Nexxus Scotland

Meet the Nexxus Central Scotland Life Science Network Team 
 

Graeme Boyle, Nexxus Director

Graeme joined the Nexxus team in August 2009.   He is a qualified biochemist with industrial experience; his expertise lies in technology marketing and corporate development, to which he brings a unique perspective, having experience of both government policy development and global industrial markets. 

He is a proud graduate of the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde and his career has seen him work with start-up companies in healthcare and biotechnology, as well as undertaking research and commercialisation projects for academic and NHS teams.

Before joining Nexxus he founded his own technology consultancy company, A Half MV Squared and built up a base of international contacts, especially in West Coast USA, that he hopes will assist in the continuing growth of the Nexxus network. He has also worked for public sector clients including the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, English Regional Development Agencies, UK Government and the European Commission

Apart from being the family chauffeur, Graeme is a keen (but slowing!) runner and is qualified as a jog leader and swimming timekeeper.

Graeme can contacted at g.boyle@nexxusscotland.com or on our LinkedIn site Nexxus Linked In.

Dr Osian Meredith, Nexxus Manager (Glasgow and West of Scotland Hub)

Osian joined the Nexxus team in December 2008, taking on the role of manager responsible for maintaining and expanding Nexxus activities in the West of Scotland. In a synergistic relationship with a newly established hub for Edinburgh and the East, Nexxus strives to connect and communicate with the life science community of central Scotland.

Osian comes from an interdisciplinary scientific background with experience in both the academic and commercial sectors, all based within the bioscience arena. He joins us from Wireless Biodevices, a spin-out company from the University of Glasgow, specialising in the commercialisation of proprietary electrochemical sensor technology.   Within this role Osian gained experience in both the commercial and scientific aspects of working in an SME.   Prior to this position, he spent 2 years as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow combining research in the emerging fields of Nanofabrication and Tissue Engineering. Osian also spent 6 years working in the world renowned AO Research Institute (Davos, Switzerland) - a commercially funded and run orthopaedic research facility and a unique combination of an academic and commercial enterprise. During this time he completed an MPhil in Cell Biology and Electron Optics and PhD in Cell Engineering.

Osian's wide ranging scientific and commercial skill set and experience in both the academic and commercial sectors will serve to enhance the West of Scotland network and in a synergistic relationship with the Edinburgh hub, form an extensive Bioscience network for central Scotland.  

Osian can be contacted at o.meredith@nexxusscotland.com.

Dr Colin Robertson, Nexxus Manager (Edinburgh and East of Scotland Hub)

Colin joined the Nexxus team in December 2008, to establish and manage Nexxus activities in Edinburgh and the East of Scotland. The Edinburgh Hub will use the experience of the West of Scotland BioScience Network - established by Nexxus five years ago - to build a local knowledge transfer network for life science.   Together with the existing Glasgow and West of Scotland Hub, the Edinburgh Hub will deliver Nexxus activity across central Scotland.

Colin joined Nexxus from the BioIndustry Association where, as Commercial Services Manager, he had responsibility for member engagement and event organisation.   During his time there he was able to gain valuable further insight into the ambitions of, and the challenges facing, life science businesses in Scotland.  Prior to this post he was Senior R&D Manager with US biotech company, Viragen, at its Edinburgh R&D facility where he led a team of scientists engaged in a wide variety of drug-development programmes involving both local and international partners. 

In addition to industry experience, Colin also has practical knowledge of working at the bench.   Following his doctoral research in Biochemistry at the University of Oxford, Colin was engaged in molecular and biochemical parasitology research when working as a Research Fellow in the University of Glasgow.

Colin's wide experience across the life science sector in Scotland has equipped him with a broad understanding of the industry and its players and will serve Nexxus well as the organisation aims to strengthen the sector in Scotland.

Colin can be contacted at c.robertson@nexxusscotland.com.


Jan Clark, Nexxus Marketing Communications Manager

Jan joined Nexxus as Marketing Communications Manager at the end of January 2005. She is responsible for the ongoing development and implementation of the Nexxus marketing communications strategy, designed to promote the local and national profile of central Scotland as a centre of excellence in life science.   Jan aims to target key audiences with appropriate news and information about central Scotland's life science community by building relationships with members of the community itself and also with appropriate journalists and news organisations through which this information may be disseminated.    Jan is editor of the quarterly newsletter Nexxus News and is always happy to receive news items and articles from any member of central Scotland's life science community for inclusion in this publication or for general promotion purposes.    In addition she is responsible for placing of advertisements; ensuring that the Nexxus website adheres to best practice principles; arranging Nexxus participation in appropriate external exhibitions and ensuring the smooth administration of the Annual Nexxus Life Science Awards.

A graduate of Dundee University, Jan has 14 years marketing experience.   She has previously worked with SMEs and assisted them to raise their profile by improving their presentation and marketing, thereby enabling them to successfully compete with other better known businesses in the same industry. In undertaking a postgraduate course in Exporting for Small Businesses at Stirling University, she gained a fuller appreciation of entrepreneurship and undertook in-depth case studies to assist businesses to not only evaluate their current position, but also help them to determine the best way forward based on both their own strengths and weaknesses and also the condition of the markets in which they were operating. In addition she has wide experience in the production of sales and marketing literature, market research, events management, and public relations.

Jan can be contacted at j.clark@nexxusscotland.com

Kate Fink, Nexxus Marketing Communications Assistant

Kate joined the Nexxus team in June 2009 as Marketing Communications Assistant. She helps to gather news and communications from the life science community for inclusion in Nexxus publications and helps to ensure the effective and clear communication of scientific information to appropriate audiences.  She is the point of contact for life sciences organisations in the East that are interested in contributing articles or items of interest to Nexxus online or print publications and accordingly welcomes all comments, questions, suggestions and article ideas from the East life science community. Kate will be closely involved in the organisation of the the first Annual Nexxus Life Science Awards to be held in the East in 2009.

Kate comes from a background in science and writing, and has combined these skills while working in the laboratory, industry, and academia. She is a graduate of Bates College in Maine, USA, with a degree in biochemistry.  As the manager of medical communications for a clinical research and consulting company specialising in ophthalmic products, she worked on clinical trials and marketing campaigns in the pharmaceutical industry. She then completed an MSc in Science & Medical Writing at Boston University and has since written about biotechnology, medical, and engineering topics for Harvard Medical School and the Boston University College of Engineering. In all of her roles, Kate learned about the varied landscape of scientific and business challenges facing academic researchers, spin-out companies, biotech start-ups, and big pharma, and is adept at communicating complex scientific findings while also promoting the institutions that generated the news. She is excited to help Nexxus continue raising the profile of the life science community in central Scotland and increasing connectivity among this community's members.  

Kate can be contacted at k.fink@nexxusscotland.com

Jamie Chalmers, Marketing Assistant (Edinburgh and East of Scotland Hub)

Jamie joined the Nexxus team on 18 May 2009 as Marketing Assistant and will be the first point of contact for anyone contacting Nexxus to find out more about the life science community in the East and Nexxus activities there.  He will also be responsible for organising and promoting Nexxus events in the East.

A graduate from the University of Abertay Dundee in 2007, Jamie has a degree in Business and Marketing and has developed solid working experience in a wide range of marketing and events administration and organisation duties.   During his degree course, he studied various aspects of marketing SMEs which enabled him to gain an insight into the pressures, challenges and opportunities likely to be facing the life science SMEs in the East of Scotland.   He is looking forward to putting this knowledge into practice in his post with Nexxus.

Immediately prior to joining Nexxus, Jamie worked in the Marketing Department at Stevenson College Edinburgh where he created promotional course materials and assisted in the planning and management of College events including both promotional and ceremonial activities.

Jamie can be contacted at j.chalmers@nexxusscotland.com

Judy Rudd, Marketing Assistant (Glasgow and West of Scotland Hub)

Judy joined the Nexxus team on 7 September 2009 as Marketing Assistant and will be the first point of contact for anyone contacting Nexxus to find out more about the life science community in the West and Nexxus activities there.  She will also be responsible for promoting and organising Nexxus events in the West.

Prior to joining Nexxus, Judy was the Marketing Assistant at BioReliance over a 5 year period, where she organised their European and Asian one day seminars, produced and distributed email marketing campaigns and assisted with the production of marketing material. She also has 15 years marketing experience within the tourism industry.

Judy can be contacted at j.rudd@nexxusscotland.com