Johnny Habchi

I lead a multidisciplinary team, delivering independent, science-led consultancy to help innovators de-risk early-stage drug discovery, optimise time and resources, and strengthen programmes from target validation through candidate nomination and to the clinic. We act a neutral partner to the UK life sciences ecosystem, combining deep scientific expertise with a consultancy mindset. I work cross-functionally across scientific teams, business development, finance, and marketing to shape service offerings, contribute to business planning, and help define strategic vision. Externally, I engage with early-stage biotechs, academic innovators, investors, and regional hubs, building partnerships and translating market and scientific insight into scalable solutions. Learn more --> https://md.catapult.org.uk/our-capabilities/virtual-rd/

Member of the Joint Project Management Board of PACE - Supporting the best innovations to address the global threat of AMR.

Member of the College Audit & Risk Committee

• Contributing to strategic initiatives in entrepreneurship, research impact, and educational programs • Serving on governance committees, including Audit & Risk, to ensure compliance and risk management.

Contributing to College initiatives.

Resilient Collective is a platform and community connecting biotech companies with high-caliber, independent consultants who specialise in scientific, technical, and operational functions. This platform makes it easy to find the right consultant for your needs, and it’s completely free for clients.

At Iterxus, we empower early-stage life sciences companies by de-risking their R&D strategy. Our expertise spans - De‑risking early‑stage R&D with robust go/no‑go frameworks and portfolio prioritisation - Scaling platform technologies via data‑driven approaches and modular architectures - Refining discovery workflows by embedding automation and novel assays - Enhancing operational and outsourcing strategies to optimize cost, quality, and speed Our mission is to connect visionary ideas with the pathways to success, delivering measurable progress. Email: jhabchi@iterxus.com

• Led WaveBreak’s drug discovery strategies, leading research initiatives and expanding discovery programs to several targets. • Integrated data and robots-driven automation and high-throughput experimentation, increasing platform efficiency by 120x and accelerating project timelines by 99%. • Established strategic partnerships with academic institutions, CROs and pharma, securing access to novel resources and aligning project goals. • Represented the company at international conferences and participated in investor and BoD meetings. Governance & Leadership Responsibilities: - Steering Committee member – WaveBreak–Pharma collaboration - Steering Committee member – WaveBreak–University of Cambridge research funding agreement - Oversight of lab management plans and H&S policies - Functional and project leadership across multidisciplinary teams - Staff development: performance reviews and growth planning

• Founded WaveBreak and scaled its drug discovery efforts, leading multiple research programs targeting Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons’s, ALS and Type II diabetes. • Established strategic collaborations with academic institutions, CROs and industry leaders, translating research into commercial pipelines. • Led a multidisciplinary team of 30+ scientists, ensuring alignment of resources, timelines and stakeholder expectations. • Led lab operations, optimising consumables management, and streamlining workflows to enhance research efficiency, scalability, and reproducibility. • Directed strategic planning, budgeting, and resource allocation, ensuring optimal staffing and financial performance. • Contributed to the company’s growth by optimising operational workflows and aligning research outcomes with business strategies.

• Launched the Centre’s first drug discovery initiative by leveraging cutting-edge technologies and bringing expertise together to accelerate Proof-of-Concept studies. • Developed assays and new concepts in drug discovery, leading to patented inventions and commercialisation pathways. • Established and led a range of collaborations with global experts, resulting in 30+ joint publications and influencing industry-wide research standards. • Delivered high-quality scientific communications to diverse stakeholders. • Organised cross-functional conferences and colloquia and meetings fostering collaboration. • Held Associate Editor position for the journal BB reports for 3 years • Reviewed articles for renowned journals, such as TiBS, JACS, PNAS and Biophys. Journal • Held Examiner roles in PhD committees for PhD students in Spain, Italy, France and the UK • Organised international conferences and colloquia Major achievements • Published key papers in the field of protein misfolding, with research being featured in tens of news websites, including BBC and the Guardian. • Established collaborations with global experts and have been invited as a speaker and chairperson to several international meetings. • Contributed to patenting new inventive methods in drug discovery that was licensed to Wavebreak. • Shortlisted for a tenured research position at a national competition in France, 2015 • Established research methods in drug discovery that attracted substantial funding Awards • Biomedical Science Fellowship in Leadership at the University of Cambridge based on outstanding track record, interdisciplinary research and research translation. • Fellowship by Hughes Hall College at the University of Cambridge based on substantial contribution to increasing research impact through translation.

Awarded fellowship in Leadership at the University of Cambridge based on outstanding track record, interdisciplinary research and research translation and focused on developing personal and professional skills in Leadership in the Biomedical field

• Deployed a range of biochemical and biophysical techniques for the characterisation of viral proteins • Led research initiatives and collaborations with labs cross Europe and US for the characterisation of intrinsically disordered proteins

• Led innovative research, leading to novel insights in drug discovery and assay development. • Defended PhD with first class honours in two and half years. • Published over 20 peer-reviewed papers and established international collaborations. • Elected as representative for the thesis evaluation of all PhD students in the Department.

Engaged with teaching courses in protein structural biology at Aix-Marseille University, guiding undergraduates to academic success and fostering a passion for scientific discovery.

The Digital Transformation Leadership Programme at Imperial College Business School equips senior executives with the strategic foresight and leadership capabilities needed to build sustainable competitive advantage and foster a people‑centric culture. Over 20 weeks, this rigorous executive education led by Imperial’s world‑class faculty immerses participants in the latest emerging technologies—from AI and automation to blockchain and IoT—and their real‑world applications. Through in‑depth case studies of both AI successes and failures, you learn to anticipate disruption and design resilient digital strategies. By the end of the programme, you will have honed the essential skills in strategic planning, organizational change, and people leadership required to steer any organization confidently through the complexities of the digital age.

• Conducted innovative research increasing visibility and relevance of high impact protein field of intrinsically disordered proteins. • Completed PhD in Protein Science with distinction in 2.5 years, publishing 20+ peer-reviewed papers. • Elected as department representative for thesis evaluations, advocating for research integrity and standards. Contributions: • Supervised over 10 students at different levels, including PhDs • Reviewed articles for renowned journals, such as TiBS, JACS, PNAS and Biophys. Journal • Lectured Biochemistry courses - Undergraduates • Attended to ~10 conferences either as a speaker or poster presented