Professor Paul Harkin

Professor Paul Harkin is Founder and President of Almac Diagnostic Services. In 2004 Almac Diagnostic Services was incorporated as a Division of the Almac Group and Professor Harkin was appointed as President and Managing Director with overall responsibility for the strategic, financial and operational leadership of the company. Paul is also a Professor in Molecular Oncology within the Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology at Queen’s University Belfast where his research has focused on the role played by BRCA1 mutation in the development of hereditary breast cancer. Prior to this appointment he had been a Research Fellow in Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital where he developed his interest in the emerging field of precision medicine.

Michael Sloan

Michael Sloan is Global VP of Commercial Operations at Almac Diagnostic Services. He has full responsibility for the overall management of the company’s business development activities and driving the growth of the company. Michael has a BSC in Commerce and an MSC in Corporate Leadership and was educated in the University of Birmingham, Napier University, Scotland and the Ivey Business School, Canada.rnHe has over 25 years in senior business development and management roles in the biotech and medical device sector. He has worked in both start up and multinational companies. His previous experience including Managing Director for BSN Medical UK a Smith and Nephew and Beiersdorf JV and Executive Director for Amtec Medical Ltd.rn

Professor Richard Kennedy

Professor Richard Kennedy is Global VP of Biomarker Development, Medical Director and CLIA compliant Laboratory Director at Almac Diagnostic Services. He is responsible for the application of the company’s technology into medical practice. He graduated in medicine from Queen’s University Belfast in 1995. As a post-graduate he trained as a medical oncologist and received a PhD in Molecular Biology in 2004. From 2004-2007 he worked as an instructor in oncology at Harvard Medical School, USA, where he identified novel biomarkers and drug targets for cancer treatment. In August 2007 he joined Almac Diagnostic Services as the director of a CLIA compliant diagnostics laboratory and has been involved in the biomarker design for several international clinical trials. In 2012 he established a research group in Queen’s University Belfast focussed on various aspects of stratified medicine. Richard Kennedy currently sits on the CR-UK new agents committee, MRC Biomarkers steering group, the National Cancer Clinical Trials Steering Group, the Enterprise Ireland Technology assessment panel and the all-Ireland Breast Cancer Predict Consortium. Previously he was a member of the CR-UK biomarker steering group and the Breast Cancer Campaign scientific advisory board.

Dr Stewart McWilliams

Stewart McWilliams leads the Quality Management and In vitro Diagnostic Regulatory affairs activities at Almac Diagnostic Services. The team work with the pharmaceutical industry on the Quality and Regulatory aspects of CDx Development and Commercialisation. This team are also responsible for Almac Diagnostic Services’ Laboratory Quality Management systems ensuring compliance with ISO13485, CLIA (Federal and New York State CLEP), ISO15189 and the College of American Pathologists accreditation requirements. Stewart studied in Queens University Belfast where he attained his degree and PhD in Molecular Oncology before postgraduate work at The Welcome Trust Centre in Dundee. Stewart has managed the implementation of various Quality Management Systems including ISO13485, GCP, CAP accreditation, New York State CLEP and CLIA. He is also Almac Diagnostic Services Designated Individual for the purposes of the UKs Human Tissue Act.

Dr Laura Knight

Dr. Laura Knight is the Global Vice President of Genomic Services at Almac Diagnostics Services, leading a team of Laboratory Scientists, Bioinformaticians, and Informatics Developers. Their collective mission is to drive the development and delivery of cutting-edge, high quality genomics solutions. Dr. Knight brings a wealth of experience in the biomarker field, with a keen interest in leveraging new technologies and advancements in AI for biomarker discovery.

Before joining Almac in 2009, Dr. Knight pursued her academic journey at Queen’s University Belfast. She earned a first-class Honours degree in Mathematics and Theoretical Physics and later completed her Ph.D. in Mathematics and Statistics with applied Bioinformatics, also at Queen’s University Belfast. Her ongoing commitment to education is reflected in her current Honorary Lectureship position at the university.

Dr Leeona Galligan

Dr. Leeona Galligan (PhD, FRCPath) has worked for over 20 years in the field of translational molecular biology and holds the post of Global VP Clinical Testing at Almac Diagnostic Services where she has overall responsibility for the introduction and delivery of clinical testing across all Almac and partner laboratories. Prior to joining Almac in 2009, Dr. Galligan obtained a PhD in molecular haematology from Trinity College Dublin. She subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship on the molecular mechanisms of drug resistance in colorectal cancer at Queen’s University Belfast and has completed a 4 year training programme in specialist haemato-oncology laboratory services. She maintains registration with the UK Health and Care Professions Council as a Clinical Scientist and has been awarded Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath) through examination in haemato-oncology and laboratory management.

Dr Katarina Wikstrom

Dr. Katarina Wikstrom (PhD) has worked for over 20 years in the field of translational molecular oncology and holds the position of VP Global Product Development at Almac Diagnostic Services. Katarina obtained a PhD in experimental pathology from Lund University, and subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship on the molecular mechanisms of prostanoid signaling in vascular haemostasis and oncology at University College Dublin. Since joining Almac in 2009 Katarina has built up a breadth of experience in the biomarker field with particular focus on assay development and validation. Katarina has overall responsibility for all product development activities at Almac Diagnostics Services, from design of novel biomarker assays across a range of technologies, to validation and manufacture of clinical trial assays and companion diagnostics. Based in Durham, North Carolina, Katarina also has responsibility for Almac Diagnostic Services’ US laboratory.