Mariana Edwards
Biotechnology Officer
Mariana combines scientific literacy, regulatory context, and industry and venture insights to explore emerging, fast-moving technologies and support policymakers in charting the future of biotechnology.
A goal-driven researcher at heart, Mariana began her path at UC San Diego and the Netherlands Institute of Neuroscience, investigating topics ranging from protein signalling to the neurobiology of early-life adversity and empathy. Driven to translate ideas into impact, she joined NLC – The European Healthtech Venture Builder, where she evaluated early-stage therapeutics and launched biotech ventures.
Recognising regulation as a critical bottleneck for innovators, she joined the European Medicines Agency’s Innovation Task Force and explored how regulation and policy keep pace with emerging technologies. There, she authored a Horizon Scanning report on New Approach Methodologies and published two first-author articles in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery exploring tech trends and policy. She also contributed to EU health policy at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre.
Mariana holds degrees in Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences from the University of Bath and the University of Amsterdam.