Why I made the decision to join Axol?
I am delighted to join Axol Bioscience Ltd at this pivotal stage of its growth and international expansion. The company’s deeply engrained sense of purpose and focus on scientific quality resonate strongly with my personal values. Axol’s strategic focus on advancing reproducible, physiologically relevant models of human biology and disease using proprietary iPSC technologies, and their emerging interest in enabling the efficient construction of complex stem cell models, such as microphysiological systems, co-cultures and organoids, addresses critical, fascinating and rapidly evolving needs within the scientific community.
This is an exciting and timely opportunity for Axol to facilitate broad adoption of better models of human biology to improve drug discovery workflows and contribute to reduction in the use of in vivo models across neuroscience, cardiovascular biology, ophthalmology and dermatology. Beyond the strong alignment in scientific vision and mission, a key factor in my decision to join was the exceptional team at Axol, many of whom I have had the privilege of collaborating with over the years, and a company culture that is genuinely collaborative and purpose driven.
“I am delighted to join Axol Bioscience at this pivotal stage as the company advances reproducible, physiologically relevant iPSC-based models to facilitate broad adoption of better models of human biology. Axol’s scientific focus, collaborative culture and clear sense of purpose align strongly with my values and I look forward to supporting their commercial execution, international expansion and product development.” Dr Catherine Elton, CBO, Axol Bioscience.
Biography
Dr Catherine Elton brings over 20 years of leadership experience in life sciences innovation, commercial strategy, and company building. She was the founder and CEO of Qkine, a University of Cambridge spin-out specialising in the manufacture of complex bioactive proteins for advanced stem cell models and regenerative medicine. Under her leadership, Qkine established strategic partnerships with major global life science firms and scaled its operations to serve customers across the biotech sector and academia in more than 37 countries.
After earning a BSc in Biochemistry from King’s College and a PhD in platelet biology from Corpus Christi College at the University of Cambridge, Catherine joined Abcam in 2003, where she held senior leadership roles and was instrumental in scaling the company’s R&D and manufacturing functions during its early growth phase. She later held a Daphne Jackson Fellowship at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, where her research focused on parasite protein libraries and vaccine development.
Her expertise spans go-to-market strategy, R&D leadership, quality and regulatory systems, and building high-performing, values-driven teams. She is widely recognised as a thought leader in life sciences manufacturing and cellular agriculture, and is a committed advocate for UK manufacturing, as well as for increasing the representation of women in STEM, entrepreneurship, and on company boards.
