Management

Dr Jeff Drew Chief Scientific Officer. Dr Jeff Drew is the founder of the Stabilitech and the developer of the company’s proprietary technology. Jeff holds a degree in Microbiology and Virology from Manchester University, and a PhD in Molecular Virology from Reading University Institute of Animal Health at Pirbright, UK. Jeff has 18 years experience in microbiological, cancer, gene therapy and genetic research. His research has been conducted within various research institutes and departments at the UK including the Exotic Virus Research Laboratories at the Institute of Animal Health, Universities of Oxford, London, the Marie Curie Research Institute and the Chester Beatty Laboratories at the Institute of Cancer Research. He is the co-founder and a non-executive director of Cells4Life, a leading UK umbilical cord blood stem cell storage company.

Dr Stephen Ward Development Director. Dr Stephen Ward joined Stabilitech as Development Director in October 2009. He studied microbiology and immunology and the University of Birmingham, and then obtained his PhD from the University of Southampton developing meningococcal B recombinant protein vaccines. After working on a collaborative programme between St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical School and Imperial College London on Clostridium difficile mucosal vaccines, Stephen moved into industry. Whilst at the Celltech Medeva Vaccines Research Unit he worked on attenuated bacterial vaccines and immunotherapy programmes for the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis. Before joining Stabilitech, Stephen worked for over eight years at Onyvax, a cancer vaccine company, where he held a variety of roles of increasing responsibility, from Project Management, Head of Process Development and finally to Director of Development for two years. He brings a wealth of experience on commercial vaccine development, regulatory and Quality as well as cGMP manufacturing expertise.

Donna Hackett Commercial Director. Donna Hackett joined Stabilitech on 1 February 2011 as Commercial Director. Donna has spent over 20 years commercialising life science technology through partnering and start-up activity. She is both scientifically qualified and legally qualified as a non-practising barrister. After a degree in Biochemistry and Diplomas in Management Studies and Marketing she began her career at BTG, a world leader in the commercialisation of novel technologies. At BTG she sourced technologies in the life science field and commercialised them internationally. She then moved to University College London and became head of the life science arm of UCL Ventures, the technology licensing and start-up company. In 2001 Donna joined ProPharma Partners, where she was involved with in- and out- partnering of early and late stage products, business strategy and legal, commercial and intellectual property due diligence on potential start-up activity, product and company acquisitions for academic institutions, companies and potential investors. Her deals have varied from small biotech to large pharmaceutical companies in Europe, Japan and USA, and she was a board member of BioVex and FreeMedic, the technology transfer company of The Royal Free Medical School.