Deep Science Ventures

Maya Thanou is a professor of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, at the School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, at King's College London. Maya has over 20 years of experience in nanomedicine, she has authored over 120 scientific articles and chapters and is a co-inventor on 10 patents/patent applications. Her research focuses on activatable drug delivery systems using imaging and non-invasive interventions such as focused ultrasound.



Maya is the CEO of a King’s College London spinout Apeikon Therapeutics. Apeikon's technology aims to make novel solutions for hard-to-treat tumors. Her research focuses on activatable drug delivery systems using imaging and non-invasive interventions such as focused ultrasound. Maya has also co-founded the startup AJMmed-i-caps which develops diagnostics for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.



Buz Barstow received his MSci in Physics from Imperial College, London where his research concentrated on quantum optics, plasma physics and table-top nuclear fusion. He received his Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Cornell University under the direction of Sol Gruner, where he demonstrated the direct correlation of protein structure and function using high-pressure X-ray crystallography. As a postdoctoral fellow in Pamela Silver’s laboratory at Harvard Medical School, he focused on the evolution of biological hydrogen production and the engineering of electroactive bacteria, and as a research fellow at Princeton Chemistry he developed the Knockout Sudoku technique for rapidly building whole genome knockout collections to characterize the genetics of biological capabilities for sustainable energy. As an assistant professor at Cornell, Buz is applying structural, systems and synthetic biology to the problems of energy and sustainability. Buz is a recipient of William Nichols Findley Award, NIH National Research Service Award, and Burroughs-Wellcome Career Award at the Scientific Interface and a finalist for the Gregorio Weber International Prize in Biological Fluorescence.

Head of Venture Science Doctorate Programme at Deep Science Ventures.

As the Director Pharma at Deep Science Ventures, I lead the creation and development of novel therapeutics for unmet medical needs. With over 10 years of experience in oncology, signal transduction, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical markets, I bring a unique combination of skills and expertise to the role. I have a PhD in Tumour Immunology from Imperial College London and an MBA from Bayes Business School, where I received the Women in Business Award.



I am passionate about applying data analysis, molecular biology, and business acumen to solve complex problems and generate impactful solutions. I have successfully launched and managed Antiverse, a spin-out company that uses AI to predict antibody-antigen binding. I have also established and maintained strategic partnerships with universities, research institutes, and industry players, such as Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult and Abbvie. I have been recognized with multiple awards and certifications for my collaboration and innovation skills. I thrive in highly pressurised and challenging environments, where I can lead and empower a diverse and talented team.

Pharma Team at Deep Science Ventures | Oxford PhD & Clarendon Scholar.



Leading the scoping of inflammatory disease and cancer; driving the creation of ventures in areas of unmet need, in partnership with AbbVie Ventures, Cancer Research Horizons (CRUK) and the Children's Tumor Foundation.

Professor of Systems and Synthetic BiologyCell & Developmental Biology at University College London.



2005: PhD High Energy Physics, Imperial College London;

2005: PDRA, LHCb experiment, CERN/Imperial College London;

2006: PDRA, CNV group, Matt Hurles, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute;

2009: PDRA, Theoretical Systems Biology, Michael Stumpf, Imperial College London;

2012: Wellcome Trust RCD Fellowship, Lecturer, Cell and Developmental Biology, UCL;

2015: Provost Teaching Award;

2016: Reader of Systems and Synthetic Biology, UCL;

2019: Professor of Systems and Synthetic Biology, UCL;

2021: Turing Fellow, Alan Turing Institute.

Director at The Advanced Plant Growth Centre.



Experienced Chairperson with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. Skilled in Biotechnology, Life Sciences, Science, Analytical Chemistry, Phytochemistry, Pharma and supply chains employing nature derived materials. Strong business development professional graduated from The University of Dundee.

As the Head of Business Development and Venture Portfolio, Pharma at Deep Science Ventures (DSV), I have over 15 years of experience in the biotechnology sector, with a focus on intellectual property (IP), technology transfer, deal-making and fundraising. I lead the creation and support of cutting-edge new ventures in the therapeutics arena, from ideation to launch, leveraging my extensive network and expertise in the industry.



At DSV, I work with a diverse and talented team of scientists, entrepreneurs, and investors to seize crucial opportunities and redefine industries. Our vision is to produce “Holy Grails” – companies that will radically transform their sector with curative solutions for unmet medical needs. I provide support to our portfolio companies in business development, IP strategy, and fundraising, helping them navigate the complex and competitive landscape of biotech innovation. I am passionate about building and backing science companies that can make a positive impact on society and human health.

Angel holds a BSc in Biology from the Universidad de Puerto Rico–Mayagüez and a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He has dedicated most of his career to fundamental and applied plant biotechnology research, focusing on enhancing crop productivity, adding value traits, and developing R&D pipelines. Before joining Deep Science Ventures (DSV), Angel was the Project Leader in Plant Molecular Genetics at the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center (HARC), leading the gene-editing research and development pipeline for tropical crops, and a research faculty at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, researching the molecular networks driving plant growth and development. He is an Associate in Agriculture at DSV, creating ventures in deep-agri tech centered on achieving sustainable agriculture and ecosystem services outcomes.

Deep Science Ventures is creating a future where humanity and the planet

thrive, combining available scientific knowledge and founder-type scientists into high-impact ventures. Deep Science Ventures operates in 4 sectors: Agriculture, Climate, Computation and Pharmaceuticals, tackling the challenges defining those areas by taking a first-principles

approach and partnering with leading institutions.



We are launching a new PhD program - the Venture Science Doctorate (VSD) - tackling the critical bottleneck in science commercialisation: Talent. I am Project Leader for the VSD, a venture-focused, truly inclusive PhD program.



My doctoral research combined novel biomarkers and neural networks to predict immune responses, with GSK. I went on to launch Scotland’s first venture builder. I've worked with government agencies, leading universities and venture builders on the VSD. My work is supported by the Schmidt Futures Innovation Fellows program.

As co-CEO, I jointly lead the skills charity Tech She Can - working to increase the number of women in tech roles, making technology work for all. As a woman in tech, a returner, a physicist and a mum, I’m super passionate about innovation, parity and equality in the workplace, and STEM education and research.



I also support the creation of deep-tech science companies as Venture Partner at Deep Science Ventures where I’m developing a new flavour of PhD: the Venture Science Doctorate - diversity-first and venture-led.



In 2022 I was short-listed for Computer Weekly’s ‘Top 50 Most Influential Women in Tech’ and am a member of the Institute of Coding’s Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Board.



My background is in innovation and commercialisation in research-intensive environments, spanning universities, government and business. I’ve led multi-£million acquisitions, such as iKinema by Apple; developed the vision and strategy for Imperial College London’s White City £3bn 23-acre innovation district; and operated the #1 global university business incubator. With in-depth knowledge of innovation ecosystems - universities, industrial and government research labs, incubators, accelerators, spin-outs, start-ups and scale-ups - I’ve worked across digital, smart infrastructure, space, security and defence.



My previous Board positions include the Surrey Research Park Board, the Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership Innovation Board, the Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership Space Board, the Surrey Nano Systems Board, the SETSquared Management Board, and the Imperial-Hammersmith and Fulham Council Partnership for Growth, Enterprise and Innovation Board.



I completed my Masters in Physics at the University of Warwick. I hold a PhD in Astroparticle Physics from Imperial on the direct detection of dark matter, conducted in a working mine 1km underground.