Isomerase Strengthens Leadership Team by Appointing Three New Associate Directors

Isomerase has strategically appointed three new associate directors to strengthen their leadership team as they continue to grow.  Dr Richard Reumerman, Dr Marin Sim and Dr Annabel Murphy will lead up the process innovation function, biology function and chemistry teams respectively, each bringing years of academic and industrial expertise.

Richard Reuerman – Associate Director of Process Innovation Function

Richard brings a wealth of experience in microbial genetics, chemistry, biocatalysis and bioprocess innovation, having been a key part of Isomerase for over a decade. Throughout his tenure, he has expanded his scientific skillset, working across a broad range of microorganisms while also playing a pivotal role in strengthening the company’s IP portfolio. He has a keen interest in leadership and cross-functional collaboration. 

Richard’s approach to innovation is driven by curiosity, creativity and collaboration, making him a great addition to the Process Innovation team. We are excited to see his impact to this new role and look forward to the innovation he will help drive. 

Marin Sim – Associate Director of Biology Function

Martin joined Isomerase eight years ago, moving to Cambridge from Newcastle, where he completed his Postdoc project. His PhD focused on bacterial genetics and fermentation at the Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology. He brings extensive expertise in microbial strain engineering and recombinant protein expression.

Martin will manage the Biology function team, focusing on continual improvements to our services and offerings. He aims to drive quality and deliver data of maximum interest to our partners in the shortest time. Martin will further the application of our machine learning-guided offering, EvoSelect®, integrating it with our ProteoSynth® cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) service. He will also coordinate and encourage innovations through our internal R&D work.

Martin values a great work-life balance, where each day is different and enjoyable. He thrives in a diverse team united by scientific curiosity and interest. Martin is motivated by helping our partners through adaptability and feedback on project successes and challenges. He also enjoys seeing younger scientists develop in their education and careers, which is why he takes pleasure in supervising visiting interns.

Annabel Murphy – Associate Director of Chemistry

Annabel has worked in natural products research for 20 years, starting as a synthetic chemist before finding her real passion in understanding and manipulating their biosynthesis; a field that is revealing the enormous potential toolkit Nature offers us as biocatalysts. 

Annabel was drawn to the field by the potential that biocatalysis and engineered microbial fermentation have to revolutionise chemical manufacture; offering more sustainable processes based on renewable carbon feedstocks. She carried out post-doctoral research in the labs of several pioneers, including Tom Simpson and Peter Leadlay, picking up new skills in biology while expanding her analytical and preparative chemistry skills. 

“In recent years, biocatalysis and fermentation has increasingly established itself as a viable alternative to classical synthetic chemistry processes and Isomerase is a leader in this area, so when jumping from academia to industry, Isomerase were the perfect fit for me”. 

During her 7 years at Isomerase, Annabel has worked on a wide variety of client projects with a common theme of harnessing microorganisms to access new chemical targets or processes and she is excited to continue enhancing our capabilities and driving success for our clients. 

To learn more about each of our associate directors please visit us here or contact us.