Prof Jeff Errington (Acting CEO; Scientific Director, Discovery)
Professor Jeff Errington FRS FMedSci, scientific founder of Demuris, is an eminent cell and molecular biologist with an interest in fundamental biological problems in the general areas of the cell cycle and cell morphogenesis. He also has a strong track record in the exploitation of basic science as founder, Chief Scientific Officer and Board member of Prolysis Ltd, a spin-out from the University of Oxford in 1998, which focused on antibiotic drug discovery and development. Prolysis was acquired by the Australian anti-infective biotechnology company Biota in 2009 and Professor Errington has now joined the Board of Biota. This company had sales of A$72m in the financial year ended 30 June 2010, and has three products in the clinic.
Previously Professor of Microbiology at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology (University of Oxford), Professor Errington was recruited to Newcastle University as Director of the Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences in 2006. His academic and scientific contributions have been recognised by continuous substantial funding for his research, by his many publications and by his election to prestigious organisations including Fellowship of the Royal Society, the European Molecular Biology Organization, the UK Academy of Medical Sciences and the American Academy of Microbiology. Professor Errington has also held senior appointments on a range of influential agencies, including research funding boards of the UK Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council and the Wellcome Trust, and the governing councils of the Royal Society and the Society for General Microbiology. More details of his current research can be found at www.ncl.ac.uk/camb/staff/profile/jeff.errington.
Prof Mike Goodfellow (Scientific Director, Diversity)
Professor Michael Goodfellow was educated at Carlisle Grammar School and was awarded three degrees from the University of Liverpool (B.Sc. [Hons], Ph.D., D.Sc.) where he studied microbiology. He held postdoctoral positions at Penn State University and the University of Leicester before moving to the University of Newcastle where he was given a personal chair in 1989. His main research interests have been focused on unravelling the systematics and ecology of actinomycete bacteria, notably in the selective isolation and classification of those of commercial importance.
He has received significant funding from governmental and industrial sources, has supervised over sixty Ph.D. students and written over 400 original papers and over 100 reviews. Professor Goodfellow has served on many national and international committees, has served as a consultant for several pharmaceutical firms, has been awarded several international prizes including the J Roger Porter Award from the American Society of Microbiology and has Honorary Degrees from the Autonomous Metropolitan University in Mexico City and the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. He is currently Chair of Bergey’s Manual Trust, is a member of the American Academy of Microbiology, an Emeritus Professor at the University of Newcastle, and was recently awarded an MBE for his services to education. More details of his current work can be found at http://www.ncl.ac.uk/biology/staff/profile/michael.goodfellow.
Robin Lockwood (University non-Executive Director)
Robin Lockwood is Head of the Venture Unit at Newcastle University where he has responsibility for University-related commercial contracting as well as the development and commercialisation of intellectual property through technology licensing and spin-out company formation. Robin has a background in mechanical engineering and for over 10 years ran his own consultancy and development business. Robin has extensive industrial, commercial and academic experience. He currently serves in a non-executive director role sitting on the board of a number of University spin-out companies.
