Dr Sally Ann Forsyth, CEO of Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, has thanked her colleagues and collaborators after being awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours list.

She said: "It is a great honour and privilege to be awarded an OBE. I am passionate about the translation of leading UK science into world-leading innovations that improve people's lives.

"I am immensely grateful to all the colleagues and collaborators that I have worked with over the years for all of their support, generosity with their expertise and hard work to achieve this."

After earing a PhD in molecular biology from Cambridge, Sally Ann joined Unilever as a management trainee, and after progressing within the company joined Goodman International as director of science parks.

She has been responsible for the strategy, growth and development of leading UK science parks including Colworth Science Park, Harwell Oxford, Norwich Research Park and most recently Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst (SBC).

SBC chair Professor Jackie Hunter said: “Huge congratulations to Sally Ann. She is an outstanding leader and a role model for women in science.

"This is a well-deserved honour that recognises her pioneering role to create some of the UK’s most important science clusters”

Sally Ann is also a director of the Hertfordshire Local Economic Partnership (LEP), a board member of the Stevenage Development Board and is a former director of the UK Science Park Association (UKSPA), UK Smart Specialisation Hub, Oxfordshire LEP, Norwich Business School and the Quadram Institute.

She has presented to a number of parliamentary select committees and served on government advisory boards for both science and business.

Minister for Life Sciences Nadhim Zahawi said: “The UK’s thriving start-up and scientific research communities are the envy of the globe – they play a crucial role solving some of society’s biggest challenges and fuelling economic growth.

“Under Sally Ann’s leadership, science parks across the UK are bringing these brilliant minds together to develop vital therapies to treat, prevent and even cure diseases. I commend her on this well-deserved accolade.”