York-based Cizzle Biotechnology appoints new chief scientific officer
University of York spin-out, Cizzle Biotechnology, has announced that it has appointed a new chief scientific officer (CSO).
Professor Dawn Coverley, founder of the firm, has been appointed CSO with immediate effect. Her new role is an executive role on the company's board and replaces her current position as a non-executive director.
Allan Syms, Executive chairman of Cizzle Biotechnology, said: "I am delighted that Dawn will be able to allocate more of her time to directly support the company. We are extremely grateful to the University of York for accommodating this change in her role which will enable her to continue as head of her research group, and in delivering our important research agreement with the University."
Ms Coverley is a professor and principal investigator of a research laboratory at the University of York, studying how specialised cells are protected from age-related decay.
After first completing degree in Genetics at the University of Leicester, and a PhD in Biochemistry through Cancer Research UK, she completed postdoctoral training at the University of Cambridge, then moved to the University of York to establish an independent research group in 2002, supported by the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine.
Cizzle said that Ms Coverley will reduce a number of her current teaching and scientific roles at the University of York in order to devote “sufficient time” to the company's activities, whilst maintaining a number of key roles, including leadership of her research group.
The announcement comes alongside the technical completion of a major quality control programme for the firm’s lung cancer tests.
A statement from Cizzle read: “This is another major step in demonstrating that the company's lung cancer blood test is both cost effective and a commercially scalable global solution to reduce premature cancer deaths and improve survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients.”