Judges

The 2027 Scotland’s Life Sciences Awards owe their success to the dedication, expertise, and brilliance of our judges, who represent various disciplines within the life sciences. Click on their images below to learn more about each one.

Caroline Barelle

CEO & Founder
Elasmogen

Caroline Barelle

Caroline is CEO and founder of Elasmogen, a company developing first-in-class protein drug conjugates for the treatment of immune-mediated diseases. Before establishing Elasmogen, she successfully led teams at Wyeth and subsequently Pfizer in Global Bio-therapeutic Technologies progressing early platform technologies to late-stage clinical development. She has been awarded a prestigious Royal Society of Edinburgh Enterprise Fellowship, is a doctoral graduate from the University of Aberdeen in Biochemistry and an MBA (distinction) from Robert Gordon’s University, Business School. Caroline is a member of the Opportunity Northeast Life Sciences Board and a member of the Scottish Government’s Technology Council. She is an honorary Professor at Queen’s University Belfast and actively contributes to BBSRC FoF and UKRI FLF review panels as well as being an FLF mentor. She is a member of the University of Aberdeen’s External Business Advisory Group and previously sat on the Royal Society’s Science and Industry Translation Committee and is a former Entrepreneur in Residence for Queen’s University Belfast.

Dr. Jacqueline Barry

Chief Clinical Officer
Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult

Dr. Jacqueline Barry

Jacqueline Barry is a senior business leader with over 20 years of experience in biologics and advanced therapies. Her career has focused on supporting the translation of research from the laboratory bench through to gaining regulatory approval and then clinical delivery. She possesses a blend of expertise across the areas of regulation, quality, Good Manufacturing Practice, science, strategy, commercial development and management.

Jacqueline holds an executive position at the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult, where she leads a specialist team that is dedicated to developing regulatory and translational strategies for advanced therapy products, as well as working to ensure that the wider ecosystem supports the development and adoption of these therapies in the UK and beyond. She also leads a network of advanced therapy treatment centres in the UK that aim to accelerate patient access to these transformative therapies.

Jacqueline sits on a number of national and international advisory boards. She feels passionately about making advanced therapies more widely available for patients and over her career she has worked closely with industry partners and policy makers to support the adoption of these therapies by healthcare systems.

Prior her time at Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult, Jacqueline worked at the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service where amongst other activities she designed the Regulatory strategy for the Cellular Therapies for the Blood Transfusion Service and acted as Qualified Person for their release.

Michelle Beukes

Business Development Manager – HealthTech Innovation, Heriot-Watt University

Michelle Beukes

Michelle is a Business Development Manager at Heriot-Watt University, supporting healthcare innovation within the Global Research Institute in Health and Care Technologies. She develops strategic partnerships and leads collaborative research initiatives that address real-world health and care challenges, ensuring activity is clinically relevant, industry-aligned, and impactful.

With over 20 years of international experience across healthcare and MedTech, Michelle brings a strong blend of clinical insight and commercial leadership. Her background in biomedical science and business management enables her to bridge the gap between clinical practice and innovation strategy.

Her career includes senior leadership roles in MedTech and running an international consultancy supporting value-based care initiatives across 14 countries. She specialises in market access, innovation strategy, and stakeholder engagement, with a focus on translating unmet clinical needs into scalable solutions.

Michelle is committed to building long-term partnerships that deliver sustainable impact in health and care innovation.

Mark Cook

Chair
Life Sciences Scotland ILG

Mark Cook
Chair Life Sciences Scotland ILG

Chair Teachers Pension Scheme

Co Chair CSO Industry Partnership Group

Trustee Jane Moore Trust

Mark has spent 30 years in roles within the health sector including biologicals/pharmaceuticals, medical technology, consultancy and is experienced in raising funding plus has successfully led a pharma company startup to an exit.

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.

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.

The opportunity for digital and AI innovations to drive the health and wealth of Scotland is massive and Mark sits on several groups that aim to harness this including the strategic board of CHAI (Causality in Healthcare AI Hub) and the Governemnt Startegic Unlocking The Value Of Data Group.

Current focus for the Life Sciences ILG is the refresh of the sector strategy with a 10 year revenue goal of £25 billion by 2035. The recently published UK Industrial Strategy and the subsequent UK Life Science Sector Plan gives us a base to work from to ensure that we align both with national opportunities whilst promoting our own areas of growth and expertise to the benefit of Scotland.

Prof. Dame
Anna Dominiczak

Regius Professor of Medicine and Chief Scientist (Health) for the 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.

Prof. Alastair Florence

Professor at University of Strathclyde
Director of CMAC

Prof. Alastair Florence

Alastair Florence is a distinguished professor in pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Strathclyde and is Director of CMAC, providing leadership across the portfolio, engaging with key stakeholders, and driving the centre’s vision to transform the development and manufacture of medicines.

Alastair leads a number of major programs across the portfolio including the new flagship EPSRC MediForge Industry 5.0 Manufacturing Hub, Centre for Doctoral Training in Cyber-physical systems (CEDAR) and the £33M UK-RPIF funded CMAC Data Lab. He leads the multidisciplinary, multi-institution academic team driving ambitious manufacturing research, training, translation and facilities programs and working in close collaboration with industry partners to understand challenges and develop effective solutions across CMAC programs.

The centre is also delivering innovative approaches to how we realise impact from our advanced manufacturing research portfolio.

Elaine Jamieson

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is the economic and community development agency for the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

HIE has been working with organisations and communities for 60 years, and today is committed to leading a net zero region with a dynamic wellbeing economy, which benefits its growing population and makes a valued contribution to Scotland. HIE’s support focuses on accelerating innovation, applying research and development and improving productivity, as well as access to property, and funding.

HIE recognises life sciences as a transformational opportunity, across human, animal and plant health. Elaine leads on the development of major strategic and business prospects in these areas and supports HIE’s broader work with communities, enterprises and stakeholders to unlock our region’s potential for growth and progress, while driving fair work and net zero practices.

Elaine is a non-executive director of the Economic Development Association Scotland.

Elaine Jamieson

Head of Life Sciences and Blue Economy
Highlands and Islands Enterprise

Steve Kerr

Department for Business & Trade
Head of Healthcare, Life Sciences & Bioeconomy

Steve Kerr

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.

Adam Liddle

Head of Sustainability
Roslin CT

Adam Liddle

Adam is Head of Sustainability with RoslinCT and brings with him almost 20 years of private and public sector experience of environmental regulation, sustainability consulting, and corporate sustainability leadership. Adam started his professional career as a chemist, later diversifying into environmental protection focusing on waste management, producer responsibility and transfrontier shipments of waste. Adam then spent 10 years in consultancy, advising private and public sector clients on strategic and technical application of resource efficiency and the circular economy, before developing and leading corporate sustainability strategies for large global businesses focused on delivering real impact for people and planet. Adam is an alumni of the University of Edinburgh, active member of the Sustainable Production Group (part of Life Science Scotland’s Industry Leadership Group) and the Climate Emergency Response Group (independent group of climate experts that inform and influence Scottish Government’s response to climate change) and has presented at various conferences and events including COP26, providing global representation for his employers. Adam is a Chartered Waste Manager, Chartered Sustainable Finance Manager, and accredited Project Manager and lives with his partner and three boys in Edinburgh, UK.

Dr Deborah A. O’Neil OBE FRSE

CEO & Founder
NovaBiotics

Dr Deborah A. O’Neil OBE FRSE

Deborah is founder and Chief Executive Officer of NovaBiotics, a biotechnology business with a portfolio of first-in-class solutions for unmet health and personal care needs.

Deborah chairs the boards of Opportunity North East (ONE) Life Science and BioAberdeen Ltd., is a member of the Scottish Life Sciences Industry Leadership Group and chairs the UK’s Cystic Fibrosis AMR Syndicate steering group. Deborah also serves on and chairs a number of scientific advisory boards including Pathways to Antimicrobial Clinical Efficacy (PACE) and the CF AMR Collaborative Discovery programme (CDP).

Deborah obtained her PhD in immunology from UCL and then worked in postdoctoral positions in San Diego, Ghent and Aberdeen. Elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2018, Deborah is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and in 2020, was awarded an OBE, for services to biotechnology, industry and charity.

Martin Sutcliffe

Aquaculture Trials and Validation Lead
UK Agri-Tech Centre

Martin Sutcliffe

Martin Sutcliffe is a strategic leader in aquaculture innovation and sustainable development, with expertise across the aquaculture and seafood value chain. Based in Weymouth, he works with partners across industry, research and government to accelerate evidence-led innovation and support the sustainable growth of the UK aquaculture sector.

Martin brings extensive experience spanning public aquariums, commercial aquaculture, life support system design, hatchery development and community-led marine development. His background includes more than a decade in public aquaria, where he supported the design of innovative exhibits and developed a strong understanding of how aquatic organisms interact with their environments.

He has delivered over 80 grant-funded initiatives across aquaculture, fisheries and seafood, spearheaded the Dorset Mariculture Strategy, and contributed sector expertise to sustainable aquaculture development programmes. He also led the development of the concept for an Aquaculture Innovation Hub for England, designed to strengthen sector support, skills development, knowledge exchange and collaborative innovation.

Martin chaired the South West Aquaculture Network from its inception to January 2024, helping to build cross-sector collaboration across the wider maritime economy. He is passionate about using strong data, scientific evidence and practical validation to reduce risk, build confidence and help new aquaculture technologies move from concept to commercial adoption.

Jonathan Williamson

Global Commercial Director
SCION Instruments

Jonathan Williamson

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.

Judges

Caroline Barelle

Dr. Jacqueline Barry

Michelle Beukes

Mark Cook

Prof. Dame
Anna Dominiczak

Prof. Alastair Florence

Elaine Jamieson

Steve Kerr

Adam Liddle

Dr Deborah A. O’Neil OBE FRSE

Martin Sutcliffe

Jonathan Williamson

When & Where

Contact

Produced by

Judges

Caroline Barelle

Dr. Jacqueline Barry

Michelle Beukes

Mark Cook

Prof. Dame Anna Dominiczak

Prof. Alastair Florence

Elaine Jamieson

Steve Kerr

Adam Liddle

Dr Deborah A. O’Neil OBE FRSE

Martin Sutcliffe

Jonathan Williamson

Prof. Dame
Anna Dominiczak