New Appointment at Aston Science Park to Build up Life Sciences Offer

November 25 2008

Birmingham, UK: Aston Science Park announced that it has appointed Dr. David Hardman as its new Chief Operating Officer and leader of its Life Sciences Cluster.  Dr. Hardman joins the leadership team at Aston Science Park from Babraham Bioscience Technologies Ltd. in Cambridge where he was Chief Executive and led the development of the Babraham Incubator.  The appointment heralds Aston Science Parks’ commitment to building up its life sciences specialism. 

In addition to his operational role across the whole Science Park, Dr. Hardman will focus his efforts on building up the life sciences cluster and Aston Science Park’s overall support for innovation for the region. 

“Aston Science Park is an excellent asset for the city of Birmingham and the region, and it is my aspiration to see it become one of Europe’s best science parks” said Mike Whitby, Leader of Birmingham City Council and Chairman of Aston Science Park.  “It is vital that Aston Science Park demonstrates itself to be a centre of excellence so that it attracts good local companies as well as building national and international relationships that bring new business opportunities to Birmingham.  Recruiting David Hardman is an important achievement because he has a proven record of building centres of excellence that promote early stage companies as well as linking them to national and international opportunities. “

Dr. Hardman will also strengthen the links with Aston University to help to encourage knowledge transfer and start-up companies based on Aston’s research and intellectual property. Aston Science Park was the home of Aston Molecules which developed a treatment for certain types of brain tumour and global sales of the drug currently exceed $1billion dollars per annum.  The original research came from Aston University and as such it represents a real example of the potential value that could be released through new start-up companies based on the science and technology deriving from the current research programmes at Aston University.

Professor Julia King, Vice Chancellor at Aston University said, “I am delighted to welcome an individual with David Hardman’s academic and management capabilities to Aston Science Park.  We are currently making major investments in our Life Sciences capabilities at Aston University.  I am confident that David’s arrival at this exciting time will significantly enhance technology and knowledge transfer between the University and new companies on the Science Park.”

“I am looking forward to helping to develop Aston Science Park’s activities in promoting innovation and leading a new life sciences focus in this region,” said Dr. Hardman. “I hope to translate a number of the concepts I started in Cambridge into new initiatives for the Birmingham region to create a robust life sciences program at Aston Science Park.”

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