Heather Hobbs NEWS&VIEWS Bringing you the latest Business News and updates from the Science Industry UK Biobank Opened by HRH Princess Anne


The Automation Partnership’s (TAP) PolarTM sample management system at the heart of the centre, currently provides automated storage, retrieval and tracking of more than five million human blood and urine samples provided by over 300,000 voluntary participants. Funded by the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust biomedical research charity, the Department of Health, Scottish Government, Northwest Regional Development Agency and the Welsh Assembly Government, UK Biobank will be used by researchers to uncover the genetic and environmental factors that lead to a wide range of chronic, painful and life-threatening disorders, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.


During the visit staff were on hand to explained to The Princess that the engineering behind the Polar system was designed to enable it to maintain the samples at –80°C over the next 25 years. It had also been nominated as a finalist in the prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering 2008 MacRobert Award.


Princess Anne visits the UK Biobank centre


The UK Biobank facility at Cheadle, designed to store around 10 million human samples for use in clinical studies, was officially opened at the end of July by HRH Princess Anne.


Expressing his delight that the The Princess came to open the facilty, Dr Tim Peakman, Executive Director of the UK Biobank added that TAP’s “automated inventory management system will help to ensure researchers can access this premier health resource for many years to come.”


TO FIND OUT MORE CIRCLE NO. Inspection Group Acquires Emissions Monitoring Business


Environmental inspection, testing and consultancy company Scientifics Ltd, a member of the Environmental Scientifics Group (ESG), has acquired the UK Industrial Emissions Monitoring business from Bureau Veritas UK Ltd.


The new business, which will fit within Scientifics' Environmental & Safety Compliance Division, is based in Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire; employing 20 qualified and experienced personnel, its site work is backed by rigorous technical


research and development; as technical advisor to the Environment Agency, the team drafted the technical guidance document M2. The business has been established for 20 years and was a founding member of the Source Testing Association.


Division managing director Norman Sleeth, said: "This acquisition brings together two of the leading emissions monitoring businesses in the UK, giving Scientifics an unrivalled resource of qualified staff and equipment to enable us to respond quickly


and cost effectively to the needs of customers nationwide. Scientifics' enlarged Air & Emissions Division now operates out of six locations across the UK, and has the largest complement of MCERTS qualified staff of any stack testing company.


Our


success is based on a market leading service that provides technical compliance. This, coupled with high levels of dedicated customer service, communication and sound, practical advice ensures our clients receive the full support they require."


TO FIND OUT MORE CIRCLE NO. 529 Anatune Expands into HPLC with New Laboratory


Anatune, a leading UK chromatography solutions company, continues to grow with its entry into the High Performance Liquid Chromatography market. Having recently celebrated the opening of an application development laboratory costing around £334,000 the company has also recruited Paul Roberts, who worked for eight years at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science, as HPLC applications chemist.


Anatune is supported in its HPLC development by both Agilent Technologies and Gerstel GmbH.


Both companies have made significant investments in new HPLC products.


Anatune’s Technical Director, Bob Green, said: “The success of our Gas Chromatography business is based upon our ability to provide complete solutions to UK specific needs. Our customers have encouraged us to make this move into HPLC in the expectation that we will fulfil a similar role here.


Much of our


experience in automation and productivity enhancement for GC and GC-MS translates directly to LC and LC-MS, so I am confident that we have a great deal to offer.”


Paul Roberts in the HPLC application development laboratory


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Nick Cooke, COO at TAP, stated: “Designing and producing the world’s largest low temperature inventory management system was a significant challenge and we are proud to have had the opportunity to showcase the completed archive at the UK Biobank’s official opening.”


IAH Welcomes Investment


The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) have welcomed the recent announcement by the Government of over £100million investment by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) in the redevelopment of the UK’s world leading animal disease research laboratories at Pirbright in Surrey.


Professor Douglas Kell, BBSRC’s Chief Executive, said: “This new funding is a major boost for animal health research in the UK and great news for the UK scientific community. This redevelopment at Pirbright will strengthen our strategic capability to protect UK livestock and other animals – including people – from devastating diseases.”


The Government’s decision follows extensive reviews of the UK’s needs for animal health research to help ensure animal welfare and contribute to global food security. The redevelopment at Pirbright will enable implementation of recommendations arising from the


Anderson (http://archive.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/fmdrevi ew/documents/fmd_2007_review_full.pdf)


and Beringer (http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/organisation/polici es/reviews/operational/0804_iah_governan ce.html) reviews.


Professor Martin Shirley, IAH’s Director, said: “I am absolutely delighted by this news. It is a clear vote of confidence in the world class science carried out at IAH and recognises the increasing threats posed by animal diseases such as foot and mouth, bluetongue, and African swine fever, which could cause massive economic and social damage.”


An independent report by consultants DTZ estimated that IAH work on Bluetongue virus potentially saved the UK economy £485million and 10,000 jobs in 2008 alone.


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