Read joins Uniseed

Leanna Read (pictured) has been appointed as an independent board member at Australia-based multi-university venture fund Uniseed.
Uniseed is funded by the universities of Melbourne, Queensland, Sydney and New South Wales and research institute Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and invests in spinouts originating from its partners.
Read became the first woman to be named chief scientist of South Australia in 2014, after receiving the South Australian of the Year award for science and technology and the state premier’s award for science, technology and innovation management excellence in 2006.
She is currently chairwoman and CEO at collaboration development body Cooperative Research Centre for Cell Therapy Manufacturing, which joins up research from its 16 industry, clinician, healthcare and research members, with the help of A$60m ($42m) in Australian government funding.
Read is a committee member for the Australian government-backed Biomedical Translation Fund, and chairs two biotech developers – immunotherapy developer Carina Biotech and biomedicine creator TekCyte – while also holding a board appointment at antibodies and reagents company Biosensis, and a membership at angel syndicate Southern Angels.
She said: “I am delighted to be joining the Uniseed board. The fund has an important role in helping its research partners turn their research into real products and services which has such a positive impact on society.
“I look forward to using my expertise to help the fund in its efforts and helping to get promising research from some of Australia’s leading universities into the marketplace.”
David Miles, chairman of Uniseed, added: “We are thrilled to have someone of Leanna’s calibre join our board […] Her deep board and investment experience will prove invaluable as we continue on our mission to commercialise cutting-edge research from our research partners.”