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Alex Straw is Programme Manager within the MedCity team at London & Partners, where she manages the delivery of a variety of impactful projects. With a robust background in programme management, Alex holds certifications as a PRINCE2 Practitioner and Scrum Master.
Before her current role, Alex worked at the Academy of Medical Sciences – one of the four UK National Academies (including the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society). During her time at the Academy of Medical Sciences, she played a key role in delivering the FLIER programme: the Academy’s flagship leadership programme aimed at cultivating future leaders capable of fostering collaborations across academia, industry, the NHS, and government to drive innovation.
Alex also holds an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science.
sabelle Manages MedCity’s marketing activities across MedCity channels including our monthly newsletter, social media, and website. She plans campaigns that solidify London as a global premier destination for Life Sciences whilst strengthening the MedCity brand, and provides marketing support to our ecosystem partners.
Isabelle holds a BSc in Biology from Queen Mary University of London and comes to MedCity with over 5 years of experience in the academic publishing industry.
Dr Angela Kukula is CEO of MedCity and Director of Life Sciences at London & Partners. With over 12 years in London’s life science ecosystem, she has held roles in academia, the NHS, and the commercial sector. Angela serves on the Board of Oxford University Innovation, is a past chair of Knowledge Exchange UK, and holds a PhD, MBA in Technology Management, and LLM in Commercial Law. She is also a governor of two London secondary schools.
Itan serves as the Programme Executive at MedCity, where he plays a key role in supporting programmes aimed at fostering the growth and expansion of life science companies in London. Notably, he oversees the London Health Accelerator for Social Enterprises, a programme funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Itan holds an MSc in Bioscience Entrepreneurship from University College London and a BSc in Biochemistry from Queen Mary University of London.
Ella is MedCity’s Insights Manager, generating strategic insight and research to inform growth in London’s life sciences sector and conducts bespoke research to support companies in the ecosystem to grow and expand.
Prior to joining MedCity, Ella held positions at Fortis Pharma Consulting, where she managed medical communications projects in oncology and ophthalmology, and has a background in strategic portfolio development focused on cell therapy market intelligence and research. Ella holds an MSci in Natural Sciences from University College London in Molecular Cell Biology and Organic Chemistry.
Ivana Poparic is MedCity’s Head of Cluster Development, leading cluster development with focus on life sciences infrastructure and real estate development as well as international relationships to attract more inward investment and research collaborations to London and beyond.
Ivana has extensive scientific and commercial expertise and leadership across the innovation pathway for drugs, devices and digital technologies. Originally trained as a molecular biologist, her experience includes technology transfer, clinical research, investment, and business development.
Nicki Bromwich is MedCity’s Head of Life Science Programmes, leading a portfolio of programmes to support London’s life science companies with business growth and investment. Programmes include MedCity’s Investment Hub, Accelerator programmes such as TechBio Boost, Digital Health.London and the London Health Accelerator for Social Enterprise.
Nicki engages with senior stakeholders across the ecosystem to commission new programmes and to enable the life science programmes team to convene events and networking opportunities to support the continued growth of the early-stage ecosystem.
Nicki is a NHS professional with a broad range of experience including acute-care commissioning and has been advising MedTech and HealthTech companies on their value proposition since joining Oxford Health Innovation Network as Head of Commercial Development in 2014. In Oxford Nicki led the rollout of digital health therapeutic, Sleepio across the Thames Valley, and developed strategic partnerships with J&J, GE & Bayer, prior to joining MedCity as Chief Operating Officer in 2020.
Travis manages the planning and delivery of MedCity’s events, consisting of pitch calls, report launces and Lab Providers’ meetings. In addition to this, he supports with the delivery of a regular programme of events for our life science community alongside the Grow London Communities Teams, and provides support to MedCity’s comms function where needed.
Travis is a graduate in Modern History and Politics from the University of Southampton, and worked for two years in the Communications Team at Penbroke College University of Oxford.
Itan holds an MSc in Bioscience Entrepreneurship from University College London and a BSc in Biochemistry from Queen Mary University of London.
Omer supports International Life Science companies expand into London, working to support with navigation of London’s Life Science Ecosystem including the various stakeholders, regulatory requirements and funding opportunities.
Omer has developed commercial Business Development experience working with multiple Life Science organisations across UK and Ireland. Omer has obtained a technical scientific background through an MSc in Drug Discovery and Pharmaceutical Management from UCL, London.
Wael sits in the Cluster Development Team, he has two main work streams: the first one is supporting international companies looking to explore the life sciences ecosystem in London and potential expand to London, the second one is leading the Lab Providers Forum (LPF) that is run by MedCity.
Wael Muselmani draws on more than 10 years’ experience in pharmaceutical sales and marketing and holds a PhD in Molecular and Structural Biology from Birkbeck University of London and an MSc in Laboratory Diagnosis from Damascus University, Syria.
Lakshmi supports the planning and delivery of marketing campaigns for London Life Sciences Week and broader MedCity initiatives. Her role involves co-ordinating campaign timelines, stakeholder engagement, and content creation across channels to raise the profile of London as a global hub for life sciences innovation.
She holds an MSc in Strategic Marketing from Imperial College London and a combined Bachelor’s in Pharmacy and MBA in Pharmatech from NMIMS, Mumbai, with over two years of experience in healthcare marketing, PR, and client communications across both healthcare companies and PR agencies.
John Anderson has nearly three decades of experience in economic development and investment management. As Chief Investment Officer at Imperial College London, he oversees investment strategies and endowment growth, which has expanded from £50 million in 2000 to over £500 million today. Previously Director of Financial Strategy at Imperial for 28 years, John also holds directorships with Scale Space and the Imperial College Foundation, supporting innovation and sustainable growth in medical and healthcare sectors.
Dr Virginia Acha has over 16 years of experience in science policy and innovation across industry and academia. Since 2017 she has led regulatory policy at MSD, advancing global patient treatments. Previously she was the UK’s senior industry spokesman for research and innovation policy, including during Brexit, and held roles at Amgen and Pfizer. She also has an academic background in science and innovation policy.
Professor Deborah Ashby is Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London and holds the Chair in Medical Statistics and Clinical Trials. She was previously Director of the School of Public Health and Co-Director of the Imperial Clinical Trials Unit. Her research focuses on clinical trials, risk–benefit decision making, and Bayesian methods in healthcare. She is a Chartered Statistician and has served as President of the Royal Statistical Society, NIHR Senior Investigator, and Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
Grant Bourhill is Managing Director of Barts Life Sciences, leading development of major innovation hubs to translate research into healthcare. He was previously CEO of Surrey Research Park and led the development of Leicester Space Park from concept to launch. With a career spanning clean energy, consumer electronics, space, and healthcare, he has extensive experience in research and commercialisation. Grant is committed to creating collaborative environments that accelerate innovation and improve patient outcomes.
David Burns has over 15 years of experience in economic development, regeneration, and investment. As Director of Economy, Regeneration and Investment at Camden since November 2020, he leads major projects such as HS2 and the Euston masterplan. Previously Assistant Director of Growth at Hammersmith and Fulham, he managed large-scale housing and regeneration initiatives. David holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and excels in strategic planning, asset management, and stakeholder engagement.
Professor Sir Mark Caulfield is Vice Principal for Health and Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at Queen Mary University of London. He has made major contributions to the genetics of blood pressure, cardiovascular health, cancer, and rare diseases. Former Director of the William Harvey Research Institute, he served as Chief Scientist for Genomics England, delivering the 100,000 Genomes Project. He has shaped international hypertension guidance, co-created the National Genomic Test Directory, and serves on NHS and MedCity boards
Caroline Clarke is Regional Director for the NHS in London. She was previously Group Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, one of the UK’s largest teaching trusts. Caroline has held senior finance and strategy roles across the NHS and in consulting. She also serves as a trustee of Overcoming MS and the Healthcare Financial Management Association. Recognised as one of the top NHS leaders, she remains passionate about the health service and London.
Laura Citron is CEO of London & Partners, the capital’s international trade, investment, and promotion agency. She leads efforts to drive resilient, sustainable, and inclusive economic growth. Laura has overseen global campaigns such as Let’s Do London and VisitLondon, championing the city as a destination for visitors and investors. Before joining London & Partners in 2017, she spent nearly a decade at WPP advising governments and businesses on growth strategies. She is a global advocate for London’s role in the world economy.
Alex Conway has extensive experience in economic development and programme management. At the Greater London Authority, he leads initiatives such as the London Living Wage and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. He has held senior roles in the civil service and local government, driving strategies for inclusive prosperity and business growth. With a background in planning and investment, Alex specialises in asset management and stakeholder engagement to deliver lasting economic impact across London and the UK.
Carolyn Dwyer has over 30 years of experience in the development sector. She is Strategic Director of Development, Growth and Regeneration at the London Borough of Sutton and serves on the board of Jersey Development Company. She is also a member of the Road Expert Panel and the National Preparedness Commission. A Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, she champions sustainable development and inclusive growth.
Jodie Eastwood has over 20 years of experience in knowledge exchange and innovation. As CEO of London’s Knowledge Quarter, she leads a consortium of over 100 academic, cultural, research, and media organisations. She previously held leadership roles at the British Library, Queen Mary University of London, and the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Jodie specialises in building multi-stakeholder partnerships and creating collaborative environments that advance medical and healthcare innovation across London’s knowledge ecosystem.
Professor Kevin Fenton is Regional Director for London at the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. He has over 20 years of experience in public health and infectious disease epidemiology. Formerly a Senior Partner at Public Health England, he led London’s COVID-19 response and served as Chief Advisor on HIV. Kevin is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and holds a PhD in Epidemiology. He was awarded a CBE in 2022 for services to public health.
Anne Glover co-founded Amadeus Capital Partners in 1997 and has been a venture capitalist for over 30 years. She has worked internationally in industry, consulting, and investment, including at Apax Partners and as COO of Virtuosity Group. Anne has held senior roles with the Bank of England, Invest Europe, and Yale University’s Endowment Committee. She holds degrees from the University of Cambridge and Yale. Anne was awarded a CBE in 2006 and is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Vicky Hobart is Director of Public Health at the Greater London Authority, leading the London Health Inequalities Strategy and Public Health Unit. She has over 15 years of experience in public health leadership, including as Director of Public Health in Redbridge and roles in Hackney and the City of London. A Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health, Vicky has chaired the London Association of Directors of Public Health and contributes to training the next generation of public health leaders.
Dr Angela Kukula is CEO of MedCity and Director of Life Sciences at London & Partners. She has over 12 years of experience in London’s life sciences ecosystem, with a background spanning academia, the NHS, and the commercial sector. Angela serves on the Board of Oxford University Innovation and is a past Chair of Knowledge Exchange UK. She holds a PhD, an MBA in Technology Management, and an LLM in Commercial Law, and is a governor of two London secondary schools.
Professor Philip Newsome is Director of the Roger Williams Institute of Liver Studies and King’s Health Partners Centre for Translational Medicine. He leads metabolic services at King’s College Hospital, including one of the UK’s largest NAFLD clinics. He has been Chief Investigator on international clinical trials and led national transplantation guidelines. Former Secretary General of the European Association for the Study of the Liver, his research focuses on cell therapies and clinical trials in liver disease. He is Senior Editor at the Journal of Hepatology.
Jo Pisani has over 30 years of experience in industry and consulting, including leading PwC’s UK Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences practice. She serves on the boards of Bioventix, London & Partners, and Beacon for Rare Diseases. Jo chairs the MedCity advisory board and Birmingham’s Precision Health Technology Accelerator. She is a strong advocate for public health issues such as dementia and antimicrobial resistance, supporting charities, universities, and start-ups across the UK.
Professor Alan Thompson is Pro Provost for London and Dean of the Faculty of Brain Sciences at UCL. He has over 40 years of experience in neurology and neuroscience research and is an honorary consultant at the National Hospital for Neurology. A leading authority on multiple sclerosis, his research has shaped clinical practice globally. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Royal Colleges, and US neurological associations. His many awards recognise his contributions to neurology and brain health.
Jenny Tooth OBE has over 30 years of experience facilitating SMEs’ access to investment in the UK and internationally. As Executive Chair of the UK Business Angels Association, she represents over 15,000 investors, co-founded Angel Capital Group, and led her own finance consultancy. An active angel investor, Jenny serves on Innovate UK’s steering group and the London Co-Investment Fund advisory board. She was awarded an OBE in 2015 for her contributions to small businesses.
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