Another key Cambridge-based organisation has joined the membership of Cambridge Ahead. The addition of The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute takes the total number of member organisations to 36. The Institute is a charitably funded genomic research centre located in Hinxton, nine miles south of Cambridge in the UK, and is a global leader in the Human Genome Project.
Since its inception in 1993, it has participated in some of the most important advances in genomic research. Other work includes revealing the genetics behind common disease, and working as part of the international MalariaGEN consortium effort to combat the effects of the malaria parasite. The Sanger Institute is named after Fred Sanger, the double Nobel Prize-winning biochemist, famous for his techniques of DNA sequencing.
Two key Cambridge life science people have also joined Cambridge Ahead to become Individual Members, Dr Darrin Disley and Harriet Fear. Dr Disley is Chief Executive Officer and President of Horizon Discovery, one of the fastest-growing bio-tech companies in Europe which is based in Cambridge. He is a life scientist who has been involved in the start-up and growth of a number of business ventures, winning a number of business awards in the process.
Harriet Fear is CEO of One Nucleus, a not-for-profit, life-science membership organisation located in Cambridge. It has over 470 member organisations including pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device and diagnostic companies and associated technical and commercial service providers. Prior to joining in 2009, Harriet was a diplomat with the British Foreign Office for 21 years, half of which was spent in the commercial field.
Welcoming these new members, Jane Paterson-Todd, Cambridge Ahead CEO, said: “With The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, and Dr Darrin Disley and Harriet Fear joining our membership we have gained a world-class organisation, and two people of extremely high calibre. As a result, the life sciences will have a greater voice within Cambridge Ahead and their reputation, expertise and influence can only have a positive effect in shaping our agenda”.
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