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| SPEAKER |
| Sir Richard Sykes DSc FRS FMedSci |
| Chairman |
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NHS London and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, UKSCF
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MEETING
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October 2009 |
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| BIOGRAPHY |
Sir Richard Sykes became Chairman of NHS London in December 2008.
He was awarded a first class honours degree in Microbiology from Queen Elizabeth College, University of London, a PhD in Microbiology from Bristol University, and a DSc from the University of London. He received a knighthood in the 1994 New Year?s Honours list for services to the pharmaceutical industry.
Before joining NHS London, Sir Richard was Rector of Imperial College London. Prior to Imperial, he had a thirty year career in pharmaceutical industry with Glaxo, subsequently Glaxo Wellcome, where he was Chairman and Chief Executive, and then GlaxoSmithKline which he left as Chairman in 2002.
Sir Richard serves on a number of scientific, higher education and government committees. He is a Director of the Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation and Lonza AG, and is a Trustee of the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, a Council member of the International Advisory Council of King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST), a Trustee of Marlborough College and the newly appointed Chairman of the Careers Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC Ltd).
Internationally, he is Chairman of the International Advisory Board, A*STAR Biomedical Research Council, Singapore and a member of the International Advisory Panel of Temasek which owns and manages the Singapore Government?s direct investments.
Sir Richard holds a number of degrees and awards from institutions both in the UK and overseas. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and Academy of Medical Sciences, an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Society of Chemistry, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Royal College of Pathologists and Royal College of Physicians.
He is a Fellow of Imperial College School of Medicine, King?s College London, a Fleming Fellow at Lincoln College and, an Honorary Fellow of the University of Wales, Cardiff and the University of Central Lancashire.
He was awarded Honorary Citizenship of Singapore in 2004 for his contribution to the development of the country?s biomedical sciences industry.
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| TALK |
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The UK Stem Cell Foundation - Translating British science into patient therapies by bridging the funding gap
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| DESCRIPTION |
Established in 2005, the UK Stem Cell Foundation (UKSCF) exists to support the advancement of pioneering stem cell research into medical practice. As a registered charity, it is achieving this by directly funding innovative UK clinical projects with the greatest potential for saving and improving people?s lives.
Leading Biomedical scientists the world over believe that stem cell research holds the key to curing society?s most intractable diseases including Parkinson?s, Alzheimer?s, multiple sclerosis and heart failure. The scientific and therapeutic benefits to be gained are potentially enormous.
The UK is a recognised global leader in all aspects of stem cell research and in an ideal position to advance stem cell techniques into the clinic for the benefit of millions of people not just in the UK but around the globe.
But progress is being hindered by a critical gap between currently available government and private funding and the countless promising research projects in need of financial assistance. We are determined to fill this void between currently available UK funding and the many promising research projects in need of financial assistance.
The UKSCF therefore supports the speedy transfer of promising stem cell techniques from the laboratory bench to patient bedsides. In order to achieve this the UKSCF aims to:
- Funding projects where research has indicated potential for direct clinical benefit to patients in the short term (2-5 years) - Seizing opportunities to fund innovative projects as they arise.
- Promoting UK scientific, ethical and commercial leadership in this vital area.
- Facilitating stem cell networks, dissemination of new ideas and knowledge.
- Developing an ethical regulatory framework as medical advances occur.
- Addressing the broad range of associated issues - Scientific, ethical, political and economical.
- Operate a lean, cost effective administration, under the direction of an eminent Board of Trustees and with careful concise and intensive project management.
- The creation of the Foundation has been endorsed by Government, as well as by the Royal Society of Medicine, Medical Research Council and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, and by twenty leading universities including; Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Imperial, Manchester, Newcastle, Oxford, UCL and York.
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