Industrial Careers Expo October 2012 University of Sheffield

Industrial Careers Expo - October 2012, University of Sheffield Dr Ian Birch-Machin

Career Summary (1) • University of East Anglia (1979 -1982), BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences • Department of Microbiology, University of Sheffield (1983 -1986), Ph. D Thesis title: Studies of typing bacteriophages 77, 52 A and 47 of Staphylococcus aureus • Post-Doc Research Associate, Dept. of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge (5/87 -6/91) – (1 publication) • Post-Doc Research Associate, Dept. of Paediatrics, Addenbrooke’s Hospital (7/91 -6/93) – (1 poster presentation) • Post-Doc Research Virologist and Team Leader, Animal Health Trust, Newmarket, Suffolk (7/93 -6/00) – (2 patents, 9 publications (3 1 st author), 2 International Conference oral presentations, 3 poster presentations)

Career Summary (2) • Post-Doc Research Associate, Dept. of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge (7/00 -12/02) – (4 publications (1 1 st author), 1 poster presentation) • Post-Doc Research Associate, Dept. of Anatomy, University of Cambridge (1/03 -12/05) – (2 publications (1 1 st author), 1 International Conference oral presentation, 1 poster presentation) • Research Scientist, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, MRC, Cambridge (1/06 -4/06) • Principal Scientist, Team Leader, Project Leader and Manager, Syntaxin Ltd (5/06 -3/11) – (1 patent, 1 publication, 1 therapeutic in development with others in backup/follow on or Proof of Concept) • Laboratory and Budget Manager, Functional Genomics Unit, MRC (2/12 present)

Syntaxin • Discovery research management (Leader of Target to Lead Group) • Discovery research (Senior Scientist and promoted to Principal Scientist, July 2009) • Project Leadership and Management • Intellectual Property • Early stage development • Facilities/Operations

MRC • Laboratory Management • Budget Management • Financial Systems & Transactions

Tasks performed Syntaxin Title Principal Scientist MRC Lab & Budget Manager Organisation Biotech Research Institute Tasks • • • • Leading team of Discovery scientists • Monitoring work output, quality, deadlines • Project leadership • Project management • Attending project meetings • Attending scientific meetings • Planning work packages • Designing proteins • Lab work • Writing reports Receiving goods in Procurement training Managing capital spend H&S Risk Analysis Business Continuity Budget monitoring Financial planning Travel arrangements Managing works Arrangement/monitoring maintenance contracts

Qualifications and skills required and those gained Syntaxin MRC Qualifications/ • Ph. D skills required • Molecular biology • Protein purification • Research experience • Line management • Phage display • ELISA development • • Budget management Laboratory management H&S Intellectual Property Qualifications/ • Line management skills gained • Resource management • Project management • Budget management • H&S • Intellectual Property • Risk analysis • Use of accountancy software • Risk analysis • Business continuity

Skills as a researcher and those gained Skills gained as a researcher • • • Planning and executing research Experimental skills Scientific writing Utilisation of new techniques Flexibility Team working with colleagues Collaboration with external labs Supervision of students – lab Supervision of students – academic To make mistakes and learn from them Additional skills Taking the opportunity: • To line manage • To project manage • To attend courses – internal & external • To be mentored

The recruitment process Syntaxin MRC Application in response to advert Approach by recruiter Formal interview comprising: • Presentation • Interview (panel of 3, 1 hour) • separate interviews with 2 founders (30 min) • Tour • Lunch Formal interview comprising: • Interview (panel of 4, 30 min) • Tour

Comparisons to academic research Comparison to academic research Syntaxin Positives • • Fast/dynamic Development of new skills Team working Varied Contributing to health Higher salary Share options Negatives • Not as secure • Termination of projects at short notice • Pensions not as good MRC • Contributing to health • Development of new skills • Varied • Separated from science

Career path and career progression Syntaxin Career progression Senior Scientist MRC Limited in current role Principal Scientist Career opportunities within Limited in small biotech organisation Movement to other biotechs/pharma using experience/expertise gained Opportunities in: • MRC Regional Centre • MRC Head Office • University of Oxford

Thank you Any questions please?