Venue: The Catalyst, Newcastle Helix
It was another great turnout for this year’s BioFocus conference with 135 delegates, speakers and panellists in attendance and a sold-out exhibition space.
Building on the success of the last couple of years, this year’s attendees were invited to kick off the conference with a special edition of Biotech & Beers. The night before the main event, this lively gathering brought together out-of-town guests and colleagues from Newcastle and the wider Northeast. It offered a relaxed and welcoming environment for networking, sparking connections and setting the tone for the conference the following day.
Read the full event summary here
BioFocus 2025 is supported by Bouygues Energies & Services, the North East Combined Authority and Fisher Scientific.
Agenda highlights:
Keynote Speakers
- Dr Clare Trippet, Principal Strategic Opportunities Manager, CPI
- Greig Rooney, Managing Director, Valneva
- Sophie Hambleton, Professor in Paediatrics and Immunology, Newcastle University
State of the Nation Panel
Chair: Michelle Duggan, Inward Investment Manager, Invest North East
Speakers
- Dan Todd, CEO, Invenirex
- Heather Allinson, COO, Nevragenics
- Richard Hall, Owner, Pd-m International
- Helen Brain, Partner, Square One Law
- Karen Winterhalter, Founder, Onyx Health
Valneva Fireside Chat
Speakers
- Greig Rooney, Managing Director, Valneva
- Alan Miller, DIrector of Cleanrooms and Laboratories, Bouygues
Labs of the Future: Flexible, Sustainable, and Scalable for Innovation and Production
Chair: Matt Lee, Partner, Carter Jonas
Speakers
- Karen Davies, Strategic Relationship Builder Bouygues Energies & Services
- Greig Rooney, Managing Director, Valneva
- Rick McCordall, Head of Company Creation, Newcastle University
- Sam Whitehouse, CEO, LightOx
- Michelle Duggan, Inward Investment Manager, Invest North East
Finance Zone
Chair: Mark Rahn, VC Investor, NorthEast Capital LLP
Speakers
- Hassan Mahmudul, Investment Manager, Future Planet Capital
- Mary Canning, Partner, Epidarex
- Alex Buchan, Investment Manager, Northstar Ventures
- Michael Dickens, Investment Manager, Maven
Technology Showcases
Chair: Louise Sutton, Senior Business Development Manager, Thermo Fisher
Speakers
- Will Dracup, CEO, Turbinia
- Kenny Dalgarno,CSO, JetBio
- Tom Smith, Head of Bioprocess Automation, Labman
- Adam Inche, Founder and CEO, Lentitek
Therapies of the Future
Chair: Owain Walsh, Membership Manager, Bionow
Speakers
- Samer Taslaq, CEO, Sundara Pharmaceutical
- Patricia Muller, Associate Professor, Durham University
- Monica Reis, Group Leader, Resolution Therapeutics
- Andy Whiting, CEO, Nevragenics
