LSTM’s Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence, Dr Fiona Marston, has been named in the Queen’s birthday Honours list and will be awarded an OBE for service to the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Marston is working with LSTM to support training in commercial translation of innovative research, developing projects that build the entrepreneurial skills of staff and students, as well as their understanding of the scientific challenges being tackled in the innovation sector. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic she has worked with researchers and clinicians across LSTM to develop and help deliver innovations and trials that have been of benefit to people within the UK and throughout the world.
She said: “I am extremely honoured to be receiving this award as part of the Queen’s birthday list. Working to ensure that excellent research can be translated into tangible benefits for those who will benefit most has been my passion throughout my career. I would like to acknowledge my team at CEIDR Innovations, Lisa Baldwin, Becky Jones-Phillips and Maxine Martin and the many research colleagues in LSTM with whom we have worked, including Professor Daniela Ferreira, Professor Giancarlo Biagini, Dr Emily Adams, Dr Grant Hughes and their teams. While this has been a difficult year for so many people, it has shown that when science and industry work hand in hand we can make amazing things happen.”
Dr Martson was Director of CEIDR Innovations until November 2020, focusing on commercial translation of infectious diseases research for LSTM and the University of Liverpool. She is a biotechnology entrepreneur who has founded and developed biotech businesses notably in field of anti-infectives (Novacta Biosystems and Absynth Biologics). In addition to her role as Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence at LSTM, she is also a business consultant to LSTM's Department of Clinical Sciences.
Externally, Dr Marston is an adviser to the seed fund UKI2S and Non-Executive Director for Alder Hey NHS Foundation Trust. Early in her career she founded the investment incubator Healthcare Ventures, for the Rothschild Bioscience Unit and J&J Development Corporation investing in European entrepreneurs. She has a BSc Hons (Biological Sciences; University of East Anglia), PhD (Biochemistry; University of Kent) and MBA (London Business School).
LSTM’s Director, Professor David Lalloo, said: “I am delighted that Fiona’s efforts have been honoured in this way and want to add my own personal congratulations. LSTM have focused much of its research in the last 18 months in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and we have always been proud to occupy that translational space. Fiona is a part of that, and this OBE is thoroughly deserved.”
The Officer of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, established in 1917 by King George V. The OBE is awarded to someone for having a major role on any activity in their chosen area, including those people whose contribution is recognised nationally.