always been embedded in the world of big data. For the last 15 years, her focus has been on leading large-scale, collaborative, open-science initiatives that enable a better understanding of the causes and consequences of health and disease across the life course, leading to new and improved approaches to prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

From 2011 to 2019, she led efforts to follow the health of UK Biobank participants through linkage to national health datasets and, during 2020-2021, worked with NHS Digital (now NHS England) to develop the first trusted research environment to hold and enable access for research to linked health data from multiple sources for the whole population of England.

She is fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. She was awarded an OBE for services to medical research in 2020.

Cathie was recently interviewed on the BBC’s ‘The Life Scientific Podcast’ and mentioned that “there is no room for Prima Donna’s in science”, listen to the full podcast here.

Prof. Lucy Chappell

Chief Scientific Adviser, Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)

Professor Chappell FMedSci has an overall responsibility for the Department of Health and Social Care’s research and development, including the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

She is a Professor of Obstetrics at King’s College London, Honorary Consultant Obstetrician at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and an NIHR Senior Investigator.

Stéphane Maikovsky

Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO), LifeArc

Stéphane Maikovsky is the Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at LifeArc, succeeding Dr Melanie Lee who stepped down from the role in September 2023.

Stéphane joined LifeArc as Chief Financial Officer and Trustee in June 2022. He heads up the Finance, Investment, Early Ventures, Information Technology and Operational Effectiveness teams.

Stéphane was previously CFO at the Francis Crick Institute, where his responsibilities included financial strategy, financial planning and operations, strategic and commercial partnerships, sourcing, grants management, risk management and the oversight of facilities and infrastructure.

He has held a number of senior financial, commercial and strategic roles in global biotechnology and business. Stéphane is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (FCMA, CGMA), has an LLM in Medical Law and Ethics from the University of Edinburgh, and a BSc in Business Administration from North eastern University.

Clare Terlouw

Head of LifeArc Ventures

Clare Terlouw is Head of LifeArc Ventures, responsible for LifeArc’s portfolio of direct and LP investments across the life sciences sector. The venture investment fund focuses on early stage life sciences companies at seed to Series A, with significant follow-on investment reserved for successful portfolio companies.

Clare has significant expertise in funding innovative life sciences companies in the private and public markets. She was previously Head of Corporate Development at Syncona Investment Management Ltd, a FTSE250 healthcare investment trust which builds and invests in life science companies, and has more than 15 years of biotech and healthcare financing experience as a UK investment banker at Nomura, Numis Securities and Peel Hunt. Clare was a physiotherapist in Canada prior to moving into finance.

Clare is a board member of the UK Biotechnology Industry Association and director of a number of venture-backed companies.