Governance & Leadership
UKABCS is governed by a Board of Trustees/Directors who oversee strategic direction, compliance, and accountability.
Organisational Structure
This structure ensures UKABCS meets full UKRI governance standards through collective leadership, transparent evaluation, and documented accountability.
Board of Trustees
Sets the overall strategy, approves policies, and ensures legal and ethical compliance. Reviews quarterly performance and endorses final decisions.
Managing Director
Implements the Board’s resolutions and oversees legal, financial, and administrative compliance within the UK.
Specialised Committees
Provide expert recommendations on specific areas: Audit & Finance → Budget control and audits. Grants Review → Peer review of funding proposals. Ethics & EDI → Ethical integrity and inclusion. Advisory → Strategic scientific input. Partnership → Collaboration and MoUs.
Decision Flow
Committees review → issue recommendations → Managing Director verifies compliance → Board of Trustees gives final approval → Operational Teams implement.
Accountability
All decisions are documented in official minutes, audited annually, and published in the UKABCS Annual Governance Report to ensure transparency.
The Board ensures that all UKABCS activities — including grants, training, publishing, and partnerships — operate ethically and in full alignment with UK company and charity governance frameworks.The Board consists of distinguished professionals and academics in biotechnology, computational chemistry, education, and governance, supported by an appointed British administrative director who oversees compliance and institutional management.
Each Trustee contributes independently to the oversight of the Association’s financial, ethical, and operational performance.
The Board meets regularly to review progress, approve policies, and monitor impact.
- Define and monitor the Association’s long-term strategic objectives.
- Oversee financial planning, ethical conduct, and programme execution.
- Approve institutional policies and evaluate committee recommendations.
- Ensure compliance with UKRI and Charity Commission governance standards.
- Supervise administrative and operational procedures under the Managing Director.
- Evaluate the annual impact of UKABCS initiatives across all sectors.
Transparency and Renewal
The Board of Trustees is renewed annually in accordance with the Association’s constitution and governance policy.
Detailed profiles of Trustees and Directors are maintained internally and made available upon request.
A summary of the Board composition is publicly displayed on the UKABCS website to demonstrate commitment to transparency and accountability.
Governance Statement
The Board of Trustees, under the leadership of Chair Dr. Israa Shamkh and Managing Director Mr. Khizar Hayat, ensures that UKABCS operates as a transparent, ethical, and globally engaged organisation — bridging science, education, and governance through integrity and collaboration.
Full Professor of Physics at the Federal University of Alfenas, Brazil. CRO Manager, Scientific Supervisor, and Editor-in-Chief. Expert in academic collaboration, computational modelling, and scientific innovation.
Lecturer at Northeastern University (USA). CRO Manager, Scientific Supervisor, and Instructor. Responsible for ethical oversight, research integrity, and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives within UKABCS.
Israa M. Shamkh is the Head of Computational Chemistry and a Full-Stack Developer at EBO Bio Solution Ltd, specialising in AI-driven drug discovery and the development of advanced computational platforms
Department of Life Sciences, Western Caspian University, Baku, Azerbaijan. Role: Oversees research progress and ensures high-quality reporting of scientific outcomes and funded projects, aligning all outputs with UKABCS grant standards.
Administrative Director responsible for legal compliance, operations, and corporate governance in the UK. Oversees registration, reporting, and alignment with UK Companies House and Charity Commission regulations.
Research Associate and Accreditation Coordinator. Oversees the academic quality of training programmes and assists in coordinating grants and research evaluations.
Committee
"Collective Leadership for a Fair and Inclusive Research Future."
Audit & Finance Committee
The Audit & Finance Committee supervises all financial governance, budgeting, and auditing activities within UKABCS. It ensures that all resources, donations, and grants are managed transparently and efficiently, in compliance with UKRI and Charity Commission standards. The committee develops financial policies, monitors expenditure, and reviews annual reports before submission to the Board of Trustees. The committee is chaired by appointed members approved by the Board of Trustees. The current composition is available upon request.
Grants Review Committee
The Grants Review Committee manages the peer-review process for all research and capacity-building grant applications. It ensures that funding decisions are made based on scientific merit, innovation, and impact. The committee operates independently, maintaining fairness and transparency at every stage of evaluation. It also advises the Board on improving the grant framework and aligning it with global research integrity principles. The committee is chaired by appointed members approved by the Board of Trustees. The current composition is available upon request.
Ethics & EDI Committee
The Ethics & EDI Committee ensures that UKABCS upholds the highest standards of ethical research practice and inclusivity. It reviews policies, training activities, and funded projects to guarantee compliance with UKRI’s research integrity and EDI standards. The committee develops frameworks that promote fairness, gender balance, and accessibility for underrepresented researchers. It also provides recommendations to the Board of Trustees regarding ethical conduct and complaint resolution procedures. The committee is chaired by appointed members approved by the Board of Trustees. The current composition is available upon request.
Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee supports the Board of Trustees by offering independent, expert advice on scientific priorities, capacity-building programmes, and research collaborations. It comprises senior academics and industry experts who contribute to shaping UKABCS’s strategic direction and innovation roadmap. The committee also assists in identifying new areas of impact, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and aligning activities with UK and international research priorities. The committee is chaired by appointed members approved by the Board of Trustees. The current composition is available upon request.
Partnership Committee
The Partnership Committee is responsible for establishing and maintaining collaborations between UKABCS and academic, governmental, and corporate institutions worldwide. It reviews new partnership proposals, memoranda of understanding (MoUs), and strategic alliances to ensure alignment with UKABCS values and long-term objectives. The committee also evaluates partnership performance and explores new opportunities for capacity-building and knowledge exchange. The committee is chaired by appointed members approved by the Board of Trustees. The current composition is available upon request.
Governance Statement Through structured meetings, collective decision-making, and strict adherence to transparency, UKABCS maintains the highest standards of governance — ensuring that every policy, partnership, and project reflects ethical excellence and scientific integrity.
All decisions within UKABCS are taken through a majority voting system, where each Trustee or Committee Member holds an equal vote.
For financial or legal matters, recommendations from the Audit & Finance Committee are submitted to the Board for final approval.
In cases involving research integrity or ethical review, the Ethics & EDI Committee provides independent assessment prior to Board endorsement.Every voting outcome and resolution is documented and signed by the Chair of the Board and the Managing Director, forming part of the Association’s official governance record.
Conflict of Interest and Abstention
Before any discussion or vote, members are required to declare any conflict of interest related to the topic under review.
Those with declared interests are permitted to contribute to the discussion but must abstain from voting.
All such declarations are logged in the official Conflict of Interest Register, which is reviewed annually.
Transparency and Record-Keeping
Meeting summaries and key policy updates are shared internally with relevant teams and, where applicable, published in the UKABCS Annual Governance Report.
This process ensures continuous alignment with UKRI principles of good research governance, fostering a culture of openness, accountability, and integrity.
The UKABCS Conflict of Interest Policy ensures all decisions are made with integrity, independence, and transparency, in line with UKRI and Charity Commission standards.
2️- Definition
A conflict of interest arises when a Trustee, Committee Member, or staff member’s personal, financial, or professional interests could influence—or appear to influence—their judgment or actions on behalf of the Association.
3️- Member Responsibilities
- Submit an annual declaration of interests.
- Disclose any potential conflict before meetings or voting.
- Abstain from participating in discussions or decisions where a conflict exists.
- All declarations are recorded in the official Conflict of Interest Register.
- The Register is maintained by the Chair of the Board and reviewed annually.
- Available for internal inspection and external audit upon request.
Failure to disclose a conflict may result in a formal review by the Board of Trustees.
All actions aim to protect the credibility and ethical reputation of UKABCS.
6️- Commitment to Transparency
By ensuring full disclosure and accountability, UKABCS upholds the highest standards of trust, fairness, and ethical governance.
The organization is committed to producing an Annual Governance & Impact Report each year, starting from 2025, to ensure full transparency, accountability, and compliance with UKRI and Charity Commission governance standards.
The first annual report — Inaugural Annual Report 2025 — will summarise:
- The establishment of UKABCS and its governance structure.
- The first round of institutional capacity-building grants.
- Key partnerships and academic collaborations initiated in 2025.
- Financial summary of in-kind donations and operational expenses.
- Progress of Committees and strategic milestones.
This page will be updated with downloadable reports and public summaries as the Association grows.
Full financial statements and due diligence documentation are maintained internally and can be shared upon request.The first public report will be published in early 2026, covering all 2025 activities.