Maria Nichol, DPhil, is a qualified European and UK patent attorney with more than 20 years in the biotechnology industry providing commercially focused, strategic advice on IP and corporate development.  From 2006-2022 Dr Nichol was VP, Corporate Development at Galapagos, leading the IP team and a key member of the business development department.  Since leaving Galapagos, Dr Nichol has been working with a number of smaller biotechnology companies to assist with their IP strategy.  Dr Nichol graduated with an MA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge (Girton College) and a DPhil from the University of Oxford (Linacre College).