Bringing you the latest Business News updates from the science industry


by Heather Hobbs Secretary of State for Wales Visits new University Campus


progress on the £450 million development. The UK’s


leading regeneration specialist, St. Modwen, is


developing the campus with its construction partner, VINCI Construction UK, and Swansea University’s framework contractor, Leadbitter, a Bouygues UK company.


(Left to right) Sweden’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Nicola Clase; Professor Richard B. Davies, Vice-Chancellor of Swansea University; Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Iwan Davies; The Secretary of State for Wales, David Jones MP.


Secretary of State for Wales, David Jones MP, and Sweden’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Nicola Clase paid a recent visit to the site of Swansea University’s Bay Campus to observe


The new campus, which will welcome its fi rst students on site in September 2015, will provide world-class research facilities and enable the University to signifi cantly increase its ability to access research council grants and other sources of funding such as Horizon 2020. It will also provide an ‘open innovation’ environment for industry to collaborate and engage with academic expertise to help develop manufacturing products and processes and introduce new ones, contributing to the economic regeneration of the region.


In addition, the Bay Campus is providing signifi cant local employment opportunities. More than 1,100 workers have already been inducted to work on the site. There are over 200 sub-contracting opportunities, of which over 100 have already


Diamond Light Source Appoints New Chairman


Diamond Light Source, the UK’s national synchrotron science facility, has appointed Professor Sir Adrian Smith as its new Chairman. Professor Smith, who takes over from Lord Alec Broers, is a distinguished statistician with a breadth of in-depth experience in science and research, academia and politics. Currently Vice- Chancellor of the University of London and Deputy Chair of the UK Statistics Authority, Professor Smith was Director General for Science and Research at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS from 2008-2012.


Now in its eighth year of operation Diamond Light Source, a joint venture between the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and the Wellcome Trust is a world-leading scientifi c research facility, used by over 3,000 researchers in a broad range of scientifi c fi elds each year, as well as over 70 different industrial companies. Professor Smith’s appointment coincides with a rapid phase of development at Diamond, with 13 new experimental stations scheduled for delivery between 2013 - 2018, and the construction of a new cutting-edge imaging facility for the both the life and the physical sciences underway.


Professor Sir Adrian Smith (Credit: Diamond Light Source)


“I am delighted to have this opportunity to contribute to the next phase of development of Diamond, maintaining and enhancing its position as a leading-edge scientifi c facility and ensuring that the knowledge generated at the facility is widely disseminated in academe and industry, and fully exploited for the wider public good,” said Professor Smith.


Professor John Womersley, STFC Chief Executive, added: “There is wide agreement that scientifi c and technological excellenc are critical to the UK’s future prosperity in an increasingly globalised knowledge economy. These are challenging but exciting times, and Sir Adrian’s broad knowledge of political, scientifi c and Research Council demands makes him an exceptionally good choice for steering Diamond’s future course. I very much look forward to working with him again.”


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been let to companies from the Swansea Bay region and across Wales.


Ms Clase was visting the university as part of a two-day economy and growth themed visit to Wales and was able to see fi rst-hand how scientists at the University’s College of Medicine are collaborating with colleagues at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm in life sciences research and development.


Secretary of State for Wales, David Jones said: “Higher education plays an important role in driving economic growth and having employees with the right skills is essential if businesses are to grow and prosper.


Swansea University is renowned for its


impressive research programmes and the new bay campus will provide exciting new opportunities for students. I hope that this will continue to drive economic regeneration in the region and I am delighted to have the opportunity to hear about the University’s progress in this area.”


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Santander & WMG Provide Leadership Programme for SME Senior Managers


A new initiative to provide business leadership training for 20 senior managers from fast growing SMEs has been launched by Warwick Manufacturing Group, (WMG) at the University of Warwick, in partnership with Santander which has provided £40,000 in support. Mark Swift Head of SME Programmes at WMG said: “The new programme blends WMG’s longstanding experience of delivering executive education and cutting edge research with a suite of additional support from Santander’s SME Breakthrough Scheme, networking opportunities and innovative product and service technology. The emphasis of the programme is to equip the leaders of today and tomorrow with the very best tools to encourage and embed a culture of innovation. We will teach participants about the latest modes of management as well as offering hands on experience of using new technology to grow and develop a business.”


The programme consists of fi ve three days modules delivered over the course of a year covering:


The Strategic Innovation Context Leading, Managing and Building Skills Innovation, Operational Effi ciency and Quality Financial and Commercial Awareness and Funding Selling, Marketing and Reputation Management


John Williams, Head of Santander’s Breakthrough Programme said: We are delighted to support this programme, which will offer 20 individuals from growing SMEs a fantastic opportunity to transform the way they run their businesses. Santander is committed to helping UK businesses prosper and our unique Breakthrough programme helps fast-growth businesses fulfi l their potential through a programme of capital and support.”


To register an interest in the programme please email wmgsme@warwick.ac.uk or call 02476 575 594.


31411pr@reply-direct.com Arecor Receives Support for Protein Stability Platform


Arecor Ltd, a provider of formulation technology to the pharmaceutical industry, has received a Technology Strategy Board (TSB) grant in support of collaborative efforts to address challenges such as chemical degradation and heat stability in protein drugs. Working with Manchester University’s Centre of Excellence in Biopharmaceuticals, the aim is to expand Arecor’s proprietary database of protein-excipient interactions which will prevent drug degradation while expanding the company’s design formulation expertise. The outcomes will support the enabling of new drugs making self-administered medicines easier to use and also facilitate


distribution in emerging markets with limited cold chain.


Advisors on the development of this new technology that will improve healthcare provision to the third world and reduce the environmental burden of cold-chain provision include PrismTC, statistical consultants, Unilever and major pharmaceutical companies.


The formulated products market in the UK is worth around £180 bn a year. The competition is part of TSB’s commitment to invest up to £5 million in feasibility projects and collaborative research


and development to accelerate the development of new ways of designing, improving and manufacturing complex high-value formulated products in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, detergents, food, agrochemicals, paints, adhesives, lubricants and formulated process chemicals. A further £1 million is available for collaborative research and development from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).


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