Conference
Sponsored by
Life Sciences Conference
Scotland’s Life Sciences Conference returns in 2027, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, investors, researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers for a day of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and meaningful discussion.
Building on the success of previous years, the conference will explore the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of Scotland’s life sciences sector. Through thought-provoking keynote presentations, expert panel discussions, and interactive networking, delegates will gain valuable insights into the latest innovations, emerging trends, and the ideas driving growth across the industry.
The 2027 programme will feature a carefully curated agenda designed to inspire collaboration, encourage new partnerships, and showcase the excellence and ambition of Scotland’s life sciences community. From insightful discussions to valuable networking opportunities, the conference provides a platform for delegates to exchange ideas, build meaningful connections, and help shape the future of Scotland’s thriving life sciences sector.
Further details, including this year’s conference themes and speaker line-up, will be announced soon.
Starts at
09:30
Thursday 11 March 2027
DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central
Glasgow
Sponsored by
TBA

TBA
Title sponsor
content
Why should I attend?
Scotland’s Life Sciences Conference brings together the people, ideas, and insight shaping the future of the sector. Designed for leaders across industry, academia, investment, and government, the conference offers a practical, forward-looking view of how innovation becomes impact.
By attending, you will have the opportunity to:
- Explore the full commercialisation journey, from discovery through to delivery, gaining insight into how Scottish science is being translated into investable, scalable ventures and global market success.
- Learn how AI is being applied in practice, with real-world examples of how organisations are integrating AI to improve efficiency, solve complex challenges, and drive business value.
- Hear directly from sector leaders and decision-makers who are navigating investment, regulation, risk, and growth in today’s life sciences landscape.
- Connect with peers and partners across industry, academia, investors, and policymakers, fostering collaboration and new opportunities.
- Gain practical insight into what’s next for life sciences, from emerging technologies to commercial pathways that will shape the sector’s future in Scotland and beyond.
What will I gain from attending?
Attending the conference will leave you better equipped to turn ideas into impact, with practical insight from those actively shaping Scotland’s life sciences ecosystem. You will:
- Gain real-world perspectives on commercialising life sciences innovation, from early discovery through to scale-up and global market entry.
- Learn how organisations are successfully integrating AI into life sciences businesses, moving beyond theory to practical application and measurable impact.
- Hear directly from industry leaders, investors, and innovators on accessing capital, managing risk, and navigating regulatory and compliance challenges.
- Build meaningful connections with peers across industry, academia, investment, and government, opening doors to collaboration and future opportunity.
- Return to your organisation with clearer insight, fresh ideas, and practical takeaways that can influence strategy, innovation, and long-term growth.
Who should attend?
Innovators
Industry Leaders
Academia
University Spin-offs
Investors
Entrepreneurs
Policy Makers
Start Ups
Programme
1200
Networking Lunch
1200
Networking Lunch
* Please note that additional speakers will be announced as the programme develops
0930
Registration & Coffee
Arrival

Mark Cook
Mark has spent 30 years in roles within the health sector including biologicals/pharmaceuticals, medical technology and consultancy.
In February 2022 Mark became Co Chair of the Life Sciences Industrial Leadership Group in Scotland, he also continues to support decision making for non-medicine technologies through membership of the Scottish Health Technology Group plus, in conjunction with the Chief Scientist Office, raises the profile for the Life Sciences Sector in Scotland. Mark chairs a company working towards accelerating the cure for Alzheimer’s as well as looking after one of Scotland’s public pension schemes as its Independent Chair.
Life Science is a sector that is actively growing, will provide careers for our population at higher than average salaries, will increase the tax base of Scotland and do societal good by bringing forward innovative and transformational changes that will improve the health of our population.
Current focus for the Life Sciences ILG is the refresh of the sector strategy ( which runs until 2025 ) and Mark is leading on this having exceed our goal of £8 Billion generated by the Scottish Life Sciences sector by 2025 by over £2 billion 4 years early.
1000
Welcome Address
Mark Cook: Co-Chair ILG, Life Sciences Scotland
Ivan McKee MSP
Ivan McKee MSP was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Reform in May 2026. He is responsible for leading the Scottish Government’s programme of public service reform, with oversight of government productivity and efficiency, procurement, the Scottish Futures Trust and the National Performance Framework.
Before entering government, Ivan had an extensive international career in manufacturing and business, holding senior leadership roles across the UK and Europe. Since being elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2016, he has held a number of ministerial positions, including Minister for Public Finance and Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation, bringing significant experience in economic development, investment and industry
1010
Opening Keynote
Ivan McKee MSPCabinet Secretary for Public Service Reform
Panel Session:
Commercialisation: From Discovery to Delivery
This session, chaired by Jonathan Williamson, Global Commercial Director at SCION Instruments, will explore Scotland’s life sciences sector is home to world-leading research and innovation but translating that into commercial success remains a defining challenge. This session will explore how we can better support the full innovation journey, from lab bench to global markets. We’ll examine the practical realities of building investable ventures, accessing capital, managing risk, and navigating regulation, while celebrating the companies and leaders turning Scottish science into real-world impact. How can we scale more ideas, faster, and make Scotland a global hub for life sciences commercialisation?

Albert Nicholl
Chair & Strategic Advisor, MedTech and Life Sciences
Albert Nicholl is a board chair and advisor across multiple high-growth MedTech and life-science ventures, including Carcinotech, Bioliberty, Nami Surgical and Suji. He specialises in scaling early-stage technologies into commercially credible, investor-ready businesses, drawing on deep US MedTech leadership experience from Stryker and Orthofix.
He is actively involved in shaping Scotland’s innovation ecosystem through work with Scottish Enterprise, Glasgow University, and the broader investment community including EOS Advisory, Archangels and Par Equity. Albert is known for driving disciplined governance, founder-investor alignment and targeted US commercialisation strategies across his portfolio.

Dr. David Bunton
CEO, REPROCELL Europe Ltd
David is CEO of REPROCELL Europe Ltd. David graduated from the University of Glasgow then undertook a PhD in pharmacology at Glasgow Caledonian University, which led to his appointment as a Lecturer in Physiology. In 2002, he co-founded Biopta and successfully grew its contract research business by providing lab services to the pharmaceutical industry, founding a US subsidiary, Biopta Inc. in 2011. Biopta Ltd and Inc. were acquired by REPROCELL Inc. (Yokohama, Japan) in Dec 2015. Following the acquisition, REPROCELL Europe was formed from the merger of two Group companies, Biopta Ltd and Reinnervate Ltd (Durham, UK), with Glasgow becoming REPROCELL’s European headquarters. The business moved to new premises on the West of Scotland Science Park, which were officially opened by the First Minister of Scotland in September 2017. David also co-chairs the Internationalisation Sub-Group of the Life Sciences Scotland Industry Leadership Group, is on the Board of Glasgow Economic Leadership, where he chairs the Life Sciences Workstream, and is a member of the Scottish Advanced Therapies Network. David’s recent focus has been on the use of AI in precision medicine, including a collaboration with the Hartree National Centre for Digital Innovation.

Duncan Peters
CEO and Founder
Duncan Peters is the CEO and Founder of IF Water, a Scottish company with a 50-year mission to improve life through water. Its patented MedicalOne™, a low-maintenance technology, provides abundant sterile water on site for hospitals directly from tap water, without consumable parts. IF Water is leading a shift away from high-carbon supply chains towards medical-water self-sufficiency, starting in the NHS, and has an exciting product pipeline aimed at improving resilience, cutting costs, and supporting Net Zero goals. Backed by Scottish Enterprise, Innovate UK, the MoD and others, the technology is already deployed across NHS departments in England and Scotland. Duncan brings 12 years’ commercialisation experience and is committed to scalable innovation with lasting global impact.

Robert Higginson
Partner
Robert is a founding partner of Par Equity and member of the PXN Investment Committee. With a career spanning hardware, software, and communications product development, he has held senior strategy roles in Europe and the U.S. before becoming an investor. His experience includes positions at Artemis-Aurea Software, Reuters, Telekurs AG, and ABN AMRO’s investment bank. Since 2002, he has focused on technology transfer and early-stage businesses, particularly in Health Technology.
1045
Audience Pulse
Live Industry Sentiment
Innovation Spotlights
Breakthroughs shaping the sector
A showcase of the pioneering ideas, technologies and discoveries driving the future of life sciences. This session will spotlight innovative approaches that are transforming the sector, highlighting the organisations and individuals pushing boundaries and creating real-world impact.

Chair – Julie Moulsdale
Founder & Managing Director
Perceptive Communicators
After 15 years’ experience in communications and marketing with blue chip brands, IBM, PwC and NatWest Group, Julie spotted a gap in the market for senior specialist communications advice and founded Perceptive Communicators in 2006.
Fast forward 20 years and Perceptive is a multi-award-winning communications consultancy specialising in science, innovation, leisure and the built environment. Science clients range from SMEs and spin-outs like Remora and Nebu-Flow to larger science organisations like Valneva and ThermoFisher Scientific.
Perceptive has a clear purpose of building trust in clients who are improving lives and transforming futures. With a unique business model of an exclusively expert team with laser sharp specialism, deep knowledge and an extensive and influential network, Perceptive hits the ground running and delivers better results more quickly and with more certainty for clients.
Perceptive helps clients use communications most effectively to achieve their goals, including building their reputation with funders and key stakeholders, making the most of media opportunities, protecting their reputation in a crisis and communicating well with customers, partners, policy makers and employees. This includes support with communications strategy, PR, crisis communications planning and management, media training, social media and public affairs.
Julie is founder of Senior Women in Science (SWIS), a network dedicated to increasing the number of women in science at a senior level. Julie was recognised as MD of the Year at the Scottish Women’s Awards in 2022 and employer of the year in 2018. Perceptive was recognised as being in the UK’s Top 50 Inspiring Workplaces alongside brands like Aldi, H&M and Hovis. Perceptive has a world class net promoter score among clients of +93.

Dr Chris Matthews
Business Unit Director, UK
PHARMAQ Analytiq, part of Zoetis
Dr Chris Matthews is an aquaculture veterinarian, fish-health specialist and business leader with more than two decades of experience in veterinary practice, aquatic diagnostics and sustainable aquaculture. As Business Unit Director for the UK at PHARMAQ Analytiq, part of Zoetis, he leads a multidisciplinary team supporting fish health, welfare and production. His expertise spans gill disease, biosecurity, antimicrobial stewardship, diagnostics and health management in farmed fish. Chris is an Honorary Lecturer at the Scottish Oceans Institute at the University of St Andrews, a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Nottingham Veterinary School, and a published author and international speaker on aquaculture health and welfare.
1100
Innovation Spotlights
Breakthroughs Shaping The Sector
1130

Dr. Harry Thirkettle
Dr. Dr Harry Thirkettle is Director of Health & Innovation at Aire Logic, an employee-owned technology consultancy that helps healthcare and life sciences organisations turn ambitious strategy into working digital solutions. A former NHS surgeon turned entrepreneur, Harry brings a clinician’s perspective to delivery and specialises in digital transformation, making AI adoption real: aligning data, governance and delivery so AI-enabled services improve outcomes without adding burden to frontline teams. He has led delivery across complex, highly regulated environments, including national-scale NHS digital programmes, and supports innovators as Business and Commercial Lead for the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme.
Harry is passionate about practical, evidence-led innovation, and helping life sciences teams move from promising models to measurable clinical and operational impact.
Conference Sponsor Speaker
TBA
Panel Session:
Integrating AI into Life Sciences Businesses
AI promises to revolutionise life sciences but how are companies making it work in practice? This session, chaired by Julie Moulsdale, MD of Perceptive Communicators and Founder of Senior Women in Science (SWIS), will highlight real-world applications where AI is solving problems, improving efficiency, and creating business impact. We’ll hear from leaders who have successfully embedded AI into their organisations, exploring the opportunities, challenges, and compliance hurdles along the way. From SMEs to global players, this is a look at how AI is being integrated into life sciences today and what it means for the future of the sector.

David Dennis
Partner
David helps Scottish life sciences companies with their commercial contracts, especially where there is an innovative aspect to them. He specialises in helping organisations translate cutting-edge ideas from the lab into real-world impact – guiding technologies through development, clinical trials, manufacturing, and ultimately into therapies, diagnostics, and devices that improve lives. He works with universities, SMEs, and global companies on a wide range of transformative projects. Increasingly, this includes artificial intelligence – both embedded in life sciences solutions and shaping the advice David provides on regulatory, contractual, and IP challenges. His experience spans the full innovation lifecycle, making him a trusted advisor for businesses. David is a Partner at the international law firm, CMS, and is based in Glasgow.

Dr. Yola Jones
Chief Technology Officier and Co-founder
Dr. Yola Jones is the Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of Seluna, a Scottish med-tech startup dedicated to transforming paediatric sleep diagnostics. With a background in artificial intelligence and software engineering, she earned her PhD studying the ethical and fair application of machine learning in healthcare. Before launching Seluna, she worked as a data engineer at the NHS, gaining firsthand experience in applying AI to real-world medical challenges. At Seluna, Yola leads the development of AI-powered solutions that support doctors in remotely monitoring and diagnosing paediatric sleep disorders. Passionate about the intersection of AI and healthcare, Yola believes in creating solutions that are not only efficient but also fair and trustworthy. By automating sleep study analysis, Seluna improves accessibility to accurate, standardised diagnostics while reducing clinical workload, easing pressure on waiting lists, and enhancing patient care.

Dr. Sandy Carmichael
Research Associate
Dr. Sandy Carmichael is a Research Associate at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). He completed his PhD in Computing Science at the University of Stirling in 2024, where he applied computer vision and machine learning to Atlantic salmon medical imaging. His current work focuses on using AI and data science to address challenges across agriculture, aquaculture and animal health, with particular interests in biosecurity, antimicrobial resistance, and salmon gill health.

Sotiros A. Tsaftaris
Chair and Full Professor
Sotirios A. Tsaftaris is currently Chair (Full Professor) in Machine Learning and Computer Vision at the University of Edinburgh (https://vios.science). He holds the Canon Medical/Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Healthcare AI (since 2019). Since 2024, he is the Director for the EPSRC-funded Causality in Healthcare AI Hub (CHAI, https://www.chai.ac.uk ). He is an ELLIS Fellow of the European Lab for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) of Edinburgh’s ELLIS Unit. Between 2016 and 2023 he was a Turing Fellow with the Alan Turing Institute. Sotos is also a Department of Science and Innovation and Technology Fellow as an AI for Science Expert Adviser.

Andrew Tobin
CEO Keltic Pharma
Andrew is currently a Professor at the University of Glasgow where runs an active academic lab focused on brain diseases including Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia as well as inflammatory gut disease and severe asthma. As Director of the Advanced Research Centre (ARC) Andrew leads a flagship initiative underpinned by a £130M new build that houses over 550 researchers designed to redefine the meaning of interdisciplinary research. Andrew is also co-founder and CEO of Keltic Pharma Therapeutics Ltd, a biotechnology company focused on a novel drug-discovery platform delivering a range of new medicines from novel treatments of Parkinson’s disease to a radical cure for malaria. In his spare time, Andrew can think of nothing better than sailing the Western Isles of Scotland – probably the most beautiful place on earth.
1200
Break
Refreshments & Networking
Panel Session:
From Start-up to Scale-up: How Scotland’s Infrastructure Supports Growth
Exploring the ecosystem that helps life sciences companies move from early-stage innovation to commercial success. This panel will examine the role of investment, infrastructure, collaboration and support networks in enabling Scotland’s next generation of growth companies.
Steve Kerr
Head of Healthcare, Life Sciences and the Bioeconomy, DBT
Steve’s career has encompassed working at the Scottish Office, Scottish Government, New Zealand Government (consultant) Chief of Staff Westminster, and currently the UK Government in the Department of Business and Trade (DBT). Within DBT Steve is Head of Healthcare; Life Sciences and the Bioeconomy and Leads on all Sectors engagement in North America.
Nicola McMillan
Head of Venture Creation, Scottish Enterprise
Nicola McMillan is Interim Head of Venture Building at Scottish Enterprise and a recognised leader in innovation-led economic development. She is responsible for designing and delivering Scotland’s approach to venture building, creating the conditions for more world-class technology companies to emerge, attract investment and scale globally. Combining expertise in company creation, commercialisation, ecosystem development and investment, Nicola works across universities, industry, investors and government to transform Scotland’s research excellence into high-growth, internationally competitive businesses.
1220
From Start-Up to Scale-Up
How Scotland’s Infrastructure Supports Growth
Leveraging Partnerships from Growth
Panel Session
Once funding is secured, how do organisations turn opportunity into sustainable growth? This session will explore the strategic choices businesses face as they scale, from growing organically and pursuing acquisitions to building partnerships that unlock new capabilities, markets and expertise. Industry leaders will share their experiences of creating successful collaborations across commercial, academic and innovation ecosystems, and how the right partnerships can accelerate growth and maximise impact.

Chair – Jonathan Williamson
Commercial Director
SCION Instruments
Jonathan Williamson is a senior commercial leader with 15 years of experience in the Life Sciences and Medical Technology sectors. He served as Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at Emblation, a global leader in medical microwave technology, where he led international expansion efforts, developed the company’s commercial strategy, and oversaw global marketing execution. Under his leadership, the company scaled globally and successfully entered new markets across Europe and the US.
He is currently the Commercial Director at SCION Instruments, a global provider of scientific instrumentation with applications across the Life Sciences, Petrochemical, and Environmental sectors.
Jonathan holds an MA (Hons) in English Literature from the University of Glasgow, a Diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and a Master’s in Strategy and Innovation from the University of Oxford. He is an active contributor to the UK life sciences ecosystem, has mentored early-stage companies and founders, and is a regular participant in panels and strategic advisory boards.

Dr Andrew Woodland
CEO & Co-Founder
Tay Therapeutics
Andrew Woodland is a highly experienced scientist and manager, with over 20 years of drug discovery leadership experience working in biotech and similar organisations [BioFocus, Dundee’s Drug Discovery Unit (DDU), Tay Therapeutics]. He has contributed to three preclinical and two clinical candidates, and over ten academia–industry partnerships. As a member of the management team of the 100-person DDU in Dundee University, he led the DDU’s first world disease portfolio.
He also led on the development of Tay Therapeutics technology platform and assets, and has developed a deep understanding of inflammation, oncology and rare disease drug development. He now dedicates himself to the commercialisation of his academic work and has won several enterprise prizes for his pre-company work on In4Derm, including the prestigious 2019 Converge Challenge. Since co-founding Tay Therapeutics, the Tay team has secured >£10M of investment and licence income.
1255
Leveraging Partnerships from Growth
Chaired by Jonathan Williamson
Turning funding into growth through partnerships
Panel Session:
Integrating AI into Life Sciences Businesses
AI promises to revolutionise life sciences but how are companies making it work in practice? This session, chaired by Julie Moulsdale, MD of Perceptive Communicators and Founder of Senior Women in Science (SWIS), will highlight real-world applications where AI is solving problems, improving efficiency, and creating business impact. We’ll hear from leaders who have successfully embedded AI into their organisations, exploring the opportunities, challenges, and compliance hurdles along the way. From SMEs to global players, this is a look at how AI is being integrated into life sciences today and what it means for the future of the sector.

David Dennis
Partner
David helps Scottish life sciences companies with their commercial contracts, especially where there is an innovative aspect to them. He specialises in helping organisations translate cutting-edge ideas from the lab into real-world impact – guiding technologies through development, clinical trials, manufacturing, and ultimately into therapies, diagnostics, and devices that improve lives. He works with universities, SMEs, and global companies on a wide range of transformative projects. Increasingly, this includes artificial intelligence – both embedded in life sciences solutions and shaping the advice David provides on regulatory, contractual, and IP challenges. His experience spans the full innovation lifecycle, making him a trusted advisor for businesses. David is a Partner at the international law firm, CMS, and is based in Glasgow.

Dr. Yola Jones
Chief Technology Officier and Co-founder
Dr. Yola Jones is the Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of Seluna, a Scottish med-tech startup dedicated to transforming paediatric sleep diagnostics. With a background in artificial intelligence and software engineering, she earned her PhD studying the ethical and fair application of machine learning in healthcare. Before launching Seluna, she worked as a data engineer at the NHS, gaining firsthand experience in applying AI to real-world medical challenges. At Seluna, Yola leads the development of AI-powered solutions that support doctors in remotely monitoring and diagnosing paediatric sleep disorders. Passionate about the intersection of AI and healthcare, Yola believes in creating solutions that are not only efficient but also fair and trustworthy. By automating sleep study analysis, Seluna improves accessibility to accurate, standardised diagnostics while reducing clinical workload, easing pressure on waiting lists, and enhancing patient care.

Dr. Sandy Carmichael
Research Associate
Dr. Sandy Carmichael is a Research Associate at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). He completed his PhD in Computing Science at the University of Stirling in 2024, where he applied computer vision and machine learning to Atlantic salmon medical imaging. His current work focuses on using AI and data science to address challenges across agriculture, aquaculture and animal health, with particular interests in biosecurity, antimicrobial resistance, and salmon gill health.

Sotiros A. Tsaftaris
Chair and Full Professor
Sotirios A. Tsaftaris is currently Chair (Full Professor) in Machine Learning and Computer Vision at the University of Edinburgh (https://vios.science). He holds the Canon Medical/Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Healthcare AI (since 2019). Since 2024, he is the Director for the EPSRC-funded Causality in Healthcare AI Hub (CHAI, https://www.chai.ac.uk ). He is an ELLIS Fellow of the European Lab for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) of Edinburgh’s ELLIS Unit. Between 2016 and 2023 he was a Turing Fellow with the Alan Turing Institute. Sotos is also a Department of Science and Innovation and Technology Fellow as an AI for Science Expert Adviser.

Andrew Tobin
CEO Keltic Pharma
Andrew is currently a Professor at the University of Glasgow where runs an active academic lab focused on brain diseases including Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia as well as inflammatory gut disease and severe asthma. As Director of the Advanced Research Centre (ARC) Andrew leads a flagship initiative underpinned by a £130M new build that houses over 550 researchers designed to redefine the meaning of interdisciplinary research. Andrew is also co-founder and CEO of Keltic Pharma Therapeutics Ltd, a biotechnology company focused on a novel drug-discovery platform delivering a range of new medicines from novel treatments of Parkinson’s disease to a radical cure for malaria. In his spare time, Andrew can think of nothing better than sailing the Western Isles of Scotland – probably the most beautiful place on earth.
1320
Networking Lunch
Panel Session:
Integrating AI into Life Sciences Businesses
AI promises to revolutionise life sciences but how are companies making it work in practice? This session, chaired by Julie Moulsdale, MD of Perceptive Communicators and Founder of Senior Women in Science (SWIS), will highlight real-world applications where AI is solving problems, improving efficiency, and creating business impact. We’ll hear from leaders who have successfully embedded AI into their organisations, exploring the opportunities, challenges, and compliance hurdles along the way. From SMEs to global players, this is a look at how AI is being integrated into life sciences today and what it means for the future of the sector.

David Dennis
Partner
David helps Scottish life sciences companies with their commercial contracts, especially where there is an innovative aspect to them. He specialises in helping organisations translate cutting-edge ideas from the lab into real-world impact – guiding technologies through development, clinical trials, manufacturing, and ultimately into therapies, diagnostics, and devices that improve lives. He works with universities, SMEs, and global companies on a wide range of transformative projects. Increasingly, this includes artificial intelligence – both embedded in life sciences solutions and shaping the advice David provides on regulatory, contractual, and IP challenges. His experience spans the full innovation lifecycle, making him a trusted advisor for businesses. David is a Partner at the international law firm, CMS, and is based in Glasgow.

Dr. Yola Jones
Chief Technology Officier and Co-founder
Dr. Yola Jones is the Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of Seluna, a Scottish med-tech startup dedicated to transforming paediatric sleep diagnostics. With a background in artificial intelligence and software engineering, she earned her PhD studying the ethical and fair application of machine learning in healthcare. Before launching Seluna, she worked as a data engineer at the NHS, gaining firsthand experience in applying AI to real-world medical challenges. At Seluna, Yola leads the development of AI-powered solutions that support doctors in remotely monitoring and diagnosing paediatric sleep disorders. Passionate about the intersection of AI and healthcare, Yola believes in creating solutions that are not only efficient but also fair and trustworthy. By automating sleep study analysis, Seluna improves accessibility to accurate, standardised diagnostics while reducing clinical workload, easing pressure on waiting lists, and enhancing patient care.

Dr. Sandy Carmichael
Research Associate
Dr. Sandy Carmichael is a Research Associate at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). He completed his PhD in Computing Science at the University of Stirling in 2024, where he applied computer vision and machine learning to Atlantic salmon medical imaging. His current work focuses on using AI and data science to address challenges across agriculture, aquaculture and animal health, with particular interests in biosecurity, antimicrobial resistance, and salmon gill health.

Sotiros A. Tsaftaris
Chair and Full Professor
Sotirios A. Tsaftaris is currently Chair (Full Professor) in Machine Learning and Computer Vision at the University of Edinburgh (https://vios.science). He holds the Canon Medical/Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Healthcare AI (since 2019). Since 2024, he is the Director for the EPSRC-funded Causality in Healthcare AI Hub (CHAI, https://www.chai.ac.uk ). He is an ELLIS Fellow of the European Lab for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) of Edinburgh’s ELLIS Unit. Between 2016 and 2023 he was a Turing Fellow with the Alan Turing Institute. Sotos is also a Department of Science and Innovation and Technology Fellow as an AI for Science Expert Adviser.

Andrew Tobin
CEO Keltic Pharma
Andrew is currently a Professor at the University of Glasgow where runs an active academic lab focused on brain diseases including Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia as well as inflammatory gut disease and severe asthma. As Director of the Advanced Research Centre (ARC) Andrew leads a flagship initiative underpinned by a £130M new build that houses over 550 researchers designed to redefine the meaning of interdisciplinary research. Andrew is also co-founder and CEO of Keltic Pharma Therapeutics Ltd, a biotechnology company focused on a novel drug-discovery platform delivering a range of new medicines from novel treatments of Parkinson’s disease to a radical cure for malaria. In his spare time, Andrew can think of nothing better than sailing the Western Isles of Scotland – probably the most beautiful place on earth.
1420
AI & Healthcare Innovation
How AI is transforming life sciences innovation
Precision Medicine
Panel Session
Advancing precision medicine through collaboration and innovation.
Chair – Prof Dame Anna Dominiczak DBE
Chief Scientist (Health)
Scottish Government
Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak DBE MD FRCP FAHA FMedSci FRSE is Chief Scientist (Health) for the Scottish Government and Regius Professor of Medicine at the University of Glasgow. She is internationally recognised for her leadership in cardiovascular medicine, precision medicine, and health innovation.
Professor Dominiczak held the British Heart Foundation Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Glasgow from 1997 to 2010, served as the Director of the BHF Cardiovascular Research Centre between 2000 and 2010, and was Vice-Principal and Head of the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences between 2010 and 2020. She led the development of Glasgow’s clinical academic campus at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, including the Imaging Centre of Excellence and Clinical Innovation Zone, where she led a triple helix partnership between academia, the NHS, and industry to accelerate innovation, and maximise patient benefits and economic growth.
Her research focuses on hypertension, cardiovascular genomics, and precision medicine. She has published over 550 peer-reviewed papers, holds an h-index of 124, and has secured over £100 million in research funding.
Professor Dominiczak has held leadership roles in major scientific societies, including President of the European Society of Hypertension and the Association of Physicians of Great Britain and Ireland.
She was awarded a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2016 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to cardiovascular and medical science.
From 2020 to 2022, she was Director of Laboratories at the UK Department of Health and Social Care, leading the Lighthouse Laboratory network.
In July 2022, Professor Dominiczak was appointed as the Chief Scientific Advisor (Health) for the Scottish Government, where she leads and coordinates health research and innovation, working in partnership with the NHS, academia and industry to develop rapid translation and adoption of transformative innovations for the Scottish NHS.
Professor Sandosh Padmanabhan
Pontecorvo Chair of Pharmacogenomics
University of Glasgow
Professor Sandosh Padmanabhan is the inaugural Pontecorvo Chair of Pharmacogenomics at the University of Glasgow and an Honorary Consultant Physician at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow. His work sits at the intersection of pharmacogenomics, cardiovascular medicine, real-world evidence, clinical trials, digital health and artificial intelligence. He is Chief Investigator of the PHOENIX trial, an NHS-embedded randomised controlled trial evaluating panel-based pharmacogenomic testing to guide prescribing in routine care.
Professor Padmanabhan also chairs the College Health Data Strategy Committee and leads the University of Glasgow’s AI in Healthcare and Life Sciences programme, driving the development of trusted health data infrastructure, applied AI capability and precision-medicine implementation. His broader mission is to move genomics and AI from research promise into practical, equitable and evidence-based transformation of healthcare systems.
Stuart J Forbes PhD
University of Edinburgh
Bio coming soon
1500
Precision Medicine
Chaired by Prof. Dame Anna Dominiczak
Advancing precision medicine through collaboration and innovation
Panel Session:
Integrating AI into Life Sciences Businesses
AI promises to revolutionise life sciences but how are companies making it work in practice? This session, chaired by Julie Moulsdale, MD of Perceptive Communicators and Founder of Senior Women in Science (SWIS), will highlight real-world applications where AI is solving problems, improving efficiency, and creating business impact. We’ll hear from leaders who have successfully embedded AI into their organisations, exploring the opportunities, challenges, and compliance hurdles along the way. From SMEs to global players, this is a look at how AI is being integrated into life sciences today and what it means for the future of the sector.

David Dennis
Partner
David helps Scottish life sciences companies with their commercial contracts, especially where there is an innovative aspect to them. He specialises in helping organisations translate cutting-edge ideas from the lab into real-world impact – guiding technologies through development, clinical trials, manufacturing, and ultimately into therapies, diagnostics, and devices that improve lives. He works with universities, SMEs, and global companies on a wide range of transformative projects. Increasingly, this includes artificial intelligence – both embedded in life sciences solutions and shaping the advice David provides on regulatory, contractual, and IP challenges. His experience spans the full innovation lifecycle, making him a trusted advisor for businesses. David is a Partner at the international law firm, CMS, and is based in Glasgow.

Dr. Yola Jones
Chief Technology Officier and Co-founder
Dr. Yola Jones is the Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of Seluna, a Scottish med-tech startup dedicated to transforming paediatric sleep diagnostics. With a background in artificial intelligence and software engineering, she earned her PhD studying the ethical and fair application of machine learning in healthcare. Before launching Seluna, she worked as a data engineer at the NHS, gaining firsthand experience in applying AI to real-world medical challenges. At Seluna, Yola leads the development of AI-powered solutions that support doctors in remotely monitoring and diagnosing paediatric sleep disorders. Passionate about the intersection of AI and healthcare, Yola believes in creating solutions that are not only efficient but also fair and trustworthy. By automating sleep study analysis, Seluna improves accessibility to accurate, standardised diagnostics while reducing clinical workload, easing pressure on waiting lists, and enhancing patient care.

Dr. Sandy Carmichael
Research Associate
Dr. Sandy Carmichael is a Research Associate at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). He completed his PhD in Computing Science at the University of Stirling in 2024, where he applied computer vision and machine learning to Atlantic salmon medical imaging. His current work focuses on using AI and data science to address challenges across agriculture, aquaculture and animal health, with particular interests in biosecurity, antimicrobial resistance, and salmon gill health.

Sotiros A. Tsaftaris
Chair and Full Professor
Sotirios A. Tsaftaris is currently Chair (Full Professor) in Machine Learning and Computer Vision at the University of Edinburgh (https://vios.science). He holds the Canon Medical/Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Healthcare AI (since 2019). Since 2024, he is the Director for the EPSRC-funded Causality in Healthcare AI Hub (CHAI, https://www.chai.ac.uk ). He is an ELLIS Fellow of the European Lab for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) of Edinburgh’s ELLIS Unit. Between 2016 and 2023 he was a Turing Fellow with the Alan Turing Institute. Sotos is also a Department of Science and Innovation and Technology Fellow as an AI for Science Expert Adviser.

Andrew Tobin
CEO Keltic Pharma
Andrew is currently a Professor at the University of Glasgow where runs an active academic lab focused on brain diseases including Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia as well as inflammatory gut disease and severe asthma. As Director of the Advanced Research Centre (ARC) Andrew leads a flagship initiative underpinned by a £130M new build that houses over 550 researchers designed to redefine the meaning of interdisciplinary research. Andrew is also co-founder and CEO of Keltic Pharma Therapeutics Ltd, a biotechnology company focused on a novel drug-discovery platform delivering a range of new medicines from novel treatments of Parkinson’s disease to a radical cure for malaria. In his spare time, Andrew can think of nothing better than sailing the Western Isles of Scotland – probably the most beautiful place on earth.
1545
Closing Remarks
End of Conference
*Agenda items and timings are subject to change