Peter Simpson

Peter Simpson is Director of the N8 Research Partnership, a partnership between eight of the most research-intensive universities in the North of England (Durham, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and York) that works with industry to identify and coordinate research collaborations and foster innovation. As Director, Dr. Simpson oversees its research programmes across a broad spectrum of disciplines, including food security, industrial biotechnology and social sciences and builds and develops new research groups and collaborations. Prior to this, Dr. Simpson worked at Merck Sharp and Dohme for eight years. From 2006 to 2014, he held multiple leadership roles at AstraZeneca and led their Open Innovation partnership strategy in new drug targets, setting up partnerships with universities, translational centres and other pharmaceutical companies in seven different countries. Dr. Simpson received his PhD from the University of Leicester in Cell Physiology and Pharmacology and held visiting fellowships at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in the USA.