Together, we harness nature to transform lives with safe and effective plant-based therapeutics
Every person at Phytome has a passion for progressing biopharmaceutical research and a desire to solve the challenges that could unlock patient benefit. Together, we design, develop and engineer new technologies and therapeutics to have a lasting global impact.
Through science we seek to reconnect people with plants to progress medicine.
Combining infrastructure, expertise and investment to deliver an unrivalled venture life sciences platform.
We seek to unlock sustainable, efficacious plant-derived therapeutics for billions of poorly served people in need
Mark’s passion is for innovation, engineering and opportunity creation for the people of Cornwall.
A lawyer for over 35 years’, he Co-founded peer-to-peer lender Folk2Folk and is Founder and CEO of the Parnall Group Limited,
A highly creative and motivated visionary, over 5 years ago Mark purchased the Cornish Estate Phytome calls home and transformed it into a world-class campus for innovation.
A Co-founder of Phytome, what we are today exists because of his pioneering endeavours.
Nick Buckland OBE has a portfolio career. He chairs and is a board member of a number of organisations locally, regionally and nationally, in the private, public and voluntary sectors. Having previously spent over 20 years in the IT industry, Nick is an acknowledged expert in strategic planning, audit, governance, review processes, quality, technology and innovation. He was Deputy Chair of the South West Regional Development Agency and a founding member of the governing board of the Technology Strategy Board – now InnovateUK – the government’s innovation agency. He was Pro Chancellor and former chair of Governors of the University of Plymouth, and chaired Plymouth Science Park.
He holds a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Bath, is a Fellow of the British Computer Society, the Institute of Maths and it’s Applications, the Royal Society of Arts, the Institute of Engineering and Technology and the Chartered Management Institute. He is a member of the Institute of Directors and the Royal Institution. He holds a Dip RSA, is a Chartered Engineer, Chartered Information Systems Practitioner, Chartered Manager and a European Engineer. He was appointed OBE in the 2009 New Year Honours List for services to Innovation & Technology and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Technology by the University of Plymouth in 2013.
A successful serial entrepreneur in healthcare and technology, Sebastian is CEO and creator of the Phytome vision.
Sebastian firmly believes that we are only just beginning to understand the language and interplay of botanical and human chemistry and the opportunity to harness its complexity for the healing of disease.
He built Phytome to deliver the required research capabilities and life sciences investment opportunities to radically accelerate safe and effective new medicines to those in need.
Leigh has over 19 years’ pharmaceutical experience in both hospital and community settings. Having begun in pharmaceutical manufacturing and then ward-based roles, Leigh spent a further 9 years at Walgreens Boots Alliance in a variety of senior leadership roles, finally specialising in human resources and learning and development to head up the Boots national Leadership Training Programme.
Leigh continues as an Associate Partner at the General Pharmaceutical Council’s Statutory Committee and brings experience in talent and capability, employee experience, and culture.
Outside of work, Leigh loves the outdoors and enjoying all that Cornwall has to offer, as well as fitness, reading, crafts, and spending time with her family.
Nigel Gale, a distinguished plant scientist, brings his expertise in ecological theory to advanced cultivation and operational roles in the cannabis industry. Holding a Ph.D. in Plant Physiological Ecology from the University of Toronto, Nigel has profoundly influenced cultivation strategies within GACP, EU-GMP, and CUMCS frameworks. He is celebrated for introducing top-selling floral SKUs and developing innovative products such as CBD isolates and THCv vape cartridges.
At Phytome, Nigel is set to elevate the drug development process by constructing a world-class cannabis genotype scaffold. His vision extends to exploring new medicinal plant sources beyond cannabis, aiming to treat a diverse array of ailments. Nigel’s previous role as Head of Plant Sciences at Ananda Developments Plc saw him pioneering breeding protocols that markedly improved seed line stability. His tenure as Director of Cultivation at Organigram Inc, and as Master Grower at HEXO Corp, underscores his proficiency in managing large-scale, efficient cultivation operations.
Away from the lab and fields, Nigel immerses himself in the serene beauty of Cornwall. He is often found wandering its picturesque landscapes with his dog Rue, savouring local Cornish pasties, and is gearing up to embrace the challenge of surfing.
Having gained his degree in Environmental Geoscience from Cardiff University, Adam’s professional career has spanned Innovation, Construction and Agricultural sectors. Over the past five years Adam has designed, developed and project managed the transformation of an idyllic Cornish Estate into a hub of high-tech enterprise and pharmaceutical agriculture.
Adam’s passion for the built environment is realised in his home county, aiming to make rural Cornwall a place of enterprise and innovation.
Adam’s personal interests are centred around the outdoors, sports, and travel. His appreciation for the natural world and being out on the sea comes top of the leisure list.
Jasper is a biogeochemist who has previously worked on the extraction and analysis of biomarkers from organic matter through his PhD and other roles at the University of Plymouth. He applies his core analytical skills from his undergraduate in Chemistry at the University of Bristol and research skills from his Master’s in co-polymers, to his interest in the chemistry of natural products. His research and other interests have led him to work across a range of growing systems, from traditional grazing to a high productivity hydroponic micro farm.
Jasper now leads the Natural Product Chemistry team’s research across a range of projects from optimising plant extraction methods, to deriving new routes for drugs and developing drug delivery products.
When not in his lab coat, Jasper is regularly found either in the sea, or trudging across a windy moor.
Gus is an experienced Research Scientist and graduate in Applied Bioscience, having completed his Degree Apprenticeship at AstraZeneca (Cambridge) and with the university of Kent. His expertise encompass translational science, immunology, and bioassays, having worked across the pipeline and supporting projects from pre-clinical to phase 3. Gus has a specific interest in precision medicine.
His role at Phytome means he can make a big difference in helping achieve company goals and succeed at furthering scientific research to improve patient’s lives.
Outside of work time, Gus enjoys being out on the sea on my paddleboard in the summer and playing rugby in the winter.
Nicky has been with Phytome since the very beginning, working closely with the leadership team to setup the company’s internal structure. Since then she has developed a passion for Project Management and has been instrumental in the development of the Phytome research campus, based in the heart of Cornwall.
Nicky has a background in accountancy with a keen eye for detail. Her ability to be agile and diverse enables her to oversee and manage operational projects within the company.
In her spare time she enjoys making the most of the Cornish coast paddle boarding and walking her two dogs.
Neil has been employed as the Site Security Manager at Phytome since May2022. Since then, he has been supporting the Senior leadership team in developing and implementing the site security & safety.
Neil has a long and experienced background in both military and Police security. This includes close protection, high threat level management & the planning of high-profile events, of which he has achieved national accreditation.
In his spare time Neil enjoys cooking, long dog walks and is a keen football and rugby supporter. He also has a passion for 80s music.
Cleo is a Biomedical Masters graduate with a specialism in Infection and Immunity. Motivated by lessening the global disease burden, her research interests include molecular biology and novel drug development.
She ignited her passion for team building and management in the scientific sector while supervising in a COVID testing laboratory and has now redirected her enthusiasm into her role at Phytome Life Sciences.
In her free time, Cleo relishes opportunities to backpack both abroad and in her home county of Cornwall. She also enjoys gaming and exercising a variety of creative and artistic interests.
Tarian is a Biochemistry graduate from the University of Bath. Formerly working in analysis of pharmaceutical and healthcare products/ingredients, he has gained experience in a broad range of analytical techniques and instrument use.
During his degree he found interest in cancer mechanisms, and novel drug development, which motivated him to join Phytome Life Sciences and be a part of the exciting bio-pharmaceutical research undertaken here.
Outside of work he enjoys regular runs, playing badminton, and baking and occasionally partaking in surfing, drawing, and exploring all that Cornwall has to offer.
Roarke is Plymouth University graduate, having studied BSc Ocean Science and Marine Conservation and MSc Sustainable Aquaculture. His dissertations focused on microplastics, their distribution, abundance, and harmful effects on marine organisms.
This is his first professional role post MSc and Roake is eager to learn from the highly experienced team. Focusing on controlled environment agriculture, to ultimately combine it with his Aquaculture studies in an aquaponics set up.
He is happy to move to Cornish countryside after growing up near Birmingham. Roarke can enjoy his weekends near the coast; walking, swimming, and learning to surf. His other hobbies include gaming, watching movies and reading, especially H. P. Lovecraft and JRR Tolkien.
Phytome-funded CASE PhD student in pharmaceutical enzymology. Sahara holds a BSc Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry and MPhil Biotechnology both from Manchester University. Her expertise span computational bioinformatics, in vitro directed enzyme design and directed evolution, industrial biotechnology and directed biosynthetic catalysis.
A distinguished consultant in pain medicine and anaesthetics at The Royal Marsden, graduated with distinction from King’s College London. His groundbreaking research on pain and holistic approach to cancer-related pain management have earned him prestigious recognition.
