The Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences (CELS), the organisation set up to drive growth in the region's healthcare sector, has made two appointments.

KENNY LANG has been appointed director of business incubation and MIKE NICHOLDS as director of programme delivery.

Mr Lang, 50, joins with more than 20 years' experience in the bioscience sector and has moved to the North-East from a Cambridge bioscience firm.

Mr Nicholds, 45, also has more than 20 years experience in life sciences and joins from North-East company Avecia Biotechnology.