About Us
OUTbio UK is an independent network run specifically for the LGBTQ community and its allies within the biotech community in the UK.
Our mission is to connect LGBTQ professionals within the biotech community, provide mutual support and mentorship, share ideas about how to implement best practices within our companies and develop our own networks and friendships.
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OUTbio UK is inspired by the work of OUTbio – a 1200+ member group with an aligned mission based in the USA. OUTbio began with a meeting of 10 people in Boston in 2015, and rapidly became the largest group of its kind in the industry.
We are the first international affiliate and hope to encourage others to form around the world, enabling members to build a global network.
Meet The Team
OUTbio UK is currently supported by a small team of biotech executives from across the UK and from a range of backgrounds. if you'd like to join the team, please get in touch - there is plenty to be done!
Tim Funnell
Director
Originally trained as a pharmacologist, Tim is a biotech investor and company builder. He was part of the founding team at Autolus, Gyroscope, Casma Therapeutics, MiroBio via his investing roles at Syncona and Third Rock Ventures and Oxford Sciences Innovation. He is now a London Partner of the transatlantic venture firm Monograph Capital. Tim spent time in Boston where he first witnessed the benefits of an LGBTQ network for the biotech industry and he hopes to catalyse a similarly supportive environment in the UK.
Grant Hawthorne
Director
Grant is an experienced operations and finance executive working across a number of biotechs in the Cambridge area. Grant has over 20 years of experience with venture-backed companies and has acted as Founder/COO/CFO in recent years for companies including: NRG Therapeutics, Myricx, Alechemab, and Auspherix. Grant was instrumental in founding OUTbio UK, with an ambition to improve the understanding of the LGBTQ community within the biotech industry.
Tom Donovan
Director
Tom is a senior biotech communications consultant, with both in-house and agency experience assisting a wide variety of global clients. Tom was formerly a Vice President at premier biotech consultancy Ten Bridge Communications, based in Boston, Massachusetts. Prior to that, he served as Director of Communications at NASDAQ-listed drug developer Nexvet Biopharma. Originally hailing from Hong Kong and New Zealand, Tom holds a master's degree in biotech business (first class honours), and a bachelor's degree in biomedical science. Tom is the Secretary of OUTbio, which is a registered non-profit in the United States.
Quin Wills
Director
Quin is an MD, with further degrees in genetics, mathematics, and computational biology, and a doctorate in systems genomics. He has always loved biopharma, founding his first liver drug genomics company 15 years ago. More recently he headed up the advanced genomics department for a large pharma before co-founding Ochre Bio, which uses genomic deep phenotyping to develop therapies for chronic diseases.Quin also happens to think that OUTbio UK is an idea well overdue on this side of the pond.
Mirasbek Kuterbekov
Director
Mirasbek is an investor with Thia Ventures, where he combines his passion for biotech innovation with his desire to improve human and planetary health. Prior to this, he was a Senior Scientist at Hoxton Farms, a cultivated fat startup, where he led tissue engineering and cell culture media teams. He began his industrial career as a Senior Research Specialist at The Dow Chemical Company. Originally from Kazakhstan, Mirasbek had the opportunity to study and work in the US, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK. He has been active in several LGBTQA+ organisations throughout his career and is excited to join OUTbio UK to help build an inclusive and supportive community for biotech professionals.
Noelia Sainz Pastor
Director
Noelia is a patent attorney specialised in biotechnology. She is currently a Patent Attorney, Director IP at Autolus, a clinical stage company developing CAR T cell therapies. She was formerly a researcher in the fields of targeted therapies and antibody engineering, and holds a PhD in molecular biology and a master's degree in biochemistry. Noelia leads the LGBTQ+ group at Autolus, which she helped set up. She also co-founded and ran Pelucas y Tacones (Wigs and High Heels), London’s pioneering Spanish queer night which spanned a decade and expanded to Berlin and Madrid. With her passion for bringing people together and creating safe spaces, Noelia joins OUTbio UK hoping to help shape a supportive environment for the LGBTQ+ community in the UK.
Vlad Herta
Director
Vlad is an associate at Cooley LLP’s London office, where he counsels life sciences and biotech clients on a range of legal matters, with an emphasis on capital markets transactions and cross-border M&A.
Born and raised in Romania, Vlad has studied and worked in Japan as well as the U.S., where he graduated law school and was admitted to the New York State bar. He has been active in LGBTQ+ organizations since law school and focuses most of his pro bono work on LGBTQ+ related matters.
Vlad has lived in London since 2019 and is excited to be a part of OUTBio UK, helping develop a strong professional network for LGBTQ+ individuals in the life sciences sector.
Mason Day
Director
Passionate about connecting top-tier talent with the most innovative players in the pharmaceutical industry, Mason is a seasoned Global Head-hunter with a commitment to DE&I. With a track record of success in niche, hard-to-fill markets.
Mason brings a holistic approach to fostering diverse and inclusive workplaces in the dynamic R&D landscape. Mason is a market specialist within Biometrics, global leader in Biostatistics and has a demonstrated background, spanning multiple markets across various pharmaceutical segments, including biotechnology, R&D, manufacturing, regulatory affairs, and commercial operations.
Jorge Mella
Director
Jorge is currently an Assistant Director at Rothschild & Co's Healthcare M&A team. He has over 7 years of corporate finance experience, advising clients across a wide spectrum of situations.
He has been a part of various LGBTQ+ organisations, helping found a number of networks at previous employers.
He originally hails from the Dominican Republic, and has called London home for the past 7 years.
Michael Stylianou
Director
Michael is the COO and partner, of a Global Market Access consultancy in the biotech/pharma sector. Having spent many years industry side, he is responsible for rapidly scaling the business and driving efficiencies whilst engineering innovative platforms and programmes to navigate the commercial complexities of rare diseases, ATMPs, and oncology. Known as a rebel thinker, Michael is fueled by a passion for unlocking potential, driving change and passionate about diversity in all its forms.
Liam MacCallum-Webb
Director
Liam works in healthcare consultancy, with a number of years of experience leading on projects driving service improvement and technological advancement within the English and Irish healthcare systems. With a robust background in LGBTQ+ advocacy, he is excited to support the growth and impact of OUTBio UK.