Dr Nikolaos Batis is an Assistant Professor of Translational Pharmacology in Biomedical Sciences and Head of Global Engagement for the School of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation at the University of Birmingham’s College of Medicine and Health.

He obtained his PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Birmingham, following a BMedSc (Hons) in Medical Science (Pharmacology). His doctoral work focused on the allosteric pharmacology of the 5-HT3 receptor, laying the foundation for a career spanning receptor biology, drug discovery, translational oncology and biomarker science. His early research training was shaped within pharmacology and neurobiology groups at Birmingham, before progressing into translational cancer research through clinical-academic collaborations at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.

Dr Batis is a translational pharmacologist working at the interface of academic drug discovery, biomarker development and clinical implementation. His research programme focuses on oncology and precision medicine, spanning drug repurposing, rational combination therapies, PK/PD-informed preclinical strategy, and the development of prognostic and predictive biomarkers, including circulating tumour DNA and lipidomic approaches. Leveraging patient-derived tissues and advanced pharmacological methodologies, his work interrogates lipid metabolism, receptor signalling and mitochondrial function to identify clinically actionable vulnerabilities in cancer.

He has worked closely with multidisciplinary clinical and translational teams including oncologists, surgeons, pathologists, pharmacologists, bioinformaticians and industry partners. His collaborations span academic colleagues across the University of Birmingham, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, the Phenome Centre Birmingham, international academic institutions, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Through these partnerships, he has contributed to major multinational clinical and translational studies published in leading journals, and his work has informed risk stratification strategies and biomarker-led approaches in head and neck oncology.

Alongside his research, Dr Batis leads the integration of business, innovation and entrepreneurship within biomedical education. He has developed and scaled enterprise-focused curricula that connect biomedical science with real-world regulatory, investment and commercial pathways. He is the founder of the Biomedical Training Incubator, a structured programme linking discovery science, industry mentorship and enterprise skills development to enhance research readiness and employability. His educational leadership bridges academic science, clinical translation and commercial implementation.

In his role as Head of Global Engagement, he provides strategic direction for international partnerships, academic diplomacy, student mobility and global reputation initiatives. He oversees collaborative programmes across Europe and the Middle East, including engagement with the University of Birmingham Dubai, and has led cross-institutional research and education initiatives designed to strengthen international translational health networks.

Dr Batis has extensive experience leading multidisciplinary translational research teams and mentoring early-career researchers. He has served on institutional committees relating to research governance and ethics, contributing to the development of robust research integrity practices. His work integrates scientific excellence, industry relevance and global collaboration to advance impactful biomedical research, innovation and education.