The latest Business updates from the science industry
by Heather Hobbs
Cryoprotectants set to change Cell-Freezing Market
therapy markets. It will build on research emerging from Professor Matthew Gibson’s laboratories, based in both the Department of Chemistry and Warwick Medical School at the University, which has been studying how organisms survive in the Earths coldest environments. The data has been used to develop macromolecular cryoprotectants which allow more cells to survive the freezing process and to replace the organic solvents used in traditional cell-freezing methods.
Professor Matthew Gibson (Credit: University of Warwick)
CryoLogyx, a University of Warwick
spin-out, has been awarded £300k from Innovate UK to develop cryopreservation agents with applications in the diagnostic, medicines
discovery and cell-based
The polymer cryoprotectants can give up to 4 times increase in the number of recovered cells and have been shown to work in a range of cell types. CryoLogyx will use this platform technology to transform emerging, advanced, cell based therapies, simplify the medicines development process and aid supply chains.
Matthew Gibson, Professor at the
University of Warwick and Co-founder and Chief Scientifi c Offi cer of the company said: “This is a really exciting time to enter
the cryopreservation market. New cell- based therapies are transforming oncology and recent news around the challenges of distributing COVID-19 vaccines highlights how protecting biologics at low temperature is essential in modern medicine. For the past decade we have studied how we can use polymers as innovative cryoprotectants and CryoLogyx will take these forward to develop new products.”
Dr Thomas Congdon, Co-founder and Chief Executive Offi cer added: “We are delighted to have been awarded Innovate UK funding to commercialise our research and begin delivering real value and innovation to the cell research and therapy sector. Effective commercial cryopreservation solutions are imperative for the discovery and deployment of new medicines. We are excited about growing CryoLogyx and engaging with the users of our technology.”
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Renal Specialist named ‘Peoples Choice’ at Scottish Health Awards
Kidney specialist Dr Mun Woo, Inverclyde Royal Hospital’s renal unit, was acknowledged for her crucial work during coronavirus outbreak when announced as winner of the new ‘People’s Choice’ of the 2020 virtual Scottish Health Awards. The award category was sponsored by Scottish PPE manufacturer Alpha Solway, part of the Globus Group which has over a 25-year history of producing PPE equipment for healthcare and industry.
Dr Woo was selected from a strong shortlist of seven fi nalists, who were all praised for the care extended to patients in face of extreme demands brought by the pandemic.
Dr Woo’s renal unit was the fi rst in Scotland to suffer an outbreak of COVID-19, which left the facility at dangerously low staffi ng- levels and high-risk patients extremely vulnerable. Dr Woo rapidly set up vital infection control measures and also concerned for her patients’ mental wellbeing, she encouraged re-introduction of the hospital’s creative arts programme to combat low morale.
Dr Woo said: “I am totally overwhelmed and privileged to be voted as winner of the Alpha Solway People’s Choice Award. Like everybody nominated for this prestigious award, my team and I have made personal sacrifi ces during the pandemic. This has involved keyworkers showing tremendous selfl essness, dedication and wholehearted commitment to looking after patients in the NHS, residents in care homes, feeding the nation or manufacturing essential PPE - the list goes on.
Globus Group Operations Director Sherree Gracie continued: “It has been an honour for us at Alpha Solway to be able to show our support and appreciation for the incredible ingenuity and dedication with which Scotland’s NHS professionals have responded to COVID-19. Dr Woo is a worthy winner and the work that she and her team have done for dialysis patients at Inverclyde has been inspiring. All the fi nalists have demonstrated truly outstanding
Dr Mun Woo, (second from right) and team commitment to caring for their communities at this diffi cult time.”
Alpha Solway, is expanding production and creating two new world class facilities at Dumfries, South West Scotland and Warrington in North West England, to fulfi l major contracts with the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS Scotland. It is running a recruitment drive with plans for 600 new staff - including many who have lost jobs across a variety of business sectors during the pandemic - to make high-performance FFP3 face masks currently in high demand.
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Northern SciTech Hub begins to take Shape
Following Manchester City Council approval last year, a £21 million redevelopment of the Base building at Manchester Science Park is now progressing. The new science and technology hub will offer workspace for companies in high growth frontier sectors of Industry 4.0, low carbon, computer and energy technology, gaming and animation, building on the region’s internationally- recognised tech and manufacturing cluster.
The fi ve storey 91,000ft2 will provide offi ce space and lab
capability, a dedicated workshop space for prototyping new or modifying existing products, break-out spaces, meeting rooms and will also be home to new Manchester Innovation Activities Hub (MIAH).
The MIAH will be delivered by Circle Square-based The Blair Project and will provide a community innovation activities hub and vocational training centre dedicated to the rapid upskilling, reskilling and retraining of more than 5,000 local residents over the next 5 years. Focusing on the specialist technical skills associated with low carbon technologies and innovation, the MIAH will contribute to the growth of the city’s knowledge economy, helping to support the creation of over 1,000 high value jobs.
Following construction delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was recently granted £4 million via the Greater Manchester Combined Authority as part of the Government’s Getting Building Fund to support the region’s economic recovery from the pandemic. A further £15.5 million loan will be provided by the North West Evergreen Fund, managed by CBRE’s Investment Advisory team, part of CBRE Capital Advisors.
Caddick has been appointed as the main contractor and will employ all directly-appointed staff and 90% of subcontractors from within a 10 mile radius of Base, including 21 apprentices.
Tom Renn, Managing Director, Bruntwood SciTech - Manchester, said: “Base will provide vital new infrastructure for some of the UK’s most innovative businesses at the cutting-edge of industry. We’ve got a rich and deep understanding of the facilities, services and connections science and technology businesses need to form, scale and grow and a strong track record of making this happen through our unrivalled clinical, academic partner network.
“We’re looking forward to working with Caddick. Their commitment to the local supply chain and developing future industry talent via their apprenticeship programme, together with supporting local employment and developing the next generation of talent is more important now than ever.”
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