Dr Nicole Mather named Chair as Wellcome Genome Campus expands

Dr Nicole Mather has been appointed as Chair of the Science Advisory Group at the Wellcome Genome Campus, taking on the role as the Campus moves forward with plans for significant expansion.

Dr Mather will establish the newly formed group and work closely with the leaders of the Campus to shape its scientific strategy. She brings considerable experience, having worked in a range of sectors including industry, research, government, and technology. Her remit will be to support the Campus's growth in areas such as genomics, biodata, health data, translation, and data science, at a time when technology, data and artificial intelligence are having a significant impact on life sciences.

In her current role, Dr Mather is Life Sciences Lead at IBM Consulting covering the UK, Ireland, and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regions, advising life sciences and health research organisations on data, AI, and digital transformation. She was also the founding Director for the UK Government's Office for Life Sciences, where she helped to develop the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy and contributed to bringing significant investment into UK genomics and health data. Dr Mather also sits as a Non-Executive Director at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the Cell & Gene Therapy Catapult, and holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Neuroscience from the University of Oxford.

The appointment comes as the Campus prepares to begin construction on the first phase of its expansion, which will add 1.6 million square feet for new research and development, laboratory and commercial buildings. The plan also includes the creation of 1,500 new homes for Campus staff and their families. The physical footprint of the Campus is set to increase substantially from 125 to 440 acres and is expected to draw thousands of additional workers specialising in science, research and technology in the coming years.

The Wellcome Genome Campus is uniquely placed to connect world-class science, data and innovation at scale. With the expansion underway, it's an exciting time to establish the Science Advisory Group and shape a strategy that allows the Campus to optimise its scientific, technology and translational opportunities and global impact.

This was the view of Dr Nicole Mather, commenting on her appointment as Chair of the Science Advisory Group.

Robert Evans, Chief Executive Officer at the Wellcome Genome Campus, also welcomed the appointment. He said, "We are delighted to welcome Nicole as Chair of our Science Strategy Group. She brings a rare combination of experience across science, policy and industry. Her expertise will be pivotal as we grow our community and ecosystem and strengthen the role of the Campus, at the interface of translational science and technology."

Phil Clark, Chair of Wellcome Genome Campus, highlighted the strategic importance of the group, stating, "By guiding our strategic priorities, Nicole and the Science Advisory Group will help the Campus advance science and accelerate discovery, drive improvements to healthcare, nurture talent and inspire future generations through collaboration, innovation and openness."

The Wellcome Genome Campus is home to several well-established institutes, notably the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the European Molecular Biology Labouratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI). The Campus will also host the planned Health Data Research Service (HDRS), backed by a Government investment of up to GBP £600 million. The development is anticipated to bring substantial new research facilities and opportunities for research and commercial activities, building on the existing reputation of the Campus in areas such as genomics and data science.

Expansion plans will also see the introduction of new community facilities and social infrastructure, including a nursery, conferencing and hotel amenities, retail and leisure units, food and drink provisions, expanded landscaping and public spaces, as well as enhancements to local biodiversity. Sustainability projects include the development of an energy farm, microgrid, and ambient loop energy systems.

The Wellcome Genome Campus's expansion is backed by the Wellcome Trust and is supported by one of the largest contemporary investments into the UK's life sciences infrastructure. The expanded Campus will aim to blend existing historic assets with new laboratory and commercial premises, creating an environment intended to offer opportunities for scientific research and translation into advances in health.