KEITH THOMPSON

Keith founded the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult in 2012. He established a team of over 250 cell and gene therapy experts in state-of-the-art laboratories in London and a unique large-scale manufacturing centre in Stevenage that has been central to the growth of the UK cell and gene therapy industry. In April 2020 he retired from the Catapult to take up a portfolio of interests. He is currently Chair of the Pharma Advisory Board at Deep Science Ventures, a venture studio that systematically builds and optimises new companies. He is also an industry advisor to the UK Vaccine Task Force through his consultancy BioTransform Ltd.
Prior to the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult Keith held various leadership positions in public and private life science organisations including the Scottish Blood Transfusion Service, Serologicals Inc and Bioscot Ltd. He is currently a Director of the BIA and has been Chair of the Catapult Network, a Director of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine, Chair of the UK Blood Forum, a Director of the European Blood Alliance and Director of the International Plasma Fractionators Association. In 1993, when at Bioscot, he received the Queen’s Award for Export.
Keith holds first and second degrees in Biological Sciences and Applied Genetics from Birmingham University along with an MBA from Edinburgh University.