Aisling Burnand
Encyclopedia
Aisling Burnand, MBE
is a British businesswoman. In 2009 she joined Cancer Research UK
as Executive Director of Policy & Public Affairs.
for Rhône-Poulenc
in Paris, then as a director at the Rowland Company, a London-based public affairs consultancy.
She joined the UK BioIndustry Association as its first Director of Public Affairs in 1998, when the UK biotechnology
industry was in its infancy. The Association now represents more than three hundred UK biotech companies. In 2001 Burnand became Deputy Chief Executive, and from 2003 until December 2009 she was Chief Executive. She was succeeded by Nigel Gaymond.
At the BIA, Burnand lobbied on behalf of stem cell
research, and supported the passage of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005
, which gives greater protection for medical researchers from animal rights
extremists and other threats. She also had to reassure the public about medicines based on monoclonal antibodies
when six volunteers suffered severse adverse reactions during a clinical trial
at Northwick Park Hospital
in 2006.
In 2007 she was awarded an MBE
for services to science.
She joined Cancer Research UK
in 2009. As Executive Director of Policy & Public Affairs, she has responsibility for the charity's policies on cancer, science and charity issues, seeking along with others to influence politicians and civil servants on issues of importance to cancer patients.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
is a British businesswoman. In 2009 she joined Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK is a cancer research and awareness charity in the United Kingdom, formed on 4 February 2002 by the merger of The Cancer Research Campaign and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. Its aim is to reduce the number of deaths from cancer. As the world's largest independent cancer...
as Executive Director of Policy & Public Affairs.
Career
Burnand worked as head of international media relationsMedia relations
Media relations involves working with various media for the purpose of informing the public of an organization's mission, policies and practices in a positive, consistent and credible manner. Typically, this means coordinating directly with the people responsible for producing the news and features...
for Rhône-Poulenc
Rhône-Poulenc
-History of the company:The Company was founded in 1928 through the merger of Société des Usines Chimiques du Rhône from Lyon and Établissements Poulenc Frères from Paris founded by Étienne Poulenc, a 19th century Parisian apothecary and brought to prominence by his second and third sons Emile...
in Paris, then as a director at the Rowland Company, a London-based public affairs consultancy.
She joined the UK BioIndustry Association as its first Director of Public Affairs in 1998, when the UK biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
industry was in its infancy. The Association now represents more than three hundred UK biotech companies. In 2001 Burnand became Deputy Chief Executive, and from 2003 until December 2009 she was Chief Executive. She was succeeded by Nigel Gaymond.
At the BIA, Burnand lobbied on behalf of stem cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
research, and supported the passage of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005
Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005
The Serious Organized Crime and Police Act 2005 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom aimed primarily at creating the Serious Organised Crime Agency, it also significantly extended and simplified the powers of arrest of a constable and introduced restrictions on protests in the...
, which gives greater protection for medical researchers from animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
extremists and other threats. She also had to reassure the public about medicines based on monoclonal antibodies
Monoclonal antibodies
Monoclonal antibodies are monospecific antibodies that are the same because they are made by identical immune cells that are all clones of a unique parent cell....
when six volunteers suffered severse adverse reactions during a clinical trial
Clinical trial
Clinical trials are a set of procedures in medical research and drug development that are conducted to allow safety and efficacy data to be collected for health interventions...
at Northwick Park Hospital
Northwick Park Hospital
Northwick Park Hospital is a large hospital in the northwest corner of the London Borough of Brent in Greater London, England.-Hospital role:...
in 2006.
In 2007 she was awarded an MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for services to science.
She joined Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK is a cancer research and awareness charity in the United Kingdom, formed on 4 February 2002 by the merger of The Cancer Research Campaign and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. Its aim is to reduce the number of deaths from cancer. As the world's largest independent cancer...
in 2009. As Executive Director of Policy & Public Affairs, she has responsibility for the charity's policies on cancer, science and charity issues, seeking along with others to influence politicians and civil servants on issues of importance to cancer patients.