About VerIQ

Joe Dupere is the Chief Executive Officer and Director of VerIQ and an experienced life sciences executive with a proven record of building, financing, and leading innovative healthcare companies.

Over his career, Joe has raised more than £80 million in equity financing for companies he has led or advised and has successfully secured multiple non-dilutive grants.

As Co-founder and CEO of Ixaka, Joe grew the business to 75 FTEs, advancing its lead cell and gene therapy candidate to Phase 3 clinical trials. He currently serves as Interim CEO of Crucible Therapeutics and provides independent advisory support on M&A and financing transactions to life sciences companies and investors.

Previously, Joe established and led the business development group at Riemser Pharma GmbH, following a 13-year career in healthcare investment banking in New York and London, where he completed over major M&A transactions, equity and debt financings.

Joe began his career in R&D as a Group Leader in Neuroscience Discovery at GSK. He holds a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Bristol and an MBA from Cranfield University.

Professor Andy Metcalfe is Chief Medical Officer and Director at VerIQ, combining clinical leadership with deep expertise in orthopaedic surgery and translational research.

Andy is currently a Professor at the Warwick Clinical Trials Unit and an Orthopaedic Surgeon at University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire (2015–present). He plans to reduce his academic commitments to focus on leading VerIQ’s clinical and medical strategy.

As Chief Investigator on £5.9 million in NIHR-funded studies, Andy has led large-scale national and international clinical research programs across more than 60 sites worldwide, consistently achieving strong recruitment and publication in leading journals, including The Lancet (2022).

From 2017–2025, Andy has served as Theme Lead for Surgery, Pain & Rehabilitation at Warwick, managing a portfolio of over £10 million in active grants and a team of more than 40 staff. He has also been Head of Clinical Academic Training for Trauma & Orthopaedics at Warwick (2015–2025) and served as Research Lead for the British Association for Surgery of the Knee (BASK) from 2019–2023.

Andy holds a PhD from Cardiff University, where his research focused on Biomechanics and Medicine. His blend of surgical experience, academic leadership, and clinical trial expertise uniquely positions him to drive VerIQ’s evidence-based innovation in life sciences and medtech.

Charles Craddock is a Director of VerIQ and Medical Director of ACT and works closely with the TAP and IMPACT leadership teams to develop and trial new drug and transplant trials in blood cancer.

Professor Charles Craddock is Professor of Haemato-oncology at the University of Warwick and Academic Director of the Centre for Clinical Haematology at University Hospitals Birmingham. Professor Craddock is Chair of the UK Stem Cell Strategic Oversight Committee and was Medical Director of Anthony Nolan from 2010–2014. He is a past President of the British Society of Haematology. Professor Craddock’s main research interests include the development of novel drug and transplant therapies in acute myeloid leukaemia. He pioneered the development of the UK Haemato-oncology Trials Acceleration Programme and the UK stem cell transplant trials network, IMPACT. He has published more than 250 papers in peer reviewed journals. Professor Craddock was awarded the CBE for services to medicine and medical research in the 2016 New Year’s Honours list and elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2020.

Professor Edward Davis is a leading orthopaedic surgeon and recognised expert in hip and knee replacement, with a particular focus on computer navigation, robotics, and revision surgery. Based at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham, he also holds a Professorship at the University of Birmingham.

Professor Davis has been instrumental in developing and adopting advanced surgical technologies to improve precision and patient outcomes. His research spans biomechanics, data analytics, and digital health, including innovations in surgical sensors and postoperative recovery technologies.

As Research and Development Director at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital (2009–2016), he expanded the department from one staff member to 19, increasing annual research recruitment from 33 to over 1,100 patients. He now serves as the NIHR Clinical Lead for Orthopaedics in the West Midlands, supporting clinical excellence and translational research across the region.

Professor Davis collaborates with implant manufacturers to advance robotics, navigation systems, and implant design. He is also Head of Academy at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, overseeing orthopaedic education and training, and remains an active faculty member at international surgical meetings.

Josh Cartwright brings expertise in research impact, innovation management, and life sciences strategy. After completing a PhD in Chemical Biology at the University of Warwick in 2017 followed by a short postdoctoral appointment, he transitioned into professional services roles supporting research translation and strategic programme delivery.

He joined Warwick’s Research & Impact Services in 2019, contributing to the University’s REF2021 impact submission and overseeing a portfolio of case studies, several of which achieved 4* (‘Outstanding’) ratings. He also managed impact funding programmes exceeding £1.5 million.

Since 2022, Josh has been part of Warwick Innovations, where he focuses on technology commercialisation and industry engagement. He manages the MRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) and supports innovation activities across Warwick Medical School, the Department of Chemistry, and other research units.

Sarah Harkness brings extensive experience in corporate finance and investment banking, including fifteen years with NatWest Investment Bank followed by four years as a Partner at Arthur Andersen.

She currently serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees at Orthopaedic Research UK. Throughout her career, she has held numerous non-executive director and trustee positions across the health and education sectors, including six years as a Non-Executive Director of JRI Orthopaedics and as a Member of the Board of Trustees at the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges.

Most recently, she served on the Board of NHS Improvement as a Non-Executive Director and held the roles of Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the Audit Committee at the University of Sheffield. She holds an Honorary Doctorate from Sheffield University and an Honorary Fellowship at Mansfield College. She is also a published author.