Derek Beatty

Healthcare and medical devices have been the focus of Derek Beatty's career since 1972. Alongside running his own company, Derek is engaged in helping to improve diabetes care in the UK.

Your time at the University

I chose Edinburgh University as I lived in Edinburgh. I had school friends doing a similar biology course and we enjoyed hill climbing together and socialising. I enjoyed student fellowship and extracurricular activities: hill walking, badminton, ballroom dancing, snooker, and University Union dances. I found the lecturers in biological science, biochemistry, business studies and marketing very interesting. I went on to do a Diploma in Marketing encouraged in my first employment. The library facility was very good for private study and chatting over coffee and lunch with fellow students. It was a great experience, made me positive and eager to be successful in life and in my work and career.

Your experiences since leaving the University

My start in selling to hospital labs in Scotland and England took me into export markets and agent support in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. I then entered radiology with involvement in initial clinical research using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) in neurology, musculoskeletal, cardiac, and spectroscopy applications. This led to the introduction of Europe’s first Mobile MRI Scanner in the UK. This experience provided an opportunity in ophthalmology laser technology.

Illness in 1994 led to my research into diabetes treatments since the discovery of insulin in 1922 by Frederick Banting, Charles Best and John Macleod.

In the last 20 years I have owned and run my own company supplying nebulisers and worked with diabetes charities on a voluntary basis to help improve diabetes care in the UK. I am respected for my knowledge and involvement in diabetes working with others in the field.

Alumni wisdom

...[Be] confident, use your past to look to the future, believe in what you do, praise others, assess opportunities, and help build a better world.

Use your knowledge and qualification to promote and sell yourself, your product/service and your organisation, keep positive despite hurdles, listen, read and learn from others, have sound foundations in what you know and say, be confident, use your past to look to the future, believe in what you do, praise others, assess opportunities, and help build a better world.

Related links

School of Biological Sciences

University of Edinburgh Business School

Diabetes Research Information – Facts for Treatment (external link)

Schill Medical - nebulisers and aerosol therapy treatment (external link)