Mr Robert W Sutcliffe BEd

Appointed 2014. Robert Sutcliffe was educated at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, graduating from there in 1968. Having worked his way through the education system both as teacher and headteacher at schools in Bedfordshire, Rob moved to Dorset in 1985 as head of two large middle schools until his retirement in 2007. He also served as External Final Moderator for the University of Exeter, giving the final assessment on individual student’s teaching proficiency.

Rob is one of the five founding members of Leukaemia Busters and has acted as chairman of trustees since 2009. Following his long career in education Rob brings a vast wealth of experience and understanding to the board not just professionally but also as a parent with a personal experience of lymphoma. Rob has twice sailed the Atlantic, is a Board of Trade qualified Ocean Yachtmaster and for fifteen years taught navigation at all levels through Adult Education courses.

Dr David J Flavell BSc PhD FRCPath

Appointed 2014. Dr David Flavell is Emeritus Fellow in Cancer Sciences at the University of Southampton and has been a cancer research scientist for almost 50 years. He is also one of the founding members of Leukaemia Busters. David obtained his BSc in applied biology from Liverpool John Moores University in 1975 and then trained as a cancer immunologist obtaining his PhD from the University of Sheffield in 1978. His scientific interests and skills are centred on the development of antibody-based treatments for leukaemia and other blood-related cancers.

David has published numerous scientific papers in international scientific and medical journals detailing a lifetime of cancer research. He is a Fellow of The Royal College of Pathologists and was conferred the title of Honorary Fellow of the Liverpool John Moores University in 2013 in recognition of his contribution to cancer research.

Dr Sopsamorn (Bee) Flavell BSc PhD

Dr Sopsamorn Flavell is Emeritus Fellow in Cancer Sciences at the University of Southampton where she worked as a senior research fellow for 21 years as a cell biologist/immunologist specialising in leukaemia research. She earned her BSc in Medical Technology in 1973 at Thailand’s Mahidol University in Bangkok following which she pursued a PhD in Immunodiagnosis at the University of Sheffield Medical School that was awarded in 1978.
Bee is also a founding member of Leukaemia Busters and has worked alongside David for almost 50 years, the last four decades of which have been in Southampton where together in 1991 they established The Simon Flavell Leukaemia Research Laboratory located at Southampton General Hospital as a memorial to their ten year old son who died from leukaemia. From there they have pioneered antibody-based treatments for leukaemia and lymphoma becoming the first in the UK to treat children with relapsed leukaemia using an antibody-based drug which they developed. They are jointly responsible for devising and implementing the translational research programmes of the charity and the publishing of their research results in international scientific and medical journals.

Dr Andrew Lane BSc PhD

Appointed 2024. Dr Andrew Lane gained a first-class BSc in Pathobiology at the University of Reading in 1986 and then his PhD in Immunochemistry at the University of Southampton in 1989. Andy has worked with antibodies most of his working life firstly, during his PhD years where he was involved in their development for the treatment of lymphoma. He later pivoted towards commercial aspects of antibody technology working as a director for several medium sized biotech companies.

Andy is currently an independent scientific consultant providing commercial and scientific advice to Life Sciences companies in the UK and US. He brings vital skills and know-how to the charity in promoting and protecting the charity’s interests in this important area. Andy has been involved with the charity since its early days long before becoming a trustee and has supported the charity in many different ways.

Mrs Angela Lane MSc

Appointed 2024. Angela Lane began her scientific career in the 1980’s in a hospital immunology laboratory and was directly involved in the diagnosis of patients with leukaemia and lymphoma. Later, after obtaining her MSc in immunology in 1994 from the University of Portsmouth, she moved into the life sciences industry with an Oxford based biotechnology company where she had various roles in managing global commercial antibody manufacture, product development and licensing.

Angie brings a wealth of skills in these areas that are highly relevant to the charity’s needs and objectives. She, together with her fellow trustee and husband Andy, have shown long term support for Leukaemia Busters from its very beginnings in 1989.

Mr Shin Shahi BSc MIET

Appointed 2024. Shinderpal Shahi is a Senior Manager & Consultant with a diverse range of IT and digital skills who has worked with Corporates, SMEs and Charities. Shin obtained a BSc in electronics and computer engineering from the University of Essex in 1981. He has been associated with Leukaemia Busters acting as the charity’s IT adviser since the charity’s foundation in 1989 and is currently the IT manager for a large logistics company maintaining and managing their IT needs on a daily basis.

Shin brings a great deal of IT know-how and data privacy protection knowledge to the charity, vital in today’s world. His valuable skills ensure that the charity’s IT structures are kept up to date, protected and working efficiently.

Mrs Serena Devon BA

Appointed 2024. Serena Devon obtained her BA in philosophy from the University of Cardiff in 2012 whereupon she moved into commercial aspects of digital marketing. Currently she is an Industry Manager at Google where she has worked across Retail and Travel sectors, specialising in Digital Media Strategy. Prior to joining Google, Serena worked in digital marketing for London based NET-A-PORTER and Forward3D.

Serena has longstanding ties with Leukaemia Busters, fundraising from an early age for events such as The Purbeck Odyssey walks to running the Great South Run having been personally affected by leukaemia that took her brother’s life. Serena brings digital marketing skills and know-how in this area to the charity that are so vital in today’s age.

Mr Oliver Devon BA ACA

Appointed 2024. Oliver Devon obtained his BA in English Literature from the University of Cardiff in 2011 and then became President of Cardiff University Athletic Union for a year followed by a short spell at High Flyers Research for Cardiff University. Ollie then began a career in consulting with Deloitte UK where he became an ACA-qualified Chartered Accountant. Since then, he has moved to Anheuser-Busch InBev and was appointed to their board as Finance Director for Western Europe progressing to become their UK Sales Director for Convenience, Wholesale & Export in 2024.

Ollie brings a new set of valuable skills to the charity and has had strong ties to Leukaemia Busters since 2010. Ollie is a sports enthusiast and in 2022 did the RideLondon-Essex 100 cycle ride in aid of Leukaemia Busters. Prior to that he completed the London Marathon again supporting Leukaemia Busters in 2017 and plans to do so again in 2026.