| Citation | George Poste is one of the world's outstanding research leaders in the area of health care research and development. A distinguished scientist, with over 300 papers to his credit, his research on tumour cell heterogeneity and on the generatiuon and control of cellular diversity within malignant tumours, together with his work on microvascular permeability, was highly influential in eliciting a conceptual shift in the approach to therapeutic strategies and in the development of new drup delivery systems. He was one of the 250 most cited authors in the life sciences during the period 1975-1985.
Following a move from academia, first in the UK and then in the US, into industry, he progresse rapidly to become world-wide President of Research and Development, SmithKline Beecham (SB). Poste has been a powerhouse in ensuring that through the use of innovative science, SB has moved to the international forefront. The company now leads the pharmaceutical world in genomics and bioinformatics and in the number of new drugs and vaccine launched since 1990. All are based on technological innovation. Poste is an unflinching supporter of basic science and engineering: lively, enquiring and challenging to his laboratory colleagues and unafraid to speak out publicly in support of the need for the UK to enhance its publically funded research base in universities and institute. He has implemented major actions to strengthen the technology base in the UK, has created over 600 new R&D posts, has very substantially expanded academic collaborations, and is the founding Patron of the Bioindustry Association. The SB decision to build a major new £250 million R&D facility at Harlow owes most to Poste's tenacity, determination and endeavour. |