A meeting with Aberdeen University’s head of genetics at the time Professor Bill Harris, who was convinced of the need to commercialise research, persuaded Andy Porter to quit his job in the south nearly two decades ago.
He had been working at the renowned Rothamsted Research Institute, in Hertfordshire, researching ways of making oilseed rape more resistant to pests and disease.
Prof Porter, 47, said: “It was a huge gamble moving from Rothamsted to Aberdeen as I was moving from plant science, where I had a permanent job, to the entirely different field of medical science and to a contract position.
“But I wanted to get into antibody engineering, which involves using antibodies, together with our immune system, to deliver new and natural drugs that are safer and better at treating medical conditions such as cancer, inflammation and infection.
“This kind of work is also known as biologics drug discovery.”
Some 18 years have passed since Prof Porter, who graduated in botany from St Andrews University and with a PhD in plant biochemistry from Reading University, moved to the Granite City.
Back then, life-science research (which takes in biologics) was of extremely high calibre within academia, and remains so, but there was not the vibrant commercial sector that is burgeoning in Grampian today.
As a result, Aberdeen was suffering from a brain drain, with many of its young commercially driven scientists leaving for Cambridge.
Nowadays the picture could not be more different. Aberdeen is the second largest centre for biologics drug discovery in the UK behind Cambridge.
Aberdeen also boasts more life scientists per head of population than any other city in Europe.
Prof Porter and a team at Aberdeen University played no small part in the local life-science explosion.
Seven years ago he was one of the founders of university spin-out company Haptogen, a drug discovery business aiming to engineer antibodies to create more tailored and less toxic treatments for diseases such as “super-bug” infections, liver fibrosis and cancer.
He said: “When we first established Haptogen it was to prevent the brain drain, but our timing was perfect and exceeded all our expectations as we became part of a biologics revolution.”
The success of Haptogen caught the attention of one of the world’s biggest drug companies, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Just five years after Haptogen was launched, Wyeth acquired the company in a deal thought to be Scotland’s largest for a life-science spin-out, although the value of the deal – thought to be worth £25million – remains undisclosed.
Benefactors included the founding science team, chief executive Jim Reid, who has now left, Aberdeen University, Scottish Enterprise and Haptogen staff.
Prof Porter’s family had a reported 24% stake in the business.
First Minister Alex Salmond came to the university for the handover. At the time, he said the move confirmed Scotland's position among the vanguard of life sciences and Aberdeen's growing reputation as a hub for life-science expertise.
It also meant Aberdeen became the only region of Scotland to boast a big pharma research and development facility because Wyeth, now in the process of being taken over by the world’s largest drug group Pfizer for about £48.6billion, moved into the university’s health campus at Foresterhill.
Prof Porter said: “The Haptogen acquisition was a win for those who founded it, a win for Aberdeen University and fantastic news for life sciences in Grampian.
“Having a top 10 pharma research and development presence in Aberdeen is tremendous for the city and is also the cornerstone for further expansion of the life-science business cluster on the Foresterhill site.”
After a successful sale, Prof Porter could have rested on his laurels.
Instead the professor of biotechnology, with two of Haptogen’s co-founders – Keith Charlton and Gill Strachan – set up Grampian Bio Partners (GBP), an investment company focused on early-stage life-science businesses mainly in Scotland.
Prof Porter said: “So far we have invested around £500,000 in seven companies, and expect there will be more in future.
“GBP’s commitment provides a tick in the science box for other potential investors. We have helped our portfolio companies bring in at least £10million in finance.
“Perhaps one of the most exciting prospects we have helped is Novabiotics, which was spun out from the Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health in Aberdeen, and in February this year won the BioIndustry Association’s Rising Star Award.
“The company is about to take its first drug – for a medical condition that has a market worth more than £3.5billion annually – into clinical trials.”
Prof Porter has not just got the scientists of today in his sights. He is working with university colleagues to develop tomorrow’s “business savvy” scientists.
He said: “Thanks to the success of TV shows like Dragons’ Den and The Apprentice, people are far more aware of the need to have a good business training.
“Now students at Aberdeen in a range of medical-science degrees can build a brand new biobusiness programme into their studies, which gives them an insight into the life-science industry and lets them see if they could run their own biotech company.”
Prof Porter could also soon be toasting success in yet another sector.
He said: “I’m about to embark on an entirely new business venture. I’m investing in a brand new late-night venue.
“The intention is to bring some of Edinburgh’s George Street chic into the heart of Aberdeen.”