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The Institute of Cancer Research, London, today (Thursday) announces the appointment of a leading international expert in research and development IT at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), to lead its information and communication technologies.
Dr Adrian Cottrell will take up the post of Chief Information Officer in September after nearly 30 years at GSK – with the task of leading delivery of infrastructure and services to meet the challenges and opportunities of cancer research.
The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) is already the UK’s leading higher education institution for the quality of its research and world’s top academic organisation for discovering cancer drugs.
It is pioneering the use of Big Data, machine learning and AI to understand cancer’s evolution and development of drug resistance, and identify new therapeutic strategies.
Leading an ambitious programme
In the new position of Chief Information Officer, Adrian – who is currently Vice President of Clinical, Medical and Regulatory Technology at GSK – will lead an ambitious programme of information and communication technologies to support the full spectrum of the ICR’s research.
He will work closely with the ICR’s Head of Data Science, Professor Bissan Al-Lazikani, to enhance the exploitation of digital technologies in the detection, treatment and prevention of cancer.
The role is key in supporting the ICR in many areas of its work – including cancer biology, genetics, drug discovery and precision radiotherapy.
Adrian brings to the role decades of experience in research and development IT, having held a number of IT leadership roles. He established an internal IT consultancy which supported the formation of GSK in the early 2000s, notably the integration of GSK Japan into the broader organisation.
On receipt of his first Vice President role in 2010, he was responsible for transforming the landscape for R&D planning and finance, as well as ensuring the successful delivery of one of the largest pharmacovigilance solutions in the industry.
He was given the Development IT brief in 2013 and has driven the move away from bespoke IT solutions to modern, cloud-based platforms.
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Fantastic reputation for making cancer discoveries
Dr Adrian Cottrell said: “The ICR has a fantastic reputation for making discoveries that improve the lives of people with cancer. I am excited to be joining the ICR team at this pivotal time, when the reliance on digital technologies to drive developments in research and healthcare has never been greater.
“I look forward to working together with the ICR team to support our mission to make the discoveries that defeat cancer.”
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Operating Officer of The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said:
“We are delighted to have Dr Cottrell join us as Chief Information Officer and know he will lead the team to meet the changing and complex needs of our researcher community.
“His expertise and outstanding track record mean he will be a great addition to the team.”