LifeArc, the self-funded medical research organisation, announces today that Dr Terri Cooper, Dr Sameer Mistry and Dr Rima Makarem have joined the Board of Trustees as Non-Executive Directors, effective from 27 June 2023.

Dr Terri Cooper

A retired Principal of Deloitte’s US consulting practice, is a 35-year life sciences-healthcare veteran.

She led Deloitte’s global healthcare sector and built the firm’s Life Sciences R&D practice. From 2017, Terri led Deloitte’s US Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) programme and from 2020 was Vice-Chair of the firm’s External DEI practice. As a recognised life sciences healthcare expert, Terri has worked across sectors globally in both public and private domains with complex industry, business, technology, DEI, brand-building, and regulatory imperatives.

Terri is the Board Chair for Verso Biosense, the Vice Chair of the Board for Classical Theatre of Harlem, and also sits on the advisory boards of the USTA Foundation and EnrichedHQ. She holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and pharmacology from the University of Nottingham and a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of London.

Dr Sameer Mistry

Is a senior industry physician leader with over 18 years of international experience in pharmaceuticals, medical devices and consumer healthcare across multiple disease areas.

He is currently Global Medical Lead, Early Drug Development at GSK, where he provides medical affairs input in the early stages of drug development from candidate selection to phase 2, with a particular focus on immunology and specialty care. Before taking on this role, Sameer was Global Medical Lead for Digital Health & Devices at GSK Consumer Healthcare.

Prior to joining GSK, Sameer held senior roles at Johnson & Johnson, where he gained experience in surgical care and medical devices within J&J MedTech and in pharmaceuticals at Janssen. Before joining industry, Sameer spent four years as a doctor in the UK NHS. He holds an MBChB in Medicine and a BSc in History of Medicine, both from the University of Manchester, and qualified as a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Dr Rima Makarem

Has 15 years’ experience working at board level within the NHS and has an in-depth understanding of patient engagement.

She is Chair of Sue Ryder, a charity that supports people living with a terminal illness, neurological condition or who have lost someone. Rima initially trained as a scientist before going on to hold senior roles within the global pharmaceutical sector, including at GSK. She has built up a broad non-executive track record over recent years, and works extensively with patients locally, regionally and nationally in the health and care sector.

Rima currently chairs the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care System. Other roles in her portfolio include Lay Council member for the General Pharmaceutical Council and Chair of Queen Square Enterprises Ltd. She has previously been the Senior Independent Director & Audit Chair of NICE; and the Audit Chair and an External Commissioner at the UK House of Commons Commission, working closely with the Speaker and the Leader of the House. Rima holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Manchester and a BA in Biological Sciences from Cambridge University.

“Terri, Sameer and Rima bring an unrivalled breadth of life sciences experience to LifeArc and their diverse thinking, wealth of knowledge and impressive network will be invaluable as we deliver on our strategy to accelerate medical progress and bring potentially life-changing breakthroughs to patients with unmet needs.”

Dr Ian Gilham, Chair of the Board