Dr. George Poste

Dr. Poste is Chief Executive of Health Technology Networks, a consulting group based in Scottsdale, Arizona and suburban Philadelphia specializing in the application of genetics and computing in healthcare and bioterrorism defense. From 1992 to 1999 he was Chief Science and Technology Officer and President, Research and Development of SmithKline Beecham (SB). During his tenure at SB he was associated with the successful registration of 31 drug, vaccine and diagnostic products. He is Non-Executive Chairman of Orchid Biosciences in Princeton. He serves on the Board of Directors of Monsanto, Exelixis and the Molecular Profiling Institute. He is an advisor on biotechnology to several venture capital funds and investment banks. In May 2003 he was appointed as Director of the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University. This is a major new initiative combining research groups in biotechnology, nanotechnology, materials science, advanced computing and neuromorphic engineering. (http://www.biodesign.asu.edu/)

He is a fellow of Pembroke College Cambridge and Distinguished Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Stanford University. He is a member of the Defense Science Board of the U.S. Department of Defense and in this capacity he Chairs the Task Force on Bioterrorism. He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences Working Group on Defense Against Bioweapons, the Forum on Microbial Threats of the Institute of Medicine Board on Global Health and the Institute of Medicine Committee on Advances in Technology and Next Generation Biowarfare Threats.

Dr. Poste is a Board Certified Pathologist, a Fellow of the Royal Society and a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. He was awarded the rank of Commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 1999 for services to medicine and for the advancement of biotechnology. He has published over 350 scientific papers, co-edited 15 books on cancer, biotechnology and infectious diseases and serves on the Editorial Board of multiple technical journals. He has been awarded honorary Doctorates from several universities for his contributions to global healthcare and international health policy. In 2004 he was named as ‘R&D Scientist of the Year’ by R&D Magazine.

He is invited routinely to be the keynote speaker at a wide variety of academic, corporate, investment and government meetings to discuss the impact of biotechnology and genetics on healthcare and the challenges posed by bioterrorism.