Removing Translational Barriers

Imran has a wealth of scientific research experience, having worked in genetics, biochemistry, biophysics, and drug discovery for over 15 years at esteemed institutions such as University College London, the University of Cambridge, and GlaxoSmithKline. 

He has also taught and mentored numerous researchers, won significant funding, published extensively in renowned journals, and developed a therapeutic that is currently in clinical trials for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. In addition to his PhD in Complex Disease Genetics, he holds a Fellowship to the Higher Education Authority and is a member of the Royal Society of Biology.

In addition to his work in research and education, Imran has co-founded a Contract Research Organization called Cellomatics Bioscience and founded The Sample Network, a human biosample acquisition company. He has also held commercially-focused director positions at digital health start-ups and non-profits and worked as an innovation advisor for the UK government's Medicines Discovery Catapult. Currently, he is advising AstraZeneca's Centre for Genome Research and Anglia Ruskin's ARISE Innovation Hubs.

Imran has a track record of establishing successful TNE partnerships, securing research and capacity development funding, and setting up labs, quality systems, and skills training programs. Including recently serving as an advisor for lab sciences on the Technical Education Advisory Board for UK T-level qualifications.

 I have spent my career working at the intersection of academia, industry, government, and non-profits, and through this experience I have learned that the primary obstacle to turning research into practical solutions is not the quality of the research itself, but rather the lack of appropriate commercial mechanisms and knowledge to support its success. 

Addressing this issue is crucial, as it has the potential to greatly improve the health and wealth of our nation by creating new, effective medications for patients, providing well-paid employment for STEM graduates, and yielding economic returns on the significant investment that the UK government puts into basic research. 

This is why I am passionate about using my entrepreneurial and commercial skills to remove barriers and support early stage research in the UK. 

 This involves two main approaches:

1. Developing innovative commercialisation mechanisms, partnerships, and applying commercial insight at the earliest stages of R&D, and
2. Enhancing the skills and knowledge of researchers to ensure that the ultimate goal of translation is always in mind.

I have achieved significant progress in the first area by initiating initiatives such as 1) a strategic partnership between the University of Exeter and the Medicines Discovery Catapult to identify innovation at its earliest stages, 2) creating a multi-center drug discovery program in aging between the Universities of Oxford, Dundee, Birmingham, and the Medicines Discovery Catapult, 3)  hosting an investor conference on new funding mechanisms for drug discovery with the Deputy Mayor of London, and 4) establishing the Microbiome Metabolism Consortium, funded by Roche, Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Bayer, Eagle Genomes, and Takeda to incorporate microbiome data into the drug discovery pipeline.

In the second area, I have 1) contributed to the development of Lab Sciences T-levels, 2) advised an Eastern European government on their technical education plan and linked it to commercialization policy, 3) worked with The Skills Network to design a learning management system to support entrepreneurship and commercial readiness, and 4) piloted a transnational experiential learning program with Memorial University Newfoundland to bring six MedTech companies to the UK through internships.

If you are interested in improving the translation of research in your organisation, please don't hesitate to contact me at imran@ignitelifesciences.com to learn more about our services.