Profiles Professor Aaron Copley

Name: Professor Aaron Copley, Bsc, Phd

Episode appeared in: Reset

Enemy or Ally: Definite Enemy

Status: Deceased

Professor Aaron Copley, a Harvard graduate and professor of molecular pharmacology ran the Pharm.  The Pharm is a Government supported pharmaceutical research centre run by Copley, financed by a conglomerate of private and public funding from pharmaceutical companies.  They research into diseases and find cures for many of them, including diabetes and HIV, curing them completely.  The new drug seemed to miraculously return the human body back to how it used to be before the infection had manifested itself.  Called the ‘Reset’ drug, it was classed as the Miracle Cure, but what was it?

The Reset drug was in fact the larvae from an alien ‘mayfly’ that was surgically inserted into the patient’s abdomen where it technically lived off the damaged cells in the human body.  Perhaps Copley’s research had been for the good, but with all testing there’s an element of risk, and when the clinical trial patients began to experience unwanted symptoms, Copley called for local killer Billy Davis to eliminate the problem, removing all connections from the Pharm and Copley.

UNIT were alerted when seemingly healthy people were found dead and only the pin prick mark of a syringe puncture were discovered in the white of their eye, plus their NHS records completely wiped.  Martha enlisted the help of Captain Jack Harkness and Torchwood Three to investigate, and went in undercover as a clinical test patient herself at the Pharm. 

When Martha began to investigate the Pharm with Toshiko overriding the computer system back at the Hub, they discovered Copley was using more than simply humans.  Torchwood were able to gain access and discovered in large warehouses, many alien species including Weevils and a giant alien Mayfly were contained in testing chambers, producing the ‘Reset’ drug that was used on the clinical test patients.  All in the name of research!

After an escaped Mayfly put Martha in the danger zone, she found herself completely at the mercy of Copley and his Reset drug.  Copley had discovered Martha’s unique biochemistry after time spent with the travelling Time Lord – she had the perfect breeding ground for his Mayfly larvae to grow.

When Torchwood Three gained access to the Pharm and discovered the extent of his research they called for the Pharm to be shut down, permanently.  Torchwood released inert gasses to kill all the alien creatures inside and seal the research facility, destroying all Copley’s hard work within it.  Martha was rescued by Jack and Owen, who used the Singularity scalpel to destroy the larvae growing inside of her.    

Extremely angry at the loss of his research facility Copley pulled a gun on the team.  Owen Harper tried to talk him down but failed and was shot in the chest and subsequently killed!  Captain Jack retaliated and shot Copley in the head killing him instantly.