Edinburgh Napier University

Janet Downie is the Chief Executive of RoslinCT, a leading Cell and Gene Therapy/ATMP Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation based in Edinburgh. Since RoslinCT was set up in 2015, Janet has significantly grown and developed the company which now delivers life changing therapies to patients globally.

Janet is originally from Ardnamurchan in the North West of Scotland and went to secondary School in Lochaber High, Fort William. She then moved to Edinburgh to study and graduated from Edinburgh Napier in 1994 with a BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences. She started her career in the industry and joined Inveresk Research where she was a Study Director, focused on genetic toxicology and microbiology. Having developed an interest in Quality System and Good Manufacturing Practice, she then took on a Quality role within PPL Therapeutics - a small biotech developing a treatment for Cystic Fibrosis with transgenic sheep. Janet then went on to lead the GMP QA Team within Charles River Laboratories before joining Roslin Cells in 2007 - a start-up company spun out of the Roslin Institute, producing clinical grade stem cells. Janet grew the team and set up the quality, operational and business systems within Roslin Cells and was Chief Operating Officer for the company before going on to spin out RoslinCT in 2015.

Janet is a member of the BIA Cell & Gene Therapy and Manufacturing Committees and was also a member of the UK Task force for ATMP Manufacturing and the External Advisory Board supporting the Covid-19 Vaccine Taskforce.

Janet has a passion for developing strong teams and providing a high-quality service, particularly within the exciting and rapidly expanding field of cell and gene therapies. She has a real appreciation of the impact of therapies on patients, both the huge benefits and the need for patient safety. She has recently completed the training required to support her becoming a Qualified Person.

People and skills development are at the heart of RoslinCT and Janet has recently lead a successful bid with the Scottish Centre for Advanced Therapies Skills Training a partnership with Edinburgh Napier, Scottish Universities Life Science Alliance, Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre and Ayrshire College, to deliver training across the ATMP and Vaccine Manufacturing Sector as part of the ATSTN to support the rapid growth of the sector within the UK.

Having been brought up next to the sea, Janet has a love of all things to do with boating, sailing, fishing and being around the water. She also has a passion for animals and enjoys being surrounded by her golden retrievers and cats.