Skellingthorpe, England, United Kingdom
I’m a senior research scientist and academic leader with over 25 years of experience spanning bioscience, agritech, and environmental innovation. My work bridges the gap between academic excellence and commercial impact, with a proven track record of securing competitive funding (>£13M total), leading high-performing teams, and delivering research that drives real-world change. Currently Associate Dean for Research at the School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, I lead the strategic development of cross-disciplinary research in agricultural sustainability, environmental resilience, and the circular economy. I’m responsible for shaping the School’s research vision, growing income and outputs, and mentoring the next generation of research leaders. Previously, as General Manager at B-hive Innovations, I led a cutting-edge agritech SME through a period of rapid growth, securing over £3M in competitive funding across multiple Innovate UK programmes. I oversaw a diverse portfolio of R&D projects, from AI-driven crop diagnostics to gene-edited potatoes, and built strong partnerships with growers, processors, and technology providers. I also managed all operational and commercial aspects of the business, including P&L, staffing, and infrastructure development. Earlier in my career, I held senior academic and research leadership roles at the University of Lincoln and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh. At Lincoln, I established and led JBL Science, a commercial analytical science unit that generated over £500K in its first years. At Roslin, I was PI on a £6.5M BBSRC strategic programme in livestock neurobiology and led a research group focused on protein misfolding and host-pathogen interactions. My scientific foundation is in medicinal chemistry and bioanalytical mass spectrometry, and I’ve published extensively on protein structure, function, and disease. I’ve supervised PhD and MSc students, contributed to national research strategy through peer review and advisory roles, and served on editorial boards for leading journals. I thrive in roles that demand both scientific depth and strategic vision. Whether it’s building research capacity in academia or delivering innovation in industry, I’m passionate about using science to solve complex challenges in food production, sustainability, and health.
Provide strategic and operational leadership support on the development, implementation and monitoring of the School Research and Innovation Strategy and Plan, and the enhancement of the quality of the schools research environment, income, output and impact. Also, to carry out internationally leading research in agricultural and environmental science.
Leading AgriTech Innovation in a dynamic, ambitious and multidisciplinary research establishment
Driving forward commercially-relevant research in science and technology, under the auspices of the University-embedded business units, JBL Science and The Bridge