Special Interest Groups

Business Development (led by Deborah O’Neil of NovaBiotics)


enables members to tap into the expertise of other, often larger, member companies, and to develop collaborative solutions to issues facing the sector as a whole.

Finance (led by Hugh Griffith of Nucana Plc and Alida Capital)

has focussed on the availability of venture capital funding, but also looks at the provision of public sector support for our member companies. Also coordinates the Innovation Tutorial Programme.

HR (led by Shona Artale of Q2/IQVIA)

is valued by our members as a forum where HR and recruitment issues can be discussed in a collaborative space and pragmatic solutions developed with the secondary and tertiary education sectors.

Diagnostics and MedTech (led by Colin King of Accubio Ltd)

tackles issues of particular relevance to diagnostics companies as they arise, and has also produced a summary of the opportunities for and barriers to growth in the diagnostics  sub-sector of life sciences.

Innovation (led by Gio Benedetti, Green Cross Medico and Douglas Drysdale, HGF)

covers a variety  of issues including ownership and commercialisation of University IP through to tax incentives for innovation.

Regulatory and Quality (led by Carolyn Melvin of Hyaltech, A Carl Zeiss Meditec Company) 

is a forum for SLA members to learn about the regulatory and compliance issues affecting product development and commercialisation, and make representations to regulators and  Government as needed. Currently, SLA representatives sit on 5 MHRA panels.


Digital Health (led by Craig Turpie of StormID)

enables collaboration between member companies in this expanding area, covering personal health software development, telehealthcare systems implementation, health data mining, and life sciences risk analysis systems; and works to help grow companies in this part of the life sciences sector

Cell Therapy (led by Jim Reid of Sistemic)

aims to be a strong industry voice for the stem cell community in Scotland; and makes investors and Government aware of the timeline and costs associated with developing an industry in the sector.

Medicines (led by Tom Stratford, Kelso Pharma)

works closely with the Scottish Government as it sets up a new partnership between medicine development companies in Scotland and the NHS

Directors Forum (led by Alan Walker of ILC Therapeutics)

provides a space for both Executive and Non-Executive Directors of member companies to meet and exchange views on the sector in Scotland, and to be briefed on hot topics.

Manufacturing (led by John Scott of JnJ)

aims to highlight opportunities for investment in, and benefits of automation, along with pitfalls, challenges and best practice.

Precision Medicine (led by David Bunton of Reprocell)

is focused on getting the most from the recent government investment in the Stratified Medicines Innovation Centre. It aims to bring together SMS-IC with Scottish life sciences companies, and to facilitate cross-company collaborations.

Japan (led by Ken Sutherland, Canon Medical Research Europe Ltd)
 
is focused on developing the relationship between member companies and Japan, particularly Japanese owned companies based in Scotland.

China (led by Duncan Moore, Lamellar Biomedical)
 
is focused on improving the relationship between Scotland and China. Scotland attracts interest from China in many forms including organised delegations. Members have yet to capitilise on these delegations and other forms of collaboration are being investigated.
 
 
Environment (led by Stuart White, Sanondaf)
 
is focused on responding to current climate challenges including the follow-up from COP26 and the ramification for LifeSciences of an increased regulatory burden around environmental concerns.
 
 
WISDOM (Development and Mentoring in Life Sciences - led by Susan McGoldrick of The CNS Company)

A source of guidance and support particularly, but not exclusively, for women in life science businesses, for those at executive level, to undergraduates and postgraduates. Extra information can be found here.