Invited Speaker: John Vardakis, Co-Founder & CSO at Science Card

May 23, 2024

We are thrilled to invite John Vardakis to speak at our EPSRC DRIVE-Health CDT's summer symposium next month. John joins us from Science Card to talk about "Exploring the Frontier: The future of GenAI Investments and Collaborations in Industry and Academia."

John Vardakis, PhD, has a diverse work experience, primarily in the field of scientific research. John is currently serving as the Head of Science Card Investment Group at Science Card, where they are involved in innovative banking. Previously, they worked as a Research Scientist at the University of Glasgow, where they focused on simulation-driven microelectromechanical systems design. John also worked as a Research Scientist at INSERM, investigating tumor mechanics and vascular fractality quantification. At the Center for Computational Imaging & Simulation Technologies in Biomedicine (CISTIB), they conducted research in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular biomechanics. Their work at UCL involved computational modeling of dementia and image-guided neurosurgery for epilepsy. John completed their DPhil in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oxford, where their research focused on fluid transport in the brain. John also gained experience in the fields of vascular diagnosis and market research at the University of Heidelberg and P2i, respectively. Additionally, they worked as a Mechanical Engineer at Enactus and completed a placement at King's College London's Centre for Robotics Research.


John Vardakis, PhD has a strong educational background in engineering and innovation. John obtained their Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) degree in Mechanical Engineering from King's College London in the years 2005 to 2008. John then pursued further education at the University of Oxford, where they completed the Centre for Doctoral Training in Healthcare Innovation from 2009 to 2010. Following this, they earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Biomedical/Medical Engineering from the University of Oxford from 2010 to 2014. During their time at Oxford, they also pursued a diploma in Strategy & Innovation (Science Innovation Plus programme) from Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, from 2011 to 2012.


In addition to their academic degrees, John Vardakis has obtained additional certifications. In December 2010, they received a Mathwork Training Certificate for completing the "Deploying MATLAB Based Applications - .NET Edition" course. John also obtained another Mathwork Training Certificate in December 2010 for completing the "MATLAB Programming Techniques" course.


Registration is required, please email drivecdt@kcl.ac.uk for further event details.


Our annual Symposium is a one-day face-to-face event for all DRIVE-Health students, academic supervisors, stakeholders and partners.  Our aim is to discuss translating scientific and technological innovations in AI and data science, from research to clinical practice and commercial enterprise.


The symposium will feature keynote talks, panel discussions, and poster presentations showcasing cutting-edge research and successful case studies. We will also celebrate our coming together with networking drinks at the end of the symposium.


The EPSRC DRIVE-Health Centre for Doctoral Training is training the next generation of PhD health data scientists to become the innovation leaders of tomorrow. Our students work within an active NHS environment, and develop new models of data-driven care, whilst leveraging significant recent investment and infrastructure in Health Data Research within the UK.


By registering for this event, you give consent to provide your name, e-mail address and registration information with King's College London for the purposes of managing the EPSRC DRIVE-Health CDT's Summer Symposium. Your personal data will be managed by those organisations and by Eventbrite according to their published privacy policies.



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May 18, 2026
We are delighted to welcome Luis Garcia-Gancedo , Executive Director and Head of Digital Medicine at GSK , to speak at our symposium and partner showcase next month. Luis will deliver his talk “Digital Medicine in Clinical Development: Innovation at the Industry-Academia Interface " Abstract: Digital Medicine is transforming clinical trials, with wearable devices, digital endpoints, decentralised trial technologies and AI-driven insights already integrated into many clinical development programmes. This presentation will provide an overview of the current landscape and will discuss the opportunity for industry-academia collaborations to overcome existing barriers (including evidence generation to support validation and regulatory acceptance) to propel the field forward for the benefit of patients. Date and Time: Thursday 11 June 2026, 10:00 hrs (BST) Location: The Science Gallery London, Guy's Campus Tickets are free, please register as spaces are limited : https://buytickets.at/kingsepsrcdrivehealthcentrefordoctoraltrainingindatadrivenhealth/2143742 Biography Luis Garcia-Gancedo is an Executive Director and Head of Digital Medicine at GSK. In this role, he streamlines the consideration of digital health technologies in GSK’s respiratory, immunology and inflammation clinical trials, transitioning from an opportunistic to a strategic approach for developing and deploying novel digital solutions that address key clinical development challenges. Prior to his current role, he was with AstraZeneca, GSK, and the University of Cambridge. Luis holds a BSc/MSc in Physics, a PhD in Engineering and an Executive MBA.
April 28, 2026
Bridging Academia and Industry: Turning Health Data into Health Solutions Please join us for the EPSRC DRIVE‑Health CDT Summer Symposium & Partner Showcase 2026 , a two‑day event dedicated to bridging academia and industry and accelerating the journey from health data research to real‑world solutions. This year’s theme, “Bridging Academia and Industry: Turning Health Data into Health Solutions", brings together our vibrant community of students, King’s academics, industry partners, clinicians and policymakers to explore how collaboration can unlock new insights, innovation and impact across health and care. Event details 📅 11 & 12 June 2026 📍 Science Gallery London, Guy’s Campus, King’s College London, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9GU Timings: ⏰ 10:00–16:00 each day ☕ Refreshments available from 09:30 👉 Please be seated by 09:50 for a prompt 10:00 start Please secure your place here: Register Now Programme highlights KEYNOTE ✨ Dr Luis Garcia‑Gancedo , Executive Director & Head of Digital Medicine – Respiratory, Immunology & Inflammation, GSK INTERACTIVE DEBATE ✨ Student‑led interactive debate exploring AI within the context of the event theme: “Bridging Academia and Industry: Turning Health Data into Health Solutions.” PANEL DISCUSSION & POSTER JUDGING ✨ “What does industry actually need from health data PhDs - and how can industry partner with academia for maximum impact?” Panelists confirmed so far: Dr Laura Acqualagna , Director of AI/ML Engineering, GSK R&D Dr Chris Callaghan , Consultant Transplant Surgeon, Guy’s Hospital Dr Nina Sesto , CEO & Co‑Founder, MEGI Health Dr Srinivasan Vairavan , Director of Data Science & Digital Health, JNJ Innovative Medicine R&D, and Visiting Adjunct Faculty, King’s College London Dr Nicolas Huber , Director, King’s Innovation Catalyst PLUS ✨ Student lightning talks (across both days) ✨ 3‑minute Student Spotlight Slides (across both days) ✨ Poster showcase & networking session (Friday) ✨ Prizes for outstanding contributions (Friday) Please secure your place here: Register Now If you are no longer able to attend the event, please email drive-health-cdt@kcl.ac.uk so that we can reallocate to our waiting list.