Deborah A. O’Neil, OBE, Ph.D., FRSE

Deborah A. O’Neil, OBE, Ph.D., FRSE

NovaBiotics

Deborah A. O’Neil, OBE, Ph.D., FRSE, has over 2 decades of experience developing novel therapies based on innate immune effector molecules. O’Neil received her Ph.D. in immunology from University College London. She then worked in postdoctoral positions in San Diego and Ghent, before moving to the University of Aberdeen’s Rowett Research Institute, where she founded NovaBiotics. The business has developed a portfolio of first-in-class solutions to life-threatening and life-limiting healthcare challenges associated with fungal, bacterial and viral infections, spanning preclinical to phase 3 and pre-commercial candidates.

O’Neil is a board member of the U.K.’s BioIndustry Association and a director of the BEAM Alliance. O’Neil also chairs the U.K.’s Cystic Fibrosis AMR Syndicate and is a Scottish Life Sciences Association board member. In addition, she is chair of the Life Science Board of Opportunity Northeast and BioAberdeen Ltd. 

O’Neil is a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. She was made an honorary professor of the University of Aberdeen in 2023 and awarded an honorary doctor of science by Robert Gordon University in 2022. Deborah was made OBE in 2020 in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to biotechnology, industry and charity.