Board

Alison Lawton

Independent Chair

Alison Lawton

Independent Chair

Alison Lawton is an executive leader with over 35 years of experience in the biopharma industry. She was president and CEO of Kaleido Biosciences (KLDO) where she led its IPO, and prior to that chief operating officer of Aura Biosciences (AURA). Ms. Lawton spent more than 20 years in various positions of increasing responsibility at Genzyme, and subsequently at Sanofi (following the acquisition of Genzyme by Sanofi in 2011) including as General Manager of Genzyme Biosurgery (a ~$1Billion annual revenue business) and as senior vice president of Global Market Access & Regulatory Affairs for Genzyme.

Alison currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for Dianthus Therapeutics (DNTH); as an independent director for ProQR Therapeutics (PRQR) and BlueRock Therapeutics. She previously served as Chair of the board for Magenta Therapeutics (MGTA), and as a non-executive director of Aeglea (AGLE), Kaleido Biosciences (KLDO), Verastem (VSTM), CoLucid (CLCD) until its acquisition by Eli Lilly, and Cubist Pharmaceuticals (CBST) until its acquisition by Merck & Co. She was Chair of the Board of the Regulatory Affairs Professional Society and the industry representative on the FDA Cell and Gene Therapy Advisory Committee.


Michael Anstey, PhD

Non-Executive Director

Michael Anstey, PhD

Non-Executive Director

Michael is a Partner at Cambridge Innovation Capital specialising in life sciences and health care investments.

Before joining CIC he was a Principal in the Health Care Practice Area at The Boston Consulting Group. Michael has experience in advising multinational businesses across North America, Europe, India, and Japan.

Prior to BCG, Michael was an Investment Analyst at Oxford Capital Partners.

Michael was also co-founder of an early-stage biotechnology company focused on developing small molecule drugs that target protein-protein interactions implicated in disease.

Michael earned his DPhil in Zoology in the field of neurobiology from the University of Oxford.

Michael manages CIC's investments in Bicycle Therapeutics (NASDAQ: BCYC), Epitopea, TRIMTech Therapeutics, Immutrin, Nuclera, and Congenica. He is also a co-founder of Innovate Cambridge, a initiative developing an ambitious and inclusive innovation strategy for Greater Cambridge, with the goal of ensuring it remains the leading innovation ecosystem in Europe.

Laurence Barker, MBA PhD

Non-Executive Director

Laurence Barker, MBA PhD

Non-Executive Director

Laurence is a Partner at SV Health Investors focussed on the Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF).

With over 20 years of venture, biotech and pharma experience, Laurence has supported the funding and formation of numerous DDF companies developing transformational new medicines for dementia. He joined SV in 2016 having played an active role in setting up the DDF. 

Prior to SV, Laurence was Head of Investment Management in Worldwide Business Development at GSK where he was responsible for managing GSK’s venture investment portfolio and led licensing transactions for the pharma R&D business. Prior to GSK, Laurence worked in business development at several biotech companies. 

Marie-Claire Peakman, MRCPharm PhD

Non-Executive Director

Marie-Claire Peakman, MRCPharm PhD

Non-Executive Director

Marie-Claire is a Partner at Pfizer Ventures and Executive Director, Worldwide Business Development. Marie-Claire is responsible for identifying, evaluating, making and managing equity investments aligned with the future directions of Pfizer. She currently oversees Pfizer's investments in Curve Therapeutics, DEM Biopharma, Greywolf Therapeutics, Mediar Therapeutics, Mission Therapeutics, Mozart Therapeutics and Normunity. She previously had responsibility for investments in VaxCo (pending acquisition by Eli Lilly), and held observer roles in Capstan Therapeutics (acquired by AbbVie), Crossbow Therapeutics, and TRex Bio.

Marie-Claire brings 25 years of scientific leadership at Pfizer, delivering small molecule therapeutics to the clinic and to market across multiple therapeutic areas. Most recently she led the Primary Pharmacology Group which she founded in 2009 and which played key roles in the identification of Paxlovid™ (nirmatrelvir), Cibinqo™ (abrocitinib), Litfulo™ (ritlecitinib) and multiple other small molecules currently in the clinic. She has additional experience leading compound management, high throughput ADME, data support and management, genetically modified models, bioimaging and biobanking. Prior to Pfizer Marie-Claire gained experience at The Wellcome Foundation, at Guy’s Hospital, London, UK and held postdoctoral positions at Yale University. She is a member of the advisory board for Connecticut Bioscience Innovation Fund and has multiple roles on non-profit boards in the community.

Marie-Claire received a B.Pharm.Hons. degree in Pharmacy and a Ph.D. in Physiology & Pharmacology from the University of Nottingham U.K. She is a member of the Royal College of Pharmacy.

Hakan Goker, PhD

Non-Executive Director

Hakan Goker, PhD

Non-Executive Director

Hakan is Managing Director of M Ventures and heads the Biotechnology Investments covering Healthcare and Life Sciences Tools and Technologies.

Hakan has been investing in the sector since 2006 and joined M Ventures in 2013. Previously, Hakan was a partner at Aescap Venture investing in European opportunities. Hakan started his investment career at Atlas Venture focusing on global investment opportunities in healthcare and medical technologies across US, Europe and Asia. He was instrumental in the creation and financing, business and R&D strategies of multiple companies in their formation years including Bicycle, Nimbus Discovery, and f-Star while at Aescap and Atlas. Hakan continues his active investing role and represents M Ventures on multiple portfolio companies.

He comes from an academic background receiving his PhD in oncology from the Institute of Cancer Research/ University of London, UK and continuing his scientific career with post doctoral work at the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Centre/Royal Marsden Hospital. He gained his B.Sc. Hons, from University College London. Hakan is based in Amsterdam at the M Ventures head office. 

Nadiya Ishnazarova, PhD

Non-Executive Director

Nadiya Ishnazarova, PhD

Non-Executive Director

Nadiya is a Senior Director, Venture Investments, at J&J Innovation – JJDC, Inc. Prior to joining JJDC, Nadiya was a Principal in the Biotechnology team at M Ventures, the corporate venture arm of Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany, where she led investments across across both Healthcare and Life Sciences and held Board seats in a number of portfolio companies.

Before transitioning to venture investing, Nadiya was a Manager in the Health & Life Sciences practice at global strategy consulting firm Oliver Wyman. In this role, she advised corporate healthcare clients, health systems, pharma, and digital health companies on strategic transformation across EMEA, Asia Pacific, and Emerging Markets, and supported M&A deals through pre-transaction assessments of value and risk.

Nadiya holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Oxford, B.Sc. in Organic Chemistry and dual M.Sc. degrees in Enzymology and in Nanobiomaterials & Nanobiotechnology from Lomonosov Moscow State University.

Lucy Edwardes-Jones

Non-Executive Director

Lucy Edwardes-Jones

Non-Executive Director

Lucy is an investor at BGF, the most active equity investor in the UK and Ireland with a balance sheet of £2.5bn.

Lucy focuses on investments in the life sciences space, with a particular interest in drug discovery platforms. Alongside sourcing new investments, she is responsible for supporting a number of investee companies at board level (currently Maxion Therapeutics, ViaNautis Bio, Theolytics, NanoSyrinx and TRIMTECH Therapeutics).

Prior to BGF, Lucy spent five years in strategy consulting where she focused on the healthcare and pharma sectors.

Nicki Thompson, PhD

CEO

Nicki Thompson, PhD

CEO

Nicki has over 25yrs’ leadership experience in pharma and biotech.

Nicki was founding CEO of Amphista Therapeutics, a targeted protein degradation company, where she steered Amphista through Series A and B funding rounds, raising ~$150Million in funding and closing two pharma collaborations (deal value $2.3Bn).

Her previous roles include: VP/Global Head of External Drug Discovery (Roche); Senior Director, Business Development (GSK).

Nicki’s Biotech experience includes Chairperson of Nanna Therapeutic’s Board , founding CEO at VirionHealth and Head of Drug Discovery at Syntaxin.