Managing Director – Declan Service

Declan has over 25 years’ experience in the global medical device and pharmaceutical arena working in a wide variety of companies and disciplines with 17 of those years spent with Baxter International. Declan has excellent experience working with innovative and dynamic start-ups, guiding them through the often challenging areas of bringing their product to market successfully. Innovenn is a platform to identify, acquire and commercialise breakthrough technologies in the human surface science sector.

CSO – Dr. Richard Bojar

Richard has 30 years’ experience in fundamental skin research, skincare product development and provision of research services from within academic research groups and start-up companies.

Richard has developed specialist expertise in skin microbiology and living skin equivalent technologies, with particular emphasis on the translation of laboratory and clinical research into commercial product claims support. Richard’s wide-ranging knowledge and experience of collaborative research partnerships with many of the world’s leading skincare companies gives him unprecedented insights into how to realise the full potential of skincare technologies and product innovations.

He maintains close on-going research collaborations with a range of University Faculties and NHS Trusts and acts as a consultant to various Public Bodies and Pharmaceutical, Personal Product and Cosmetic Companies. He has also acted as Chairman Skin Research Centre, Director Leeds Foundation for Dermatological Research and Member of Leeds West Research Ethics Committee.

Production Manager – Maggie Ushendibaba

Maggie is a microbiologist with a wide a range of experience including high content screening, cell culture, skin microbiology as well as expertise in the development of Labskin. She worked as part of a multidisciplinary team to develop LabSkin as a platform for product testing as well as working to bring it to market as a commercial product.

In 2013 she took charge of the production and testing of LabSkin. More recently she has worked for a large multinational CRO where she tested drug toxicity using a HCS platform. 

Laboratory & Services Manager – John Warwick

John began his career with the Leeds Skin Centre for Applied Research after graduating from the University of Leeds in 2009. There he was part of a multidisciplinary team and took part in volunteer studies, microbiology and tissue culture. John’s role was technical manager overseeing the technical aspects of the companies ISO:17025 accreditation. John was part of the team that commercialised LabSkin and was promoted to Senior LabSkin Scientist which saw him take responsibility for the production and testing of the LabSkin skin equivalent. During this time he was involved in developing LabSkin experimental protocols.

In his recent career John has worked at the Centre for Skin Sciences in the University of Bradford where he has participated in projects involving skin pigmentation and sensitisation.