Work Groups
ELRIG’s work groups, led by field experts and guided by the board, focus on key initiatives like early career support, science programming, and strategy to effectively serve the life science community.

Early Career Professionals
Vendor Strategy
Engagement Strategy
Sustainability
People & Culture
Innovation
Scientific Programme
Awards
Early Career Professionals Work Group
Key objectives
- Enhance engagement and participation of Early Career Professionals in the ELRIG network through the provision of targeted activities, opportunities and information.
- Develop strategy, proposals and action plans for ECP participation. Liaise with other workgroups and ELRIG administration team to deliver.
- Track KPIs to assess performance vs objectives.
Group Leader
Mark Soave (ELRIG Board & OMass Therapeutics)
Group Members
Alexander Kingdon (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine)
Alicia Overall (Domainex)
Cassie Messenger (Isomorphic Labs)
Christopher Trevelyan (Bradford City Council)
Eve Smaller (University of Cambridge)
Ewan Wallace (Roche)
Jasmine Trigg (Sartorius)
Lisa Stott (Nxera Pharma)
Millie Fox (AstraZeneca)
Clare Cockerham (ELRIG)
Engagement Strategy Work Group
Key objectives
- Focus on developing and implementing a cohesive digital content strategy, social media presence and media partnerships, improving accessibility and inclusivity, and creating additional value from ELRIG’s scientific content.
- Make key recommendations that support the strategic pillars of the organisation and strive to ensure that the perspectives of all its community members are considered and represented in discussion and decisions.
Group Leader
Chris Williams (ELRIG Board & Questae)
Group Members
Abby Edwards (Biostrata)
Alison Leightley (Redgate)
Chris Thorne (Asimov)
Elaine Duncan (Glasgow University)
Kayvan Richter (Cancer Research UK)
Michelle Ricketts (Codon Communications)
Sophie Rose (Metrion)
Emily Norman (ELRIG)
People & Culture Work Group
Key objectives
To assist the ELRIG Board in guiding ELRIG’s employee development, succession planning and to assess the adequacy of the Company’s human resources principles and policies.
The Work Group is also responsible for the equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policy, applicable to all internal and external ELRIG stakeholders and fulfilling ELRIG’s responsibilities relating to the oversight of the compensation and benefits of ELRIG employees, as well as administering the Company’s compensation.
Group Leader
Mel Leveridge (ELRIG Chair & AstraZeneca)
Group Members
Lisa Mohamet (GSK)
Verena (ELRIG Board & Laverock Therapeutics)
Del Trezise (ELRIG Board & Sartorius)
Scientific Programme Work Group
Key objectives
- Assess areas of scientific interest for the ELRIG community and develop scientific conference strategy accordingly.
- Build a portfolio of annual ELRIG conferences: deciding themes, proposing format, identifying conference directors, track chairs and facilitating recruitment of appropriate speakers.
- With the ELRIG office deliver impactful, high-quality scientific conferences with national and international reach.
Group Leader
Saleha Patel (ELRIG Board & Constuctive Bio)
Group Members
Andy Merritt (LifeArc)
Emma Shepherd (Aston University)
Fredrik Edfeldt (AstraZeneca)
Jarrod Walsh (AstraZeneca)
Kate Smith (GSK)
Katie Chapman (Tessellate Bio)
Niga Nawroly (Agilent)
Roger Clark (CRL)
Saman Honarnejad (Evotec)
Scott Cribbes (Revvity)
Theresia Schaedler (AstraZeneca)
Nick Clare (Succession Bio)
Clare Cockerham (ELRIG)
Vendor Strategy Work Group
Key objectives
- Ensure financial success of ELRIG events by engaging vendors on a broad basis and enabling effortless exchange between commercial members and the science community.
- Provide attractive sponsoring options for the vendors to showcase their company and products via diverse channels.
- Continuously monitor the biotech industry landscape and liaise with vendors, to guide decisions on the market potential of future events.
Group Leader
Nick Clare (ELRIG Board & Succession Bio)
Group Members
Jessica Evens (Magnitude Biosciences)
Darren Garside (Independent)
Kevin Moore (Independent)
Nikki Carter (Molecular Devices)
Martin Pearce (Sygnature Discovery)
Paul Wylie (Lightcast Discovery)
Miles Rackliff (Organoid Spheriod)
Karthi Rajamani (Takara Bio)
Gary Allenby (Charnwood Molecular)
Dan Thomas (Independent)
Thomas Edmonds (Independent)
Tara Shanks (ELRIG)
Sarah Lupton (ELRIG & Arveth)
Sustainability Work Group
Key objectives
- Measure & decrease ELRIG’s operational and environmental footprint
- Educate delegates, exhibitors, speakers and operational team on best sustainability practices with focused messaging to each segment.
- Give back to different segments of the community: delegates and the local area of our events.
Group Leader
Rob Howes (ELRIG Board & Charles River Laboratories)
Group Members
Carey Rooks (SPT Labtech)
Claire Viney (CRAC)
David Baker (AstraZeneca)
Emily Norman (ELRIG)
Harry Hickey (GSK)
Nermina Cuzovic (Greiner)
Pernilla Storme (MyGreenLab)
Innovation Work Group
Key objectives
- Develop & implement strategy to attract and showcase high innovation science & technology that is applied to drug discovery.
- Promote access, inclusion and engagement of early stage tools, biotech and techbio companies in our network by creating custom opportunities and minimising barriers to entry.
- Help to inform and educate our community on the support, needs & opportunities of start ups/SMEs.
Group Leader
Del Trezise (ELRIG Board & Sartorius)
Group Members
James Piling (Astra Zeneca)
Jeeven Singh (Arctoris)
Louise Affleck (Revvity)
Phil Jewell (Univ Southampton)
Sarah Lupton (ELRIG)
Tim Hammonds (Consultant)
William Lee (Constructive Bio)
Awards Work Group
Key objective
To review and ensure ELRIG Awards have defined and robust criteria and are awarded in a fair and consistent manner, in keeping with ELRIG’s EDI principles.
Group Leader
Laura Ajram (ELRIG Board & British Neuroscience Association)
Group Members
David Cronk (Domainex)
James Farmer (Excellerate Bio)
Janette Woolard (University of Nottingham)
Sara Schmidt (AstraZeneca)
Steve Rees (AstraZeneca)
Theresia Schaedler (AstraZeneca)
Thomas Edmonds (Tebubio)
Clare Cockerham (ELRIG)

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