Prime Highlights:
- Lucy Sykes, CEO of MeOmics Precision Medicine, emphasizes that women remain underrepresented at every level in STEM, calling for greater equality and support.
- MeOmics is pioneering precision psychiatry to improve treatment outcomes, especially for women, using innovative medical research techniques.
Key Facts:
- MeOmics was founded in 2021 as a spin-out from Cardiff University and focuses on addressing misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis in psychiatric care.
- The company recently secured £125,000 from Women Angels of Wales, alongside match funding from Angels Invest Wales, with additional support from existing investors and a Welsh Government grant.
Background:
On International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Lucy Sykes, CEO of Cardiff-based medtech company MeOmics Precision Medicine, spoke about the gender gap in STEM, noting that women are still underrepresented at all levels.
Founded in 2021 as a spin-out from Cardiff University, MeOmics is leading the way in precision psychiatry. The company uses stem cell-based techniques to identify biological differences among patients during drug discovery testing for conditions such as schizophrenia. By focusing on data that reflects the diversity of the population, MeOmics aims to address the historic underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis of women in psychiatry, closing gaps created by male-centric research.
“Our mission is to transform outcomes for patients who have long been overlooked, especially women,” Lucy Sykes said. “Historically, clinical trials and therapeutic development have been biased towards men. To develop effective medicines, we need data that represents the entire population.”
MeOmics recently secured a £125,000 investment from Women Angels of Wales, led by investor Sara Boltman, along with match funding from Angels Invest Wales. The funding round also included £50,000 from existing investors and followed a £25,000 grant from the Welsh Government through the Smart Flexible Innovation Support (SFIS) program.
Lucy acknowledged the challenges of leading a female-led deep-tech company in a male-dominated sector. “The world is changing, but it is still difficult. Women Angels of Wales understand the unseen barriers women CEOs face, and their support has been invaluable,” she added.
Sara Boltman, lead investor in the round, said, “There are very few female founders in deep-tech, and venture capital for women remains low. Lucy’s vision for MeOmics and her enthusiasm for precision psychiatry convinced us to support her. Match funding from Angels Invest Wales gives her more runway to achieve long-term goals and build momentum for the company.”
MeOmics’ work reflects a broader push to improve gender representation in medical research while pioneering innovative treatments that can benefit patients of all backgrounds.
