Newcastle DNA firm boss receives OBE

The co-founder of a successful Newcastle DNA testing firm has collected an OBE in recognition for her services to health innovation.

Elaine Warburton, who is Group CEO of Centre for Life-based QuantuMDx, has received the New Year Honour.

The 50-year-old devoted her life to working within the health sector after watching her own mother’s battle against breast and ovarian cancer, as a child.

She said: “Receiving an OBE is such an amazing honour and recognition of one’s efforts is immensely humbling.

“Since a young age, it has always been my desire to play a role in shaping healthcare so that it delivers the very best technologies and services to anyone irrespective of where they live in the world. When my aunt married into Lord William Beveridge’s family, I read his research papers on his vision of ‘equal access to healthcare and justice for all’ that were subsequently to provide the infrastructure for Britain’s National Health Service and Welfare State founded in 1948.

“This had a profound effect on me and I realized that in order to achieve health equality the rule book had to not only be re-written, re-designed but also future-proofed.

“Whilst I have had my fair share of knocks and scrapes over the years, which have given me greater insights into successfully commercializing technologies, I have always been blessed with highly supportive and loving family and friends and wonderful colleagues, particularly within QuantuMDx, who not only share my vision but are highly inventive, hard working, full of fun and an absolute joy to work with.“

Elaine founded the biotech company in 2008 after becoming frustrated with the length of time it took to adopt new technologies.

She has set up three start-ups each addressing major health issues – Back Pain, Early Diagnosis of Cancer using genetic medicine and novel screening technologies.

Elaine’s full career that has taken her across the globe from laboratories and clinics in Europe, USA, Singapore and Africa, to nursing, to managing hospitals in England and even a stint at KPMG as a chartered accountant reorganizing the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) and gaining valuable insights into the banking, media, manufacturing and airline industry sectors.

Elaine is married to QuantuMDx’s CFO Julian (48) and has teenage sons, James (15) and Robbie (13). The whole family are cricket and field hockey enthusiasts.

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →