North East England

Position : Scientific Manager
Company : Cels
Location : Newcastle upon Tyne

“I’m a biochemist, originally from Germany, but I’ve studied in the UK and worked in Japan as well.  My post-doctoral work was on the bug that causes TB.  I then became director of a new mass spectrometry unit in Dublin – basically, they’re big balances to weigh very little things  -  and then the opportunity came to do something similar in Newcastle.

I was thrilled by all the developments here in the North East of England – the Institute of Human Genetics, the Ageing research, the Stem Cell research, the close collaboration with the universities, and the atmosphere where all these universities are beginning to spin out companies.  The North East Proteome Analysis Facility, NEPAF, which is managed by Cels is another great example of a key development in science and demonstrates that Cels is at the hub of all this exciting activity in the region.

I saw a great opportunity here: setting up a commercially operating facility that provides services to the regions five universities and a bio-technology environment.  It’s an extremely ambitious project.  At Cels, I work with over 30 experienced managers, scientists and technologists – within NEPAF, I work with a team of five proteomics specialists; some are originally from here and have stayed, others have come back and are delighted to have come back.  They’re all really motivated and really high class people.

I like the open door atmosphere in the North East.  When I have a bio-informatic problem, I go and talk to the bio-informatic support unit at Newcastle University.  When I have a mass spectrometry problem, I go and speak to my colleagues in Durham University or at the medical school at Newcastle University.  When I have a molecular biology problem, there are researchers that I can talk to in both universities.  There’s a lot of openness and a feeling that ‘we’re going somewhere’.

I’d not have liked to move to Paris or London or Berlin because I like being able to get out.  We live in Whitley Bay, on the coast.  I’m a bit of a ‘country bumpkin’.  I can get on my bike in Whitley Bay and, in 15 minutes, I’m in the country.  Having the whole hinterland of the hills, Kielder reservoir and going up the coast to Holy Island, the beaches – that’s all great.  I’m also really enthusiastic about the quality of the public transport and the schools in the region.”