Trustees
Prof. Chris Mason MBBS, PhD, FSB, FRCSI, FRCS
Co-founder and Director
Stem Cell + Regenerative Medicine Bioprocessing Unit, Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, University College London
Chris Mason is internationally recognized to be at the forefront of the emerging field of cell therapy translation and commercialization. He has a background in commerce, a Clinical Sciences Degree (Imperial College), a Medical Degree (St. Thomas’s Hospital), a PhD in tissue engineering (UCL), Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and Fellow of the Society of Biology. Current responsibilities include; Chair of the BIA Regenerative Medicine Industry Group, Senior Editor of "Regenerative Medicine" journal, Director of the London Regenerative Medicine Network, Trustee of the UK Stem Cell Foundation, member of the Biologicals and Vaccines Expert Advisory Group of the Commission on Human Medicines and member of the United States Pharmacopeia Monographs - Biologics & Biotechnology Expert Committee. He also has a broad range of expertise in commercial consultancy and is on the Scientific Advisory Boards of several companies based in North America.
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Dr. Stephen Minger
Co-founder and Director
Global Head of R&D, Cell Technologies, GE Healthcare
Stephen Minger is a well-known and respected member of the regenerative medicine community, as both a researcher and thought-leader who has contributed significantly to regulatory and policy issues in the field. Prior to joining GE, he was the Director of the Stem Cell Biology Laboratory and a Senior Lecturer at the Wolfson Centre for Age Related Diseases at King's College London, where he pioneered his work with a wide range of somatic stem cell populations, resulting in being jointly awarded one of the first two licenses granted by the UK Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority for the derivation of human ES cells. He has a PhD in Pathology (Neurosciences) from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of California, San Diego, and was an Assistant Professor in Neurology at The University of Kentucky Medical School. In September 2009, he joined GE Healthcare’s Life Sciences business as head of Research and Development for Cell Technologies, and is responsible for strengthening GE’s rapidly growing capability in the development of enabling technologies for cell-based drug research and cell therapies.
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James Lawford Davies
Director
Partner, Lawford Davies Denoon
James is a solicitor specialising in the law and regulation relating to reproductive and genetic technologies, human tissue and cells, and related research. He has advised widely on the regulatory and commercial issues relating to stem cell research, including cell nuclear replacement, human-animal hybrids research, import and export, and the implications of EU law. James advises a large number of clinics and research centres licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) and has been involved in most of the leading cases relating to assisted reproduction, embryo and hES cell research. James was described by the Financial Times as "the world leading expert" in embryonic stem cell research in their 2009 Innovative Lawyers Report.
James qualified as a solicitor in 2000 and was most recently a Senior Associate at Clifford Chance LLP before establishing Lawford Davies Denoon with Alexander Denoon in 2009. In addition to his private practice, James is a Lecturer in Law and Medicine at the University of Newcastle.
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Dr. Emily Culme-Seymour
Director
Emily Culme-Seymour manages the LRMN on a full time basis and works on a number of projects in close alignment with Chris. She holds a Chemistry Degree (Edinburgh), a Masters in Chemical Research (UCL) and recently completed a PhD in stem cell bioprocessing (UCL). In April 2010, Emily moved to managing the LRMN on a full-time basis, including representing the LRMN on a strategic Technology Strategy Board funded initiative – the British Regen Industry Tool Set (BRITS). She also works as an Assistant Commissioning Editor for the journal Regenerative Medicine, and works together with Lawford Davies Denoon, in advising on and researching into the more scientific aspects of specific cases.
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We are fortunate to have a dedicated team of helpers and technical experts, who work in close association with us at our events and on other research projects. The majority of our team are PhD and EngD students in the UCL Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering, researching into the area of stem cell bioprocessing, so are expertly placed to both aid the LRMN and help with any query that should arise at an event.