Development and Alumni

Alumni Network Case Studies

Successful Graduates from the School of Health, Sport and Bioscience

Harry Stylli, PhD, MBA
BSc Science
Current Occupation: President and Chief Executive Officer, Sequenom, USA

Dr. Harry Stylli has a track record of nearly two decades demonstrating entrepreneurial leadership in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, and has broad experience in successfully translating innovative technology into commercial opportunities. Dr. Stylli was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Sequenom, Inc. and was elected to the Board of Directors in June 2005. Most recently, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Xencor, Inc., a privately held biotechnology company. Previously, Dr. Stylli was President and CEO of CovX Pharmaceuticals, a newly founded company that he assisted in securing key financing through a revised and focused business plan, launch of a development pipeline, and building a discovery/pre-clinical organization. Dr. Stylli co-founded Aurora Biosciences in 1995. As Senior Vice President of Screening Technology and New Ventures, he helped raise venture and public capital, led the creation and development of their core platform, and played a pivotal role in generating groundbreaking alliances with pharmaceutical companies resulting in over $300 million in committed capital. In 1999, Dr. Stylli assumed the role of Senior Vice President of Commercial Development, built a business organization that grew the Aurora 's revenues to approximately $95 million while netting $13 million by 2001, and ultimately facilitated Aurora 's transition from a technology to an integrated drug discovery company. In 2001 he was key to the success of Aurora 's acquisition by Vertex Pharmaceuticals for over $600 million. Following the merger, Dr. Stylli maintained P&L responsibility as President of Aurora Biosciences and Panvera. From 1987 to 1995, Dr. Stylli held various positions of increased responsibility in the global discovery organization of GlaxoSmithKline.

Dr. Stylli currently serves as a Director of Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held biotechnology company, and is an advisor to Nanosyn, a private medicinal chemistry company. He received his bachelor's of science degree from UEL and his Ph.D. from London University 's Faculty of Medicine. He later earned his master's of business administration from the Open University.

SEQUENOM provides genetic analysis products that translate genomic science into superior solutions for biomedical research, agricultural applications, molecular medicine and non-invasive prenatal diagnostics research, and potentially, clinical utility.

The Company's proprietary MassARRAY® system is a high-performance DNA analysis platform that efficiently and precisely measures the amount of genetic target material and variations therein. The system is able to deliver reliable and specific data from complex biological samples and from genetic target material that is only available in trace amounts. The Company has exclusively licensed intellectual property rights for the development and commercialization of non-invasive prenatal genetic tests for use with the MassARRAY® system and other platforms.

Rockson Atakole
2007 MSc Public Health
Current Occupation: Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Ghana National Health Insurance Authority.

"UEL has helped me acquire invaluable knowledge and skills that places me on a high pedestal in the job market. I worked with Ghana Statistical Service as a Research supervisor. Currently, I am the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of the Ghana National Health Insurance Authority. My job requires me to travel around the country to monitor Health Insurance Schemes and health care providers.

"I made the choice to study at UEL because they had the programme that could help me achieve my desired objective and the tuition fees were moderate.

"UEL is a place where all opportunities are available for you to develop your potentials and also a place where lecturers have personal touch for students.  I am proud of my UEL experience and looking forward to working with the UN.

"I am still in touch with many of my fellow graduates and enjoy socializing with them and other friends and peers."

Rockson is the Group Representative for the Alumni Network Ghanaian Group. Rockson co-ordinates and facilitates with our annual Ghanaian alumni dinner which takes place every October. He also gathers the group members together regularly throughout the year. If you are a graduate living in Ghana and would like to join the group, please get in touch with Rockson at rockson2001@yahoo.com

Lord Victor Adebowale
BSc (Hons) Applied Biology
Current Occupation: Chief Executive of Turning Point

Turning Point is the UK’s largest social care charity, providing services for people with a wide range of complex needs, including those affected by substance misuse, mental health problems and learning disabilities.

Lord Adebowale began his career in local authority estate management and spent time at Patchwork Community Housing Association before becoming Regional Director of the Ujima Housing Association, Britain’s largest black-led housing association.

Throughout his career, Victor Adebowale has worked hard to tackle social exclusion in a variety of roles, including Director of the Alcohol Recovery Project and Chief Executive of youth homelessness charity Centrepoint.

In addition to his work at Turning Point, Victor is co chair of the National Steering Group for Black and Minority Ethnic Mental Health; a patron of the National College for School Leadership, a patron of the Rich Mix Centre; a trustee of the Royal National Institute for the Deaf; and a member of the National Employment Panel, the Demos think tank advisory council, the new Economic Foundation board and the Institute for Fiscal Studies Council.  He also advises ministers on the New Deal programme for the young unemployed and has worked with the Prime Minister’s social exclusion unit on proposals for tackling poverty.

In the year 2000, Victor was awarded a CBE in the New Years honours list for services to the unemployed and homeless young people.  A year later, he was named as the youngest member of the first group of People’s Peers – publicly nominated non-party-political members of the House of Lords.  Victor, who grew up on a housing estate in West Yorkshire, is not your typical member of the House of Lords.  When someone told him it was outrageous that he’d joined the British establishment, Victor replied “Black people have been slaves for hundreds of years – the best thing that I can do is command a bit of the British Empire”.

In 2005, Victor was awarded Third Sector’s coveted title of Most Admired Charity CEO, gaining more votes from the judging panel than the leaders of internationally renowned charities and NGO’s, including Oxfam and Amnesty International.

Pheneatia Leong-Smith
2006 BSc (Hons) Forensic Science
Current Occupation: PhD student at Kings College London

Pheneatia Leong-Smith, was delighted to win funding after completion of her BSc honours degree, to study for a PhD. She joined UEL through Clearing after leaving college without A-levels because of a family bereavement.

Pheneatia is now studying nano-HPLC mass spectromety at Kings College London.

Pheneatia said: “I burst into tears on the phone when I got my results and heard I had won the research studentship. It was exactly what I had been working towards and all my hard work and dedication has paid off.

“I had continual support from my lecturers, who always made time for me when I had any problems and had the patience to explain the things I didn’t understand. The bottom line is this: you may not have top scores at A Levels, but with a lot of hard work, drive, passion and determination nothing is out of reach. Good luck!”

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