Epilepsy Society

Board Trustee

LifeArc

Accountable for setting LifeArc’s portfolio strategy in line with charitable objectives and delivering the portfolio through effective project leadership and management. Develop and lead the Translational Challenges as a core element of strategy; these programmes accelerate healthcare innovation by transforming promising life science ideas into life-changing medical breakthroughs for patients. They consider the entire patient pathway – from diagnosis through to treatment and lifestyle support in complex areas of healthcare need. LifeArc provides translational insight, spanning our core offerings of science, funding and advice and connect these collective strengths and resources with the expertise, capabilities and funding of other life sciences partners to catalyse the translation of innovation.

Chief Project and Portfolio Officer

Accountable for LifeArc’s Translational Challenges to accelerate healthcare innovation by transforming promising life science ideas into life-changing medical breakthroughs for patients.

Head of Translational Challenges

Accountable for ensuring effective governance, processes, systems and resource are applied across the entire company including our scientific research programmes, IT improvements, strategic and infrastructure, together with those utilising LifeArc’s offerings of advice and funds.
Developing and implementing strategy, translating LifeArc’s strategic ambitions into well-crafted and achievable operational plans, managing the portfolios, ensuring focus on the highest-level company priorities. Leading major change initiatives to support integration of emerging technologies and adapting operating model design for delivery and agility.

Head of Corporate and Portfolio Project Management

Accountable for building and maintaining productive collaborative relationships with major research partners. Managing the Tech Transfer of antibody technology platforms into LifeArc (transgenic mice, B cell sorting and screening, and in silico bioinformatics for candidate selection) ensuring all facilities, equipment and resources in place to optimise use for therapeutic discovery.

Consultant, Alliance Manager

KQ Labs

Accelerator programme run by the Francis Crick Institute, supporting innovative early-stage data-driven health start-ups to validate their ideas and put their exciting companies on the path to receive further investment.

Governance Board Member

PIPMG

The aim of PIPMG is to support development of the Project Management profession in the global pharmaceutical, biotech and associated industries by:
1. Encouraging recognition of the key role of project management in the industry
2. Enabling learning and sharing of best practices in portfolio, programme and project management
3. Providing Training, Coaching and Continual Professional Development
4. Providing a forum for communication and information exchange between members
5. Introduction, participation in and support of initiatives intended to improve the practice of project management internationally

Executive Committee Member

BTG plc

Global Head of Immuno-Oncology 
Accountable for the strategic direction and commercial success of our Immuno-Oncology platform, managing collaborative partnerships with global pharmaceutical companies, leading research institutions and societies. 
Lead a broad portfolio of pre-clinical and clinical research projects investigating the ability of our interventional oncology therapies (selective internal radiation, ablation solutions, embolics) to drive immune responses, both alone and in combination with immunotherapeutics (check point inhibitors, next generation immunotherapies).

VP Immuno-Oncology

Head of Global Project Management organisation  
Managed R&D governance process, annual portfolio review, and business analytics to track and improve performance, prioritising budget and resource on a risk-balanced pipeline of R&D projects that maximise business value.

VP Project Management

Head of Global Project Management organisation 
Line management of a global team (US, EU, APAC), set project management vision and strategy, ensuring effective project management resource, processes and systems applied across the business, with high standards for delivery.

Group Manager of Project Management

Clinical lead of multiple out-sourced clinical trials with small molecules, peptides, biologics and medical devices (spanning Phase I, II, III and IV).

Clinical Development Executive

Merck

Directed exploratory neuroscience research project teams, selecting multiple candidates for clinical development using pre-clinical models.

Research Manager

Directed learning and memory disorder program, heading GABA α5 inverse agonist pre-clinical research project for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.

Project Director

Headed an exploratory research team of technical personnel running electrophysiological assays for Neuroscience disorders (CHO cell lines, Xenopus oocytes, mouse brain slices) for structure-activity relationship assessment of novel small molecules and drug candidate prioritisation.

Team Leader

Conducted exploratory research, characterising the pharmacology of tachykinin receptors in the brain (nucleus tractus solitarius, dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, amygdala, entorhinal cortex).

Senior Research Biologist

Karen Skinner is Chief Project & Portfolio Officer at the medical research organisation, LifeArc with accountability for their portfolio of Translational Challenges. These ambitious programmes focus primarily on Rare Disease (including ultra-rare diseases, MND and rare dementias, rare respiratory conditions and childhood cancer), and Global Health. In addition to her role at LifeArc, Karen is a Board Trustee of the Epilepsy Society and member of PIPMG Executive team. 

She has over 30 years of experience within the life sciences industry, having held numerous leadership roles in blue chip big pharma, specialty pharma, biotech and nonprofit organisations. 
She is passionate about biomedical science and technology, applying that knowledge to create innovative products that make a real difference for patients. She believes that collaboration is the key to accelerate the progress of scientific discoveries to create medical breakthroughs that transform the lives of those living with disease. 

Life Sciences | Director | Transformational Leader | Portfolio Management | Keynote Speaker

Karen Skinner

Synnovis

-managed sample intake, triaging 80+ samples a day with speed and accuracy 
-assigned genomic tests to a variety of sample types based on priority and clinical information given
-managed R14 test sendaways at a GLH-wide level, ensuring timely communication with testing lab and local Clinical Genetics department 
-contributed to quality improvement by creating SOPs and process amendments, logging CAPAs and taking part in UKAS audits

Genomic Coordinator - Monogenics

Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH)

I led the College's newly formed genomics programme delivering a number of concurrent projects to engage paediatricians with genomics. These included stakeholder engagement with a number of internal and external parties, carrying out horizon-scanning activities and delivering a programme of educational events.

Genomics Programme Manager

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust

-Managed the referrals and review process for the foetal (R21) and neonatal (R14) rapid exome sequencing pipelines

-Achieved reporting targets for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) across multiple cancer and rare disease sub specialties by resolving blockers and facilitating case flow

-Tested genomic case management software and provided recommendations at national level workshop 

-Identified gaps in genomics knowledge for admin team staff and put together a starter pack for new starters with a non-scientific background

Genomic Medicine Coordinator

Genomics England

-100K Genome Project Closedown

Reported on sample flow to senior leadership team and pursued outstanding cases to resolution

-National Genomics Informatics System (NGIS)

Supported the build and testing phases of the NGIS by acting as document master and facilitating cross-functional working across internal and external teams

Clinical Operations Coordinator

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Enhanced patient experience by recruiting, training, and managing a team of volunteers during the Trust's transition to a new patient records management system

Project Support Officer

Hearst Health

Drafted and updated national clinical guidelines and patient care pathways for clinicians in Qatar, based on NHS and international best practices

Scientific Editor

MEDIC INTERPRETERS LIMITED

Identified language, culture, and knowledge gaps and bridged them where appropriate. Adapted complex medical concepts for patients with a range of understanding and needs

Medical Interpreter

Queen Mary University of London

Led guided tours across campus giving potential students and their parents an insight into university life and the department. Worked with university staff to organise and run open day events.

Student Ambassador

The Daily Star, BD

Researched and wrote articles for the 16-25 demographic. Contributed to planning meetings to organise new content and themes

Staff Writer, Rising Stars

I make better healthcare happen!

In my 7+ years of experience in the healthcare sector I have created workflows to integrate whole genome testing into NHS clinical practice, delivered events to mainstream genomics in paediatrics and driven closedown activities of the 100,000 Genomes Project. My strengths include translating high-level strategy into operational objectives and managing diverse stakeholders across the healthcare landscape to achieve improved patient outcomes.

I am currently looking forward to the next exciting opportunity in my career. While my experience so far has mostly been in the public sector, I bring plenty of transferrable skills that would translate well into project management and/or operational roles within startups or a small department in industry.

taplio

The Battle

Karen Skinner

Tahmida Zaman

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