Our resistance to harmful microbes remains one of humanity’s greatest challenges. In many cases, the rise of diseases has been compounded by changing climate conditions.

Scotland’s life science communities are playing a large, yet unsung, part in the global fight. Marianne Ismail, the chief executive officer of Edinburgh-based Microbira, is inspired by the fight to take on this challenge.

She will be among the expert panel of The Business’s DealMakers’ Breakfast event in Glasgow on 9th June.  Her background in financial services, including as former head of Morgan Stanley’s private wealth management in the UK, and head of private banking for Standard Chartered Bank, gives her a unique insight worth hearing.

Also on the panel are Alex Sim, President of Amsbio, part of Europa Biosite, based in Cambridge. Chair of Screenin3D, and Dr Sarah Lynagh, CEO of Fios Genomics, and Dr Richard Gibbs, Managing Partner and European Patent Attorney for Marks & Clerk.

Marianne Ismail is currently a non-executive director of banking group QIB (UK) plc, part of the Qatar Islamic Bank which began operation in 1982 and now the largest bank in the UAE, and pro-chancellor and chair of the court of the University of Greenwich in London.

Moreover, she is also among the campaigners wanting Scotland to benefit from the potential £100m investment for the creation of centre for in vitro scientific research. The UK Hub for the development of pre-clinical translational human in vitro models, for UK research organisation eligible for Medical Research Council (MRC) funding, is for an initial £25 million, put likely to rise to around £100m with external fundings.

The Cambridge-Oxford cluster remains the favourite, but scientists in Scotland feel that the creation of this centre is more suited to Edinburgh.

“It should go to Scotland. Cambridge already has enough,” she says.

Seven years ago, she returned to University of Edinburgh and took a degree in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases.

“I was probably the oldest student they had had but it really wonderful to do. I was very fortunate to be able to do my research in Professor Til Bachmann’s lab. He’s a global leader in diagnostics and he does a lot of work in India. There are strong links between India and Scotland.”

He is now an adviser to Microbira.

The Indian Consul-General in Scotland has been very active in promoting these life science links.

Microbira took part in the India–UK Free Trade Agreement business Eeent held in Glasgow, hosted by the Consulate General of India, Edinburgh, in partnership with CBI Scotland.

The agreement is expected to deliver a £190m benefit to the UK economy, while also opening new pathways for collaboration in key growth sectors including life sciences, digital technology, education, manufacturing, and sustainable innovation.

“There is another India-Scottish panel event coming to Scotland in July,” she says.

“There is also a very successful cluster in the north of England in the Newcastle area where they have a very strong community of innovation in their Biosphere, similar to the Bio Quarter, and they are building another Biosphere to meet demand.”

“We’ve been doing a lot of work in the North-east too. Our software, MAAP-IR, is a seamless artificial intelligence microorganism identification solution package that is easily implemented in small-to-large scale clinical microbiology laboratories.”

The Business event in Glasgow will hear how Scotland can get behind a campaign to ensure the in-vitro institute is sited in Scotland.