RDF25 Keynote Speakers

Dr Kingyin Lee is the Head of Clinical Trials at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. 

He joined the MHRA in May 2024 after five years of clinical development as an investigator.

His specialisation is in early-phase and First-into-Human clinical trials, complemented by late-phase medical monitoring.

Before this, he worked as a clinician in the UK NHS for ten years.

 Kingyin holds an MBPhD from UCL, a PhD in Developmental Biology and a BEng in Biochemical Engineering.

Return to Speaker Page

Matt joined NHSE’s Data for R&D in the newly-created Head of Data-Driven Clinical Trials (and Cohorts) role in Jun-2024. As a trialist and statistician for 30 years, Matt has designed, conducted, analysed, reported and communicated clinical trials, usually late-phase, often international and often defining a new standard-of-care for patients. Matt has increasingly focused on methodology work to improve the delivery of clinical trials. Health Systems Data (routinely-collected data) has the potential to transform clinical trial planning, accrual and delivery, but there are a series of blockers to remove before uptake is commonplace. Previously, Matt was Professor of Clinical Trials & Methodology at MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, a research director for the Transforming Data for Trials programme at Health Data Research UK and Associate Director for Data-Enabled Trials at the BHF Data Science Centre.

Return to Speaker Page

Alice Mortlock is the Head of Research Capacity and Growth in the Science, Research and Evidence (SRE) directorate at the Department of Health and Social Care (DSHC). She is a member of the NIHR Strategy and Engagement Board.

SRE is responsible for overseeing the policy and delivery of the NIHR Research Capacity and Growth, which leads on work aimed at maximising the contribution of NIHR research and research infrastructure and growth.

Alice has a degree and PhD in molecular biology and biochemistry from Imperial College London. Before joining the Civil Service in 2024, Alice held a number of roles within clinical research funding and research delivery within the NHS and Academia.

Return to Speaker Page

Dr. Nick Cole is the Head of Research at the MND Association. Nick’s role covers many of the activities within the Associations Research and Innovation directorate at the Association, both nationally and internationally. This includes Chair of the International Alliance Scientific Advisory Council, and member of the UK Clinical Studies Group. Nick has a leading role in the organisation of the annual International Symposium on MND/ALS and the MND associations flagship event for early career researchers (Encourage UK). Nick completed his PhD at University of St. Andrews in Scotland, UK, before completing research postdocs in St. Andrews and Dundee, Scotland, and Sydney, Australia. Nick began his own research group in the University of Sydney before moving his research program over the Sydney Harbour Bridge to co-establish the MND Research Centre at Macquarie University in Sydney. Nick returned to the UK with his family and dog “Vegemite” to take up his position as Head of Research at the MND Association in 2018.

Return to Speaker Page

Dr Jung is a Consultant Neurologist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Director of the Leeds MND Care Centre. She developed the concept of The Rob Burrow Centre for MND in March 2020 in the name of her much loved rugby legend patient Rob Burrow. The bespoke fit for purpose clinical facility for MND is the Her first of its kind in the world. Her clinical work on MND has been showcased in two BBC documentaries with Audience Index of 93 and 91 and watched by two million people :“Rob Burrow My Year with MND” (2020) and “Rob Burrow Living with MND” (2022) as well as in multiple newspaper, radio & television news items.

Working closely with Leeds Hospital Charity, she has co led the fundraiser for the centre raising £6.8 million for this endeavour. Since taking on her role as the Director of teh MND service she has brought in a total of nearly £ 9 million for her service and more recently for research. She has been awarded Person with Purpose by the Northern Power Women in 2025.

In her previous role as Associate International Director at the Royal College of Physicians she led teh national Medical Training Initiative and successfully contributed to workforce planning for the NHS. She has worked and taught across the world including India, Oman, Malawi, Uganda and Rwanda., creating low cost education tools for use in resource poor countries In recognition of her outstanding dedication, leadership and contribution to Global Health she has been awarded Diaspora Healthcare Champion by Global Health Partnerships ( previously THET – Tropical Heath and Education Trust ). She continues to do pro bono neurology consultations for marginalised communities in India.

Return to Speaker Page

Kate Hartley graduated from the University of Nottingham in 1998 with a degree in nursing. Her career has spanned cardiology, multiple sclerosis, and the commercial sector (IQVIA).

In 2002, Kate joined the multiple sclerosis team at the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham, dedicating 18 years to the field. During this time, she acquired a Master’s in Social Sciences Applied to Health from the University of Leicester (2011) and non-medical prescriber qualification in 2012. She expanded her expertise by spending four years in a community-based integrated social and healthcare team before returning to QMC in 2012 as Lead MS Nurse Specialist. In this role, she played a key part in enhancing patient outcomes by introducing innovative care approaches and integrating research into clinical practice.

Kate joined IQVIA in 2020 as a Nurse Manager before transitioning into a Project Manager role, where she led project setup and oversaw operational delivery across a number of disease areas, including respiratory, wound care, and ophthalmology.

Kate has since transitioned to the role of Lead Research Nurse with the MND Association, where she is responsible for establishing and leading a national research nurse network to improve research accessibility for the MND community.

Return to Speaker Page

Saeeda Bashir is Head of Clinical Trials Policy at the Department of Health and Social Care, leading the UK Clinical Research Delivery Programme, which aims to transform the UK’s clinical research ecosystem and position it as a global leader. With over 15 years of experience, Saeeda has held key roles across the clinical research sector. She played a pivotal role in establishing the UKCRC Clinical Trials Units Network and has led impactful initiatives in MedTech, cardiovascular, and obesity research. Saeeda is also a strong advocate for co-production in research, driving collaboration and innovation across broad and diverse communities.

Return to Speaker Page

Hazel Carter was a director of a financial planning business when she gave up her career to care for her husband when he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

After her husband died, in 2019, Hazel decided to use her experience to help others and create change. She is a now a regular public speaker on behalf of caregivers, people with motor neurone disease and the hospice movement, to audiences all around the UK.

In 2023 Hazel self published her not for profit book, “Life’s Good, It’s the Disease That’s the Problem” (https://lifesgoodbook.co.uk) for which she won Inspirational Author award from Ladies First Professional network. Over 1200 copies have been purchased to date. Hazel gives all proceeds to charity and has raised over £15,000 so far. In 2024 she co authored a book to inspire women, Golden Threads (https://goldenthreadsbook.co.uk)

In addition to being an author and highly rated public speaker, Hazel is a Trustee on the board of the MND Association and a volunteer for Marie Curie.

In 2022 she donated a kidney to save the life of her brother.

Return to Speaker Page

Shera is a GP and the Chair of the multi award-winning Shuri Network which she founded in 2019. She is passionate about increasing diversity, innovation and safety and empowering women from minority ethnic groups to lead and engage with digital transformation. She is a non-executive director with the London Ambulance Service and the national lead for research in community settings with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

She has extensive experience of working in acute, community and primary care settings, commissioning organisations and national leadership roles including Chief Medical Officer at NHS Digital. She was awarded the international Richard von Weizsäcker Fellowship by the Robert Bosch Academy in Berlin in 2023 to examine the German digital health strategy and help develop new insights and perspectives to deliver safer, more equitable and innovative care.

Shera has led complex national and local programmes to improve patient outcomes, safety and workforce development. She was the Director of Primary Care at Barts Health, the largest acute trust in the NHS for six years, helping to improve patient pathways across organizational boundaries.

She has helped to develop and implement health policy as a national clinical advisor on new models of care, system transformation and Integrated Care Systems with NHS England and advised ministers as a member of the NHS Independent Reconfiguration Panel for seven years. She is a member of the Sciana Network for European health leaders.

She has completed an M.B.A., M.A. in Inter-professional Education and a Nuffield Trust Fellowship on cross-organizational learning with Sunderland Athletic Football Club. In 2023 she was awarded the Zenith Global Health Special Recognition Award for her contribution to patient care and equity, and has also won national awards including the HSJ Award for race equality in 2021 and DHSC AI Visionary in 2025.

Shera has volunteered as a clinician in countries including Sudan, Laos, Indonesia and Greece with NGOs working in war and disaster zones and with displaced populations. She studied at the Institute of Healthcare Improvement, Kennedy School of Government and the Harvard School of Public Health on an NHS Executive Leadership programme, focusing on quality improvement, community engagement and leading change.

Return to Speaker Page

Adam is a Senior Policy Fellow at the Health Foundation and works on various areas of public health policy, including risk factors for ill health and public health expenditure. He is a consultant in public health and alongside his role at the Health Foundation, he works as Deputy Director of Public Health for three days a week in Oxfordshire, is Deputy Director of the NIHR Research Support Service Specialist Centre for Public Health based at the University of Southampton, and is also a Visiting Professor at the University of Southampton.

Between November 2020 and September 2022, his Health Foundation time was used to support the pandemic initially as a Public Health Strategy Advisor to the Chief Medical Advisor at NHS Test and Trace, and then as interim Deputy Director for Health Equity, Strategy and Partnerships at the UK Health Security Agency.

Return to Speaker Page