Leila Shepherd is a healthcare technology leader with over 20 years of experience across the private sector, the NHS and academia. She has led multidisciplinary teams to develop and scale innovative digital and diagnostic products.

Her career includes serving as chief technology officer of a molecular diagnostics spin out that licensed its technology to two of the world’s largest life science tools companies, advising med tech and life science organisations on digital innovation strategy at McKinsey, and delivering national programmes within the executive management team at NHS Digital.

At the Helix Centre, she leads an inter-disciplinary team developing products and services that address major health challenges, specifically focused on prevention, community and addressing health inequity.

She has a PhD in electronic engineering, holds multiple patents, and has published widely on analytical techniques now used in rapid DNA sequencing and diagnostics.