One of the leading lights of Scotland’s flourishing life sciences industry, Deborah O’Neil, of Aberdeen, has been presented with an honorary doctorate by Robert Gordon University (RGU).
Ms O’Neil is founder, chief executive and scientific officer of Granite City firm Novabiotics.
She also leads the the life sciences sector board at economic development partnership Opportunity North East (One).
And she is chairwoman of BioAberdeen – the company overseeing One BioHub, Aberdeen’s fledgling £40 million centre of innovation for life sciences in the north-east.
RGU said she received her honorary doctor of science degree for her outstanding contribution to research and drug development.
It honours her work over many years to develop the clinical and commercial potential for new antimicrobial technologies.
RGU principal and vice-chancellor Steve Olivier said: “Deborah O’Neil has made a transformative contribution to the field of research and drug development here in the UK, as well as further afield in Europe, during her extensive career.
Awarding Deborah an honorary degree recognises the enormous impact she has made to antimicrobial technologies and in finding new medicines to combat infectious and inflammatory diseases.” Professor Steve Olivier, RGU
“She is a leader in the field of research and development of new medicines for life-threatening and life-limiting diseases, including conditions such as pneumonia caused by Covid, drug-resistant bacterial infections, life-threatening fungal infections and cystic fibrosis.”
Professor Olivier added: “Awarding Deborah an honorary degree recognises the enormous impact she has made to antimicrobial technologies and in finding new medicines to combat infectious and inflammatory diseases.
“As the world prepares to fight any future viral pandemic, research in this field is ever more critical, and I am delighted to recognise Deborah in this way.”
Ms O’Neil said she was “delighted and proud” to receive the honorary doctorate.
“I’ve been made to feel part of the RGU family and look forward to that continuing,” she added.
She trained as an immunologist in world-leading laboratories at University College London, University of California San Diego and the University of Ghent, before moving to Aberdeen in 2001.
It was in the Granite City, at Aberdeen University’s Rowett Research Institute, she started developing the clinical and commercial potential of antimicrobial technologies.
She launched NovaBiotics in 2004 and the company has spent the past 20 years working to rid the world of a range of debilitating conditions.
A few years ago it was named one of Scotland’s top 10 biotech firms to watch out for.
Aberdeen biotech firm edging closer to first product launch
Last year Ms O’Neil told The Press and Journal NovaBiotics was inching towards commercialisation of one of its core products, NP213.
The “rapid acting solution” was developed as a treatment for all kinds of nail disorders.
With up to 12% of the world’s population afflicted by nail disorders, the global market for treatments is expected to be worth £8 billion by 2032.
Ms O’Neil was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2018.
She is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine.
In 2019 she was named as one of the top 20 women in European biotechnology.
And in 2020 she was made an OBE for services to biotechnology, industry, and charity.
Conversation