Dr Séamus O’Neill is the Managing Director for Liverpool Health Partners. A membership organisation acting to promote and develop the world class life sciences cluster that exists across Liverpool City Region.

With a background in research (PhD in genetics), experience of clinical research and development (with the emphasis on innovation and its adoption in healthcare systems) and 20+ years’ experience of building teams, networks and now clusters, Séamus is a senior figure within the life sciences sector in the UK.

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Séamus began his career as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist in the NHS, before doing a stint as a post-doctoral researcher on neuroblastoma with publications in NEJM and J Clin Onc. He then moved into research management at the University of Newcastle and in 2007 helped establish the NIHR Clinical Research Network in the North East.

In 2013, he co-wrote the bid for, and then set up, an Academic Health Science Network, creating one of the most successful AHSNs in the country. He went on to Chair the national network of AHSNs. 

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As Chief Executive of the Northern Health Science Alliance he was an advocate for the health and life sciences sector in the North and focused on the creation of networks for system-wide working in key strategic areas. He led on the discussions with the 11 northern Local Enterprise Partnerships resulting in a major submission to the Comprehensive Spending Review, seeking to underpin the creation of a Life Sciences Supercluster across the North. 

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Séamus has served on a variety of national groups including the NIHR awards panel for Knowledge Mobilisation fellowships, as an impact assessor in the last REF and as a committee member on the NIHR/OLS i4i Real World Evidence programme.

His passion is for building highly performing teams and nurturing the development of talent.