LAURA GRIFFITHS

 Innovation Lead for Medicines Manufacturing Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, InnovateUK

Laura Griffiths joined InnovateUK as Innovation Lead for Medicines Manufacturing Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund in January 2021. As Innovation Lead Laura has responsibility overseeing government funded projects and working with companies and partner organisations to find and drive the innovations that will grow the UK medicines manufacturing economy. Prior to joining InnovateUK Laura spent 7 years working for Elanco, a global animal health company, and 3 years working for a biologics contract manufacturing organisation, Eden Biodesign (currently Allergan Biologics).

During her time at Elanco Laura had numerous roles including a Fermentation Development Scientist, Pilot Plant and Technical Services Group Leader and more recently Finishing Team Leader. Within the Finishing Team Leader role Laura had responsibility and management for five different diverse manufacturing plants (which involved manufacture and bagging of premixes, liquid formulation and bottling, and packaging on demand).

Laura has a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry from The University of Manchester, and a PhD in Biotechnology from The University of Manchester (in collaboration with MedImmune). Laura’s scientific background is within fermentation, with expertise in both mammalian and microbial cultures, at small scale (150 mL) and large scale (50,000L). Laura spent her PhD studying mammalian cells and monoclonal antibody production.