Dr Kate Bishop

Medical and Dental Sciences
Deputy Director of Operations (Research Knowledge and Transfer)

Contact details

Telephone
+44 (0)121 414 3115
Email
k.bishop@bham.ac.uk
View my research portal
Address
Research and Knowledge Transfer Office
College of Medical and Dental Sciences
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Kate is responsible for delivering administrative support to the College’s broad portfolio of research and knowledge transfer activities, spanning from supporting the grant application process, to identifying new and emerging intellectual property and supporting the training and development of post-graduate researchers. 

Kate is accountable for all activity within the Research and Knowledge Transfer (R&KT) Office, which is broadly split into four teams: Research Development and Support, Post-Graduate, Training and Development, Technology Transfer and Strategic Projects and Governance. 

Kate works closely with the Director of R&KT to contribute to the College’s strategic planning process, taking joint responsibility for the establishment, implementation and management of the College’s innovative research strategy. This involves careful management of the existing research portfolio and identifying key areas for growth and development so that the College can maintain its status as a key centre for biomedical research.  

An important part of Kate’s role is external relations; this can be with a wide range of groups and individuals, including colleagues in other Colleges, research funders and external partners, in particular the NHS. Kate is an active member of a number of cross College committees and external groups.

Qualifications

  • BSc Biochemistry - 1st Class – University of Birmingham
  • PhD Biochemistry – University of Birmingham

Biography

Kate qualified with a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry from the University of Birmingham in 1999. She then went on to study for a PhD in Biochemistry before awarded a Medici Fellowship within the School of Biosciences at the University of Birmingham. The Medici Fellowship provided Kate with basic business training and an introduction to the commercialisation of biomedical research. Following her Medici Fellowship, Kate was appointed as the School of Medicine’s Business Outreach Fellow. This post was supported by the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF). Following the HEIF funding the position was established as a core funded Research Business Development Manager post, with responsibility for technology transfer, business development and the development of key strategic projects. 

During Kate’s time as the College Research Business Development Manager, she undertook a secondment to a regional investment fund. The secondment was to work as a medical bid writer, where she worked with local companies to develop their proposals to generate new medical technologies. This secondment really strengthened Kate’s experience of the development of new medical innovations. 

Kate remained in the role of Research Business Development Manager until 2010, when she was appointed to the post of Head of Research and Knowledge Transfer.