TRANSLATING

DISCOVERIES

TO IMPACT

A flagship annual biotechnology summit connecting academia, industry, and investment to turn cutting-edge discoveries into scalable biomedical innovation.

09 May 2026

The Life & Mind Building

University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3EL

Register for the Summit
Apply for the Startup Showcase
ABOUT THE SUMMIT

Advancing biotech from discovery to impact

OxBio Summit is a flagship, annual biotechnology summit hosted by the Oxford University Biotech Society. Through cross-sector dialogue, interdisciplinary collaboration, and knowledge exchange, the summit aims to catalyze partnerships, inspire innovation, and empower the next generation of scientific entrepreneurs as they move discoveries into ventures, therapies and scalable biomedical solutions. 

Cross-sector by design

Convening leaders across science, medicine, venture, and industry from across Oxford, Cambridge, London, and beyond to strengthen pathways to innovation.

Built for translation

To elevate institutional conversations around sustainable biotech innovation.

Startup showcase

Structured to spotlight emerging biotech startups, boost venture engagement and meaningful community building.

WHY ATTEND

Built around the people shaping ThE NEXT CHAPTER OF biotech

Organized for students, researchers, clinicians, founders, investors, and industry leaders focused on translating science into real-world impact.

HIGHLIGHTS

Keynotes, PANELS, AND INNOVATION TRACKS

The 2026 theme is “Translating Discoveries to Impact,” with sessions focused on institutional pathways for translation, next-generation therapeutics, venture creation, clinical translation and biotech talent.

3 Keynotes

  • Building the UK’s Innovation Engine – From Breakthrough Science to Scalable Impact
  • From Bench to Bedside and Beyond
  • From Discovery to Global Impact: Translating Science into Equitable Health Outcomes

3 Expert Panels

  • Turning Discoveries into Viable Therapeutics
  • Building Scalable Biotech Ventures
  • Data, AI & Platform-Driven Drug Discovery: From Algorithms to Approved Medicines

3 Breakout Tracks

  • Engineering Therapeutic Modalities & Finding Novel Targets
  • Clinical Translation: From Biological Insights to First-in-Human Studies
  • Biotech Career Trajectory & Talent Pathways
APPLICATION NOW CLOSED

Startup Showcase

Early-stage biotech startups and spinouts are invited to join the summit, showcase their company and connect with researchers, investors, talent, and ecosystem partners.

Submit Showcase Application
AGENDA

Saturday, 09 MAY 2026

08:30 - 09:00
Registration & Networking
09:00 - 09:15
Welcome Address
Eren Akgun
09:15 - 10:00
Opening Keynote: Building the UK's Innovation Engine - From Breakthrough Science to Scalable Impact
Speaker: Professor Constantin Coussios OBE FREng FMedSci
10:00 - 11:00
Panel 1: Turning Discoveries into Viable Therapeutics
Panellists: Nihal Sinha and Sutha Satkunarajah
11:00 - 11:15
Coffee & Networking Break
11:15 - 12:15
Panel 2: Building Scalable Biotech Ventures
Panellists: Laura Lane, Craig Fox, and Simon Warner
12:15 - 13:30
Networking Lunch + Start-up Showcase
13:30 - 14:15
Keynote 2: From Bench to Bedside and Beyond
Speaker: Professor Santa Ono
14:15 - 15:15
Breakout Tracks:
1. Engineering Therapeutic Modality & Finding Novel Target
Speakers: Professor Sir Peter Donnelly FRS FMedSci and Ben Porebski

2. Clinical Translation: From Biological Insights to First-in-Human Studies
Speakers: Professor Sarah Blagden and Susan Hill

3. Biotech Career Trajectory & Talent Pathways
Speakers: Nicole Mather and Someit Sidhu
15:15 - 15:30
Coffee & Networking Break
15:30 - 16:30
Panel 3: Data, AI & Platform-Driven Drug Discovery
Panellists: Beverley Carr, Peter Hamley, and Liam Atkinson
16:30 - 17:00
Closing Keynote: From Discovery to Global Impact - Translating Science in Equitable Health Outcomes
Speaker: David Rossow
17:00 - 18:00
Drinks Reception
FEATURED

SPEAKERS

Professor Constantin Coussios OBE FREng FMedSci

Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Innovation, University of Oxford

Professor Santa Ono

President, Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford and Global (EIT)

David Rossow

Founding Partner, Gates Foundation Strategic Investment Fund

Nihal Sinha

Partner, F-Prime Capital

Click for Bio

Sutha Satkunarajah

VP Strategy & Operations, Flagship Pioneering UK

Click for Bio

Laura Lane

VP Lilly Ventures (Head of Europe), Eli Lilly & Company

Click for Bio

Craig Fox

Operating Partner – Life Sciences, Oxford Science Enterprises

Click for Bio

Simon Warner

Head of Licensing & Ventures – Life Sciences, Oxford University Innovation

Click for Bio

Professor Sir Peter Donnelly FRS FMedSci

CEO and Co-Founder, Genomics

Professor Emeritus, University of Oxford

Click for Bio

Ben

Porebski

Co-founder, CEO/CTO, Sortera Bio

Click for Bio

Professor Sarah Blagden

Professor of Experimental Oncology, University of Oxford

Co-founder/CSO Prenostics Ltd.

Director, Oxford Cancer Trials Office

Click for Bio

Susan Hill

CEO, Co-Founder & Board Member, Mestag Therapeutics

Venture Partner, SV Health Investors

Click for Bio

Nicole Mather

Partner & Head of Life sciences UKI & EMEA, IBM Consulting

Chair, Wellcome Genome Campus Science & Tech Advisory Group

Click for Bio

Someit Sidhu

Founder, Zura Bio (NASDAQ: ZURA)

Click for Bio

Beverley Carr

Chief Business Officer, CHARM Therapeutics

Click for Bio

Peter Hamley

Founder and CEO, Scripta Therapeutics

Click for Bio

Liam Atkinson

ML Research Engineer, Ellison Institute of Technology

Click for Bio
PARTNER WITH US

Founding partners can shape the platform

Key Contact

David C. Michael
Chair & Organiser
David.michael@ludwig.ox.ac.uk

OxBio Summit 2026 is the inaugural edition of what will become an annual flagship event, creating an opportunity for:

  • Founding partners to help define its direction and reach.
  • Support the launch of a scalable annual platform for translational science and biotech innovation, anchored in Oxford and expanding across the UK and beyond.
Register for the Summit
Summit attendance and showcase applications are handled separately.
Startup showcase application now closed

Our Team

David C. Michael
Chair & Organiser
  • Second year DPhil in Clinical Medicine 
  • VP Institutional Relations at OUBT
  • Experience in management consulting and biomedical sciences research
Yushi Li
Co-Organiser
  • First year DPhil in Molecular Cell Biology in Health and Disease  
  • Management Board Member, Oxford Edge
  • Previously a Venture Fellow at Ahren Innovation Capital
Nancy Locke
Head of Marketing & Communications
  • Fourth year MBiol Biology Student
  • VP of Marketing and Engagement at OUBT
  • Wet & Dry Lab Research Experience at Preston Lab and Max Planck Institute
  • Interested in agritech and biomaterials
Zehra Azim
Academic Liaison
  • First year DPhil (PhD) Pharmacology​
  • MSc (Oxon) Integrated Immunology​
  • Founder and Lead Scientist, BioAge OS​
  • Research experience across Oxford, Imperial College London, UCL & translational health tech
Iyiola Oladunjoye
Industry Liaison
  • First year DPhil Student in Clinical
    Medicine​
  • Experience in translational science across vaccinology and global health​
  • 6+ years working at the interface of research, policy, and real-world health impact
Devon Darley
Head of Exhibitions
  • Fourth year Biomedical Sciences (MSc)
  • Previously served as sponsorship officer for OUBT
  • Led multiple student consulting projects
Rayn Lakha
Startup Showcase Manager
  • First year undergraduate in Engineering Science
  • Interested in algorithmic drug design and preventative healthcare
  • Worked on technical projects in industry and startups
Roman Lorello
Partnerships & Sponsorships
  • First year undergraduate Biology student​
  • Leading Oxford University’s student
    bioengineering team for the iGEM competition
  • President of undergraduates at the Ukrainian Society.

Our Partners

xr:d:DAFucYXHPuc:15,j:2961519671360361007,t:23091419
xr:d:DAFucYXHPuc:15,j:2961519671360361007,t:23091419
Oxfounders
oxvc
IC WSET
Oxbridge AIx logo
CamBio

Professor Santa Ono

Professor Ono is the EIT Oxford & Global President at the Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford, where he leads the development of scientific programs and oversees the Institute’s activities worldwide.  

He has previously served as President of the University of Michigan, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Cincinnati, driving major initiatives in artificial intelligence, advanced computing, and innovation ecosystems. 

Professor Ono has also held faculty and leadership roles at Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Emory, and UCL, and is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Inventors, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. He earned his B.A. in Biological Science from the University of Chicago and his Ph.D. in Experimental Medicine from McGill University. 

This will close in 20 seconds

Craig Fox

Craig is the Operating Partner for Life Sciences at Oxford Science Enterprises, with over 25 years of drug discovery and development expertise, including vast experience as a research scientist managing initial target selection through to Phase 2 clinical studies. At OSE Craig has helped to find, fund and build several start-ups including Kesmalea, ISOgenix, MatchBio, Kodiform and and Re-AIM Therapeutics and is also a Board Director for Endlyz Therapeutics. Craig was also OSE’s representative on the Board of Dark Blue Therapeutics that was recently acquired by Amgen. Prior to OSE, Craig was at C4X Discovery where he was Chief Scientific Officer and an Executive Board Member for more than six years, guiding its transition from a Manchester University spinout technology-based company to a therapeutics business. Craig has also worked at several biotechnology companies supporting multiple financing deals, the creation and management of strategic collaborations and licensing deals with Pharma. Craig holds a PhD in Respiratory Medicine from Birmingham University and a first-class Biochemistry degree from the University of Surrey. 

This will close in 20 seconds

Simon Warner

Simon is currently head of Licensing and Ventures for Life Science at Oxford University Innovation, where he has driven growth in licensing and company creation and increasing financial returns to the University and commercialising impactful technology to benefit the world. Previous career highlights have included the successful sale of Oxitec, a spin-out from the University of Oxford, where he was CSO, leading the development of pioneering insect control in public health and agriculture. Oxitec was purchased by synthetic biology specialist, Intrexon in 2015 for $160m. Simon worked for Syngenta for over a decade and had roles based in California, North Carolina and the UK, where he innovated in crop biotechnology and was responsible for developing agricultural products sold today. Simon has a Biochemistry degree from University College London and a PhD in plant molecular biology from the University of Leicester. 

This will close in 20 seconds

Laura Lane

Laura Lane, PhD, is currently VP and European Head of Lilly Ventures at Eli Lilly & Company, where she leads venture capital strategy across Europe, covering equity investments in biotech and life sciences companies, fund-of-fund partnerships, and broader external innovation initiatives.

Laura is a PhD-trained scientist with extensive cross-sector experience spanning science, business, transactions, and operations, including venture capital, technology transfer, the charity sector, biotech company building and leadership, life sciences consulting, and pharma/CVC. Prior to Lilly, Laura was part of the investment team at Advent Life Sciences, contributing to investments including MiroBio (Oxford, UK; acquired by Gilead Sciences), Highlight Therapeutics (Madrid, Spain), and PIC Therapeutics (Boston, USA). At Lilly, she has led investments in companies such as NanoSyrinx, Augustine Therapeutics, Trimtech Therapeutics, and Maxion Therapeutics.

Earlier in her career, she held CEO and COO positions in several UK-based life sciences/biotech companies. Laura holds a master’s and PhD from the University of Cambridge and serves on the boards of the non-profit Collaborative Community against Coronavirus (3CCorona) CIC and the UK’s BioIndustry Association (BIA).

This will close in 20 seconds

Professor Sarah Blagden

Sarah Blagden is Professor of Experimental Oncology at the University of Oxford and Director for the Oxford Cancer Trials Office (OCTO), where she leads a national portfolio of early-phase, precision prevention, and early detection cancer studies. Sarah is also Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Prenostics Ltd, developing frontier biomarkers for pre-cancer detection, and leads Oxford’s Go-Precise initiative focused on cancer prevention vaccines. She was previously a Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant at Imperial College where she specialised in treating gynaecological cancers, launched Imperial's Early Phase Trial portfolio and established her laboratory studying the dysregulation of mRNA translation in cancer.  

Following medical training, Sarah undertook subsequent specialist training in Medical Oncology at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge and the Royal Marsden Hospital, London. She earned her PhD in Cell Biology & Genetics from the University of Cambridge. 

Her work bridges translational research, clinical trials, and early cancer interception, with the goal of transforming how cancer is detected and prevented. 

This will close in 20 seconds

Beverley Carr

Beverley brings extensive business development experience, with a career spanning over a decade at GSK and several leading biotechnology companies. She joins CHARM from Amphista Therapeutics, where she served as Interim Chief Executive Officer, having previously held the role of Chief Business and Operating Officer. During her time there, she led a strategic review and refocusing of the business and executed two major partnerships. Prior to Amphista, Beverley was Chief Business Officer at Achilles Therapeutics. Earlier in her career, she spent over ten years at GSK, most recently as VP Business Development for the Immuno-inflammation Therapy Area. She has also held senior roles in business development and strategic alliances at AstraZeneca and Cambridge Antibody Technology. Beverley holds an MA in Chemistry and a DPhil in Organic Chemistry from the University of Oxford, and an MBA from the University of Cambridge.

This will close in 20 seconds

David Rossow

David Rossow joined the foundation in 2010 as part of a $400 million pilot to establish the Strategic Investment Fund. He currently heads the fund’s international work with a focus on biotech in Europe, and tech-enabled service & product delivery in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Prior to joining the foundation in 2010, David worked on deal teams in private equity and investment banking, where he was responsible for executing leveraged buyout, equity, debt, restructuring, and merger & acquisition transactions across a variety of industries. David holds a B.A. in Economics from St. Olaf College.

This will close in 20 seconds

Peter Hamley

Peter is the Founder and CEO of Scripta Therapeutics, with over two decades of experience spanning pharma, biotech, and venture-backed company building. He was previously Chief Scientific Officer at Samsara Therapeutics, where he built a multidisciplinary team at the intersection of neuroscience and ageing biology. Prior to this, Peter held senior leadership roles at Sanofi, including Global Head of External Innovation in Drug Discovery, Strategy & Business Development, where he led global efforts in sourcing and advancing innovative therapeutics across multiple disease areas. Peter holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge, an MBA from the University of Bath, and has authored over 60 patents and publications.

This will close in 20 seconds

Sutha Satkunarajah

Sutha is Vice President of Strategy and Operations for Flagship Pioneering (the $12B company creation fund and creator of Moderna) UK, leading strategy and execution for its UK expansion. He implements partnerships with DSIT’s Office of Life Sciences, connecting UK opportunities with Flagship’s ecosystem, and has launched collaborations with Cambridge, the Crick and UK Biobank. He also supports capital formation and policy efforts. Previously, he was Senior Director for Flagship’s Preemptive Medicine and Health Security Initiative, building companies to predict and prevent disease. He led the Program Management Office for the UK’s REACT COVID-19 surveillance program. Earlier, he was a Principal at Carnall Farrar, working on major NHS transformations. He began his career at Oliver Wyman and HgCapital and holds a BA from Harvard.

This will close in 20 seconds

Nicole Mather

Dr Nicole Mather leads IBM’s Life Sciences consulting team across UKI and EMEA, which brings world-leading business, technology, and digital capabilities to innovative pharma and growing SMEs. Building on a vision to transform the future of health for patients, her teams combine a collaborative culture, innovative approaches, and technical depth to enable business transformation.

As the Chair of the Wellcome Genome Campus Science & Technology Advisory Group, working with Campus leaders to steer the Campus’s scientific and technology strategy, drawing on her extensive experience across industry, research, government and technology as well as the past six years as a Non-executive Director of the Wellcome Sanger Institute.

As Director of the Office for Life Sciences, Nicole shaped the UK ecosystem and health data environment and led the UK government on the development of the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy, driving investments in UK genomic infrastructure. Nicole is also a Non-Executive Director of the Cell & Gene Therapy Catapult and holds a DPhil and MSc in Neuroscience from the University of Oxford.

This will close in 20 seconds

Nihal Sinha

Nihal is a Partner at F-Prime based in the London office and focuses primarily on biotech and life sciences in Europe and the US.

At F-Prime, Nihal was a member of the founding team of Orchard Therapeutics (NASDAQ: ORTX) and an investor in more than a dozen trail-blazing companies, including Sana Bio (NASDAQ: SANA), Turnstone Bio (NASDAQ: TSBX), Ensoma, Curie Bio, Charm Therapeutics, Aviado Bio, Immutrin, Xaira Therapeutics and T-Therapeutics. Prior to joining F-Prime in 2013, he worked as a strategy consultant at BCG and as an academic physician at Oxford University and UCL Hospitals.

Nihal holds an MB BChir with distinction from the University of Cambridge and is a Member of the Royal College of Physicians.

This will close in 20 seconds

Susan Hill

Susan brings more than 25 years of experience as a strategic and operational leader in the international biotech, investor and pharmaceutical industries. She co-founded Mestag Therapeutics in 2020, building a strong organization around ground-breaking science and leading the company through a $45m financing and strategic pharma and academic partnerships. In addition to serving as Chief Executive Officer of Mestag, Susan is a Venture Partner at SV Health Investors, an advisor to AdBio (Paris) and a member of the Development Board of Christ’s College, Cambridge.

Susan joined Mestag from retinal therapy company Gyroscope Therapeutics (acquired by Novartis), where she served as Chief Business Officer, driving the company’s $62m Series B and adding critical delivery technology via the acquisition of Orbit Biomedical ($12m Series A), where she was founding Chief Executive Officer. Prior to Orbit (Philadelphia), Susan led strategy and operations as Chief Business Officer of Freeline Therapeutics (London). Susan completed multiple transactions during her tenures in Global Business & Corporate Development at Alexion (Switzerland/US) and Merck KGaA (Geneva). Susan began her career in strategy consulting/M&A and led biotech seed investments managed by AMJ, part of global investment company ABRDN.

Susan has an MA and PhD from the University of Cambridge and is a previous Fellow of the Securities Institute.

 

This will close in 20 seconds

Ben Porebski

Dr Ben Porebski is a co-founder and the CEO/CTO of Sortera Bio, which he spun out of the MRC LMB in early 2024. As a postdoctoral scientist at the MRC LMB, he worked with Phil Holliger on developing a novel high throughput drug discovery technology called Deep Screening, which now underpins the commercial activities of Sortera. Ben previously served in the Australian army before training as a biochemist and molecular biologist at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Here, he worked with Ashley Buckle and Geoff Webb on engineering hyper thermostable proteins using a mixture of computational design methods, x-ray crystallography and in vitro evolution. Ben’s research spans the fields of computational and experimental protein engineering, machine learning, and technology development, typically working at the intersection of multiple scientific and engineering disciplines.

Sortera Bio is supported by Cambridge Innovation Capital, AstraZeneca and BioNTech, and is focused on the discovery of next-generation biologics by leveraging its proprietary Deep Screening platform.

This will close in 20 seconds

Professor Sir Peter Donnelly FRS FMedSci

Sir Peter Donnelly FRS, FMedSci is Co-founder and CEO of Genomics plc and Emeritus Professor of Statistical Science at the University of Oxford. Widely recognised as one of the leading figures in statistical and population genetics, his work has been central to major advances in understanding the genetic basis of human disease over the past two decades.

Sir Peter previously served as Director of the Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics in Oxford (2007–2017), where he helped establish it as one of the world’s leading centres for human genomics research. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2006 and was awarded the Royal Society’s Gabor Medal for his interdisciplinary contributions to the genomic revolution.

In 2014, he co-founded Genomics plc to translate advances in genetic science into clinical and population health impact. Genomics is a TechBio advancing predictive, preventative healthcare and accelerating drug discovery using the power of genetic data. Sir Peter was knighted in 2019 for services to the understanding of human genetics in disease, and he continues to bridge academia and industry to drive meaningful improvements in healthcare.

This will close in 20 seconds

Someit Sidhu

Someit Sidhu, MD, is a Co-Founder of Zura Bio and has served on its Board of Directors since 2023, previously leading the company as CEO. He is a serial biotech entrepreneur, co-founding Akaza Bioscience, Izana Bioscience, and Pathios Therapeutics. He also served as Chairman and CEO of JATT Acquisition Corp, a publicly listed investment vehicle that merged with Zura Bio. Earlier in his career, He was a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, advising global pharmaceutical companies on R&D and portfolio strategy. He trained in medicine at the University of Oxford, with clinical experience in cardiology and general surgery.

This will close in 20 seconds

Professor Constantin Coussios OBE FREng FMedSci

Professor Constantin Coussios OBE FREng FMedSci is the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Innovation at the University of Oxford. In 2008, he co-founded Oxford University spin-out OrganOx Ltd. with transplant surgeon Prof. Peter Friend FMedSci, which developed a novel normothermic perfusion device for improved liver and kidney preservation prior to transplantation through to randomized trials, CE marking, FDA approval, and successful commercialization in both Europe and North America. OrganOx became the largest acquisition and the first in excess of £1bn out of the University of Oxford following its purchase by Terumo in October 2025.  He also co-founded OxSonics Ltd. in 2014, advancing ultrasound-enhanced drug delivery for solid tumours, and OrthoSon Ltd. in 2018, developing regenerative technologies for spinal conditions.

Prof. Coussios received the Silver Medal of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2017 for contributions to the translation of novel medical technologies into clinical practice, was elected a Fellow of the Academy in 2019, awarded an OBE in 2022 for Services to Biomedical Engineering, and elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2024. In 2025, he led the team that won the MacRobert Prize, the UK’s foremost award recognizing technological innovation with societal and commercial impact. He received his BA, MEng and PhD in Engineering from the University of Cambridge and was elected to the first Statutory Chair in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oxford in 2011.

This will close in 20 seconds

Liam Atkinson

Liam is a Research Engineer at the Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford, where he works on foundation models for biomolecules as part of EIT's AI and Robotics programme.

He was previously Director of Machine Learning at CHARM Therapeutics. At CHARM, Liam built and led the machine learning team and was central to the development of DragonFold, the company's protein-ligand cofolding model.

Liam holds a PhD in Computational Biology from the University of Cambridge, where his work on single-cell chromatin structure was published in Nature. He also holds an MSc in Computer Science from the University of Oxford and a BSc in Physics from the University of St Andrews.

This will close in 20 seconds