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UCL Department of Biochemical Engineering

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Meet the Hub team

Meet the members of the Future Targeted Healthcare Manufacturing Hub, based across six leading universities and eight university schools and departments

Logos for EPSRC, UCL, Imperial College London, Loughborough University, University of Manchester, University of Nottingham, University of Warwich

Index

Directors

  
Professor Nigel J Titchener-Hooker

Professor Nigel Titchener-Hooker

Director of Strategy
  • Position: Emeritus Professor of Biochemical Engineering
  • Expertise: Creation of whole bioprocess models and the use of these to gain process insights and understanding.

 

Professor Suzanne Farid

Professor Suzanne Farid

Co-Director: User Engagement and Translation
  • Grand Challenge Lead:
    Digital decisional tools for transforming supply chain management for targeted medicines
  • Position: Professor of Bioprocess Systems Engineering,
    Head of The Department of Biochemical Engineering at UCL
  • Expertise: Bioprocess Decisional Tools, Bioprocess Economics,
    Drug Development Cost Modelling, Capacity planning,
    Portfolio Management, Risk Analysis,
    Multi-Criteria Decision-Making,
    Multi-Objective Simulation & Optimisation,
    Chemometrics

 

Professor Paul Dalby

Professor Paul Dalby

Co-Director: Community Engagement and Training
  • Grand Challenge Lead:
    Digitally-driven manufacturing and analytical platforms for targeted medicines
  • Position: Professor of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology,
    UCL Biochemical Engineering
  • Expertise: Routes to improve the stability and activity
    of biocatalytic enzymes and therapeutic proteins,
    for ease of manufacture, formulation and delivery to patients

ATMP Manufacturing

  
Dr Qasim Rafiq UCL Biochemical Engineering 150x300

Professor Qasim Rafiq

Co-Investigator
  • Position: Associate Professor in Bioprocessing of Regenerative, Cellular and Gene Therapy
    UCL Biochemical Engineering
  • Expertise: Bioprocessing and translation of advanced cell and gene therapies from the lab-scale to clinical and commercial scales
Professor Robert J Thomas

Professor Rob Thomas

Co-Investigator
  • Position: Professor of Manufacturing for Cell and Gene Therapies
    Loughborough University School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering
  • Expertise: Production systems and processes for cell-based products;
    Translation to commercial manufacture and clinical use;
    Automated and scaled production;
    Measurement systems for process control and quality release;
    defining indicators of cell product quality.
Professor Nicolas Szita

Professor Nicolas Szita

Co-Investigator
  • Position: Professor of Bioprocess Microfluidics
    UCL Biochemical Engineering
  • Expertise: Translation of bioprocessing concepts into microfluidic systems (or Lab-on-a-chip systems);
    Use of advanced microfabrication techniques for polymers (rapid prototyping), glass and silicon 
Dr Nourredine Himoudi

Dr Nourredine Himoudi

    Researcher
    • UCL Biochemical Engineering
    • Training: Master in Biotechnology; PhD in Immunology, research fellow positions in immunotherapy.
      GMP and ATIMPs manufacture management for cancer patients.
    • Expertise: Cancer immunotherapy using viral vectors
      to scale up, validate and manufacture gene-modified T cells
      (TCR and Chimeric Antigen Receptors) for paediatric
      and B cell cancers.
      GMP production management of Gene and Cell Therapy (GCT) /ATIMPs production for cancer patients.

    Cell-Free Synthesis Experimental Research

      
    Professor Dan Bracewell

    Professor Daniel Bracewell 

    Co-Investigator
    • Position: Professor of Bioprocess Analysis
      UCL Biochemical Engineering
    • Expertise: Bioprocess analysis; Speed and capabilities of the analytical techniques used

     

    Dr Beatrice Melinek

    Dr Beatrice Melinek 

    Researcher
    • UCL Biochemical Engineering
    • Training: MEng in Chemical Engineering,
      EngD in Biochemical Engineering
    • Expertise: Cell-free synthesis of biomolecules.
      Additionally, viral vaccine / vector purification and process simulation

    Co-Formulation, Nanoencapsulation and Analytics

      
    Professor Paul Dalby

    Professor Paul Dalby

    Co-Director: Community Engagement and Training
    • Grand Challenge Lead:
      Digitally-driven manufacturing and analytical platforms for targeted medicines
    • Position: Professor of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology,
      UCL Biochemical Engineering
    • Expertise: Routes to improve the stability and activity
      of biocatalytic enzymes and therapeutic proteins,
      for ease of manufacture, formulation and delivery to patients
    Professor Jonathan Aylott

    Professor Jonathan Aylott

    Co-Investigator
    • Position: Professor in Analytical Bioscience
      University of Nottingham School of Pharmacy
    • Expertise: Design, development and implementation of miniaturized analytical devices
    Valentine Anyanwu

    Dr Valentine Anyanwu

    Researcher

    • University of Nottingham
    • Training: PhD in Biochemical Engineering
    • Expertise: Engineering and characterisation of novel formulations
    Dr Raquel Fernandez Garcia

    Dr Raquel Fernandez Garcia

    Researcher
    • University of Nottingham School of Pharmacy
    • Training: MPharm, PhD
    • Expertise: Engineering and characterisation of novel formulations
    Braulio Carrillo Sanchez

    Dr Braulio Carrillo Sanchez

    Researcher

    • UCL Biochemical Engineering
    • Training: PhD in Biochemical Engineering
    • Expertise: cell line development, molecular biology and production of novel modalities such as extracellular vesicles

    Digital Decisional Tools: Datamining, Digital Twins

      
    Professor Barry Lennox

    Professor Barry Lennox 

    Co-Investigator
    • Position: Professor of Applied Control
      University of Manchester
      Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering
    • Expertise: Robotics for use in Nuclear Engineering Decommissioning
      Leakage and blockage detection in pipelines;
      Multivariate statistical process control;
      Model predictive control;
      Control loop monitoring;
      Monitoring and control of batch processes
    Dr Stephen Goldrick

    Dr Stephen Goldrick

    Co-Investigator
    • Position: Lecturer in Digital Bioprocess Engineering
      UCL Biochemical Engineering
    • Expertise: Advanced Data Analytics, Mathematical Modelling,
      Machine learning, Process Analytical Technology, Digital Twin
    Dr Carlos Duran Villalobos

    Dr Carlos Duran Villalobos

    Researcher
    • University of Manchester, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering
    • Training: Electronics Engineer/ MSc Digital Signal Processing/ PhD Process Control
    • Expertise: Process Control, Multivariate Analysis, Adaptive Control, Data-based Models
       
    Dr Nivedhitha Swaminathan 

    Dr Nivedhitha Swaminathan 

    RESEARCHER

    • UCL Biochemical Engineering
    • Training: Bachelors Industrial Biotechnology, PhD Bioprocess Engineering
    • Expertise: process analytical technology, mathematical modelling, simulation, process optimization and process control

    Digital Decisional Tools: Supply Chain Management 

      
    Professor Suzanne Farid

    Professor Suzanne Farid

    CO-DIRECTOR: USER ENGAGEMENT AND TRANSLATION
    • Grand Challenge Lead:
      Digital decisional tools for transforming supply chain management for targeted medicines
    • Position: Professor of Bioprocess Systems Engineering,
      UCL Biochemical Engineering
    • Expertise: Bioprocess Decisional Tools, Bioprocess Economics,
      Drug Development Cost Modelling, Capacity planning,
      Portfolio Management, Risk Analysis,
      Multi-Criteria Decision-Making,
      Multi-Objective Simulation & Optimisation,
      Chemometrics
    Professor Nilay Shah

    Professor Nilay Shah

    Co-Investigator
    • Position: Head of Department of Chemical Engineering
      Professor of Process Systems Engineering
      Imperial College London
    • Expertise: Supply chain design and optimisation;
      Process synthesis and development for fine chemicals, pharmaceutical and biochemical processes;
      Mathematical techniques to assess and improve process safety  
    Professor Juergen Branke

    Professor Juergen Branke

    Co-Investigator
    • Position: Professor of Operational Research & Systems
      Warwick Business School, University of Warwick,
    • Expertise: Optimisation under Uncertainty, Multi-Objective Optimisation, Simulation-based Optimisation
    Dr Maria Papathanasiou

    Dr Maria Papathanasiou

    Co-Investigator
    • Position: Lecturer in Chemical Engineering
    • Imperial College London Chemical Engineering
    • Expertise: Decisional/computational tools, Process modelling/simulation/optimisation, Bioprocess modelling (bioreactors & separation processes)
    Dr Christos Stamatis

    Dr Christos Stamatis

    Researcher
    • UCL Biochemical Engineering
    • Training: Chemical Engineering (MEng), Biochemical Engineering (MSc, EngD)
    • Expertise: Decisional tools, Process economics for mAbs and bispecifics, Chromatography process development 
       
    Dr Andrea Bernardi

    Dr Andrea Bernardi

    Researcher
    • Imperial College London
      Chemical Engineering
    • Training: Chemical Engineer, PhD 
    • Expertise: Computational tools, Model-identification and parameter estimation,
      Process design and optimization, Supply chain optimization, Life cycle assessment
    Dr Siamak Naderi

    Dr Siamak Naderi

    Researcher
    • University of Warwick
      Warwick Business School
    • Training: Industrial Engineering (BSc, MSc, Ph.D.)
    • Expertise: Operations and Supply Chain Management,
      Large-Scale Optimisation, Operations Research, Business Analytics

    Reimbursement, Regulatory Strategies and Policy

      
    Dr Irina Brass

    Dr Irina Brass

    Co-Investigator
    • Position: Associate Professor in Regulation, Innovation and Public Policy,
      UCL Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP)
    • Expertise: Regulation of emerging technologies;
      managing emerging risks and uncertainty of disruptive innovation;
      public policy and governance
    Dr Manuel Gomes

    Dr Manuel Gomes

    CO-INVESTIGATOR, INTERIM

    • Position: Associate Professor of Health Economics UCL Department of Applied Health Research
    • Expertise: Development, assessment and translation of statistical methodology in health economics, economic evaluations alongside clinical trials and large observational studies, with particular emphasis on digital and mental health
    Nishma Patel

    Ms Nishma Patel

    Researcher
    • UCL Department of Applied Health Research (DAHR)
    • Training: Health Economist
    • Expertise:  Economic evaluation alongside clinical trials, effects of specialist cancer services, health technology adoption
    Dr Edison Bicudo

    Dr Edison Bicudo

    Researcher
    • UCL Science Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP)
    • Training: PhD, International Politics, Master's in Geography, Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences
      Expertise: social and geographical implications of biomedical technologies, e.g. bioinformatics, neuroimaging software, bioprinting
    Hub Logo Holding Image

    Incoming

    Policy Advisor
    • Position: Biomanufacturing Policy Advisor
    • UCL Science Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP), Policy Impact Unit

    Operations and outreach

      
     

    (to be appointed)

    Project Manager
    • UCL Biochemical Engineering
    Laura Pasqual Buffone

    Ms Laura Pascual Buffone

    Research Finance Officer
    • UCL Biochemical Engineering
      Position: EPSRC Project Officer and Research Finance Administrator
    Dr Vaughan Thomas

    Dr Vaughan Thomas

    Hub Logo Holding Image

    Incoming

    Policy Advisor
    • Position: Biomanufacturing Policy Advisor
    • UCL Science Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP), Policy Impact Unit