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What is your role and what does it involve?

My role as Head of Business and Legal Affairs covers a broad portfolio including providing advice to the rest of the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø Business team on intellectual property (IP) and legal issues relating to the commercialisation of research at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø.

I head up a team that is involved in many commercial and academic agreements across Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø covering licenses, consultancy, research contracts, material transfers, confidentiality, companies and collaborations.

How long have you been at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø and what was your previous role?

I started working at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø seven years ago as Patent Portfolio Manager in Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø Business's predecessor Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø BioMedica. Before that I worked as a patent analyst for a weekly publication called Current Patents.

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?

I have been involved in many significant commercial deals such as the recent Bio Bank licence agreement with Becton Dickinson, but the most satisfying deals are those that bring Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø technologies closer to market and maximise the impact of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø's research. I strongly believe that the real value in university research lies in the benefit that it brings to the general public.

I am currently working with colleagues on an online material transfer system which will enable scientists to access Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø materials quickly and simply. I hope that this will increase the number of citations of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø publications worldwide as well as generate commercial interest.

What is your life like outside Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø?

I enjoy walking in the countryside, travelling and choral music. I am also interested in the interaction of intellectual property and competition law from an academic perceptive.

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