Laboratory Team

Dr Mark Whittaker (Managing Director)

Mark is the Managing Director and co-owner of APIS. He is an entomologist with a research background in crop pest biology, and has 20 years’ experience in the biopesticide industry. With a reputation for his pragmatic approach to regulatory problem solving he has particular expertise in the design and adaptation of ecotoxicology studies for microbial pesticides. He has assembled a team of uniquely talented people who make APIS one of the world’s most innovative contract research labs, and the leading regulatory consultancy for biopesticides.


Vicki Whittaker (Facility Manager)

Vicki is the Facility Manager, Director and co-owner of APIS. She has an academic background in environmental science and a post-graduate career that included financial services and intelligence coordination for the police. She is the managerial hub of APIS, with responsibility for all GLP compliance, personnel and finance matters.


Dr Catherine Morris (Regulatory Project Manager)

With an academic background in microbiology and a PhD from the University of London, Catherine joined APIS in 2016 with several years’ experience as a Study Monitoring Lead and Regulatory Scientist. She is responsible for liaising between clients, third party labs and regulatory authorities to ensure the smooth running of all our studies and regulatory projects. Catherine is also responsible for study scheduling.


Diane Raper (Quality Assurance Manager)

Having spent her whole career in GLP laboratories Diane joined APIS in 2021, bringing 20 years QA experience from leading contract research organisations. She is responsible for ensuring the GLP compliance of everything we do, from study planning and conduct through to reporting and archiving.


Jade Moakes (Senior Quality Assurance Officer)

Jade has worked for various leading contract research organisations since 2013, and has been in QA since 2017. Her expertise strengthens our already strong QA team.


Maria Lewington-Gower (Quality Assurance Officer)

Maria joined our QA unit in 2022. Previously a Study Director responsible for non-target plant studies at a leading contract research organisation, she has a strong background in quality management systems gained from both horticultural research and food manufacturing operations. Her extensive experience strengthens the existing QA expertise at APIS.


Dr Michael Ramsey (Senior Study Director)

Michael is our Senior Study Director for terrestrial ecotoxicology. He is a bee specialist with a PhD in biophysics from Nottingham Trent University, where he studied the use of novel transducer technology for the automated assessment of honeybee colony status. He brings several years’ GLP lab experience, and further strengthens our expertise in pollinator studies.


Robert Mould (Senior Study Director)

Rob is an experienced chemist who has worked in various analytical roles since 2001. He joined APIS in 2024, having spent the previous 15 years working in contract research, with his most recent experience being as a Study Director specialising in environmental fate and plant metabolism. He leads all our analytical activities, with a particular focus on method validation, metabolite screening and dose verification.


Dr James Rouse (Study Director)

James joined APIS in January 2023. He is an insect geneticist with considerable experience of working with honeybees, Drosophila species and aphids. He has conducted research into understanding the evolution of eusociality through queen-led reproductive constraint in honeybees, and the role of chromatin remodelling in controlling behavioural plasticity in male Drosophila melanogaster. Working across all disciplines, he strengthens the molecular biology and statistics expertise of the team.


Elliott Feakes (Senior Study Scientist and Apiary Manager)

Elliott has an academic background in conservation, and a passion for wildlife that has seen him looking after lions, cheetahs and crocodiles at a conservation ranch in South Africa. He provides invaluable laboratory support to our team of Study Directors across all disciplines, and is responsible for the maintenance of our three apiary sites.


Migle Horner (Study Scientist)

Migle has a first class degree in Biomedical Science and a long track record of working in client-facing roles. She works across all study types, with a special interest in qPCR and pathogen screening.


Jo Mattocks (Scientific Writer)

Jo is a multiple award-winning medical genetics graduate with a passion for scientific communication. She provides invaluable assistance to our lab team by drafting Study Plans and Final Reports.


Hannah Watson (Laboratory Assistant)

Hannah joined APIS in 2022, bringing six years’ experience in GLP contract research from a leading CRO. As a critical part of our lab team she ensures the smooth-running of all our studies by managing media preparation, reagent stocks and equipment calibration.