NETWorks Summer 2009

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ISSN 1753-6677

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SCIENCEENGINEER ING &TECHNOLOGY

MAGAZINE

A HEALTHIERWORLD


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FOREWORD

NETWorks is published by Distinctive Publishing Ltd, Aidan House,Sunderland Road, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE8 3HU

Telephone 0191 4788300

Managing DirectorJohn NeilsonCreative DirectorMartin Williamson

Editorial John Dean

For all enquiries including editorial, subscription andadvertising please contact Distinctive Publishing.

With thanks to all our contributors.

NETWorks is supported by NETParkwww.uknetpark.net

NETWorks reports on the very latest science and technology news, putting discoveriesand advances in the context o everyday lie showcasing County Durham and theNorth East as a place o scientic excellence.

This issue looks at healthcare, bioscience, andmedical devices and instrumentation areas inwhich, as a region, we have tremendous strengthsand also areas which have a very direct impact onall our lives.

These are sectors or which innovation is theirlieblood and in which the private, public, voluntary,scientifc and academic communities all have crucialroles to play. Collaborative working and technologytranser are vital elements o businesses success.

Take just as one example our recent collaborationwith the Electronics KTN in staging a debate atNETPark on the subject o microdiagnostics. Leading

speakers were attracted, including ProessorPeter Fielden, Proessor o Analytical Science atManchester University, and Proessor Zulfqur Aliwho outlined the important engineering innovationwork his team at Teesside University are carryingout in the development o diagnostic and medicaldevices or the early detection and treatment odeep vein thrombosis. In the same debate, Dr Dale

Athey o Orla Protein Technologies pointed outthat theres oten a long, arduous journey rom theuniversity research bench to commercialisation.

So having the right support systems in place isessential. Organisations like the Research Councilsto und research, the regional development agenciesto coordinate action, and centres o excellence

like Cels which is right at the heart o our regionsbiotech and healthcare support inrastructure.

And its why we place so much emphasis on thepractical, tailored business support CDDC providesat the NETPark Incubator, designed to supply thetotal support environment needed to help earlystage science and technology businesses to thrive.

Innovation is much spoken o - what CDDC and oursupport partners are doing is giving the innovativeideas which begin lie in our universities andresearch institutes every chance o becoming viablebusiness opportunities by helping in a wide rangeo ways such as sourcing unding, supply chainnetworks and new market opportunities.

What was then British Telecom launched an advert

back in 1994 asserting Its good to talk fteen yearslater or science, engineering and technology wedsay Its a must to talk. Thats certainly the thinkingbehind our NETPark Net initiative, built to encourageinnovative companies throughout the region tocommunicate and share ideas and experience.

And its also the thinking underpinning the NorthEast Stem Cell Institute (NESCI), a unique regionalcollaboration o clinical, academic and commercialpartners, and Cels HealthConnect. This is anetwork o proessionals and organisations workingin assistive technology, health inormatics, medicaldevices, biotechnology and lie sciences, health andsocial care, and health and well being.

Innovation and investment in these areas are crucialto both the economic and physical well-being o ourregion. They are, in a very real sense, lie-saving.

Stewart WatkinsManaging Director, County Durham Development Company (CDDC)

CDDC is driving the development o the North East Technology Park (NETPark)and the virtual business support environment, NETPark Net.

N ETPARK


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CONTENTS

04. PROTEIN TESTS TO HELP TACKLE CANCER

08. WORKING IN A RICH VEIN

10. AWARDS, ACCREDITATIONS AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

11. IMPROVING OUR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

12. MICRODIAGNOSTICS DEBATE

14. ENTERPRISE AND INNOVATION

15. THE CHALLENGE OF DRUGS DEVELOPMENT

16. CREATING THE CUTTING EDGE

18. RESEARCHERS SEEK BETTER DIAGNOSIS

19. SOPHISTI CATED SOFTWARE TO HELP TACKLE FRAUDSTERS

20. BIOCHEMI CALS TO BE PART OF INITIATIVE

21. PROTECTING SHIPS FROM RISK

23. POLYMER BASED MICROENGIN EERING

24. CARINA VT PIONEERIN G RESPIRATORY TECHNOLOGY

26. CALLING ALL ENTREPRENEURS

28. CREATING NEW HORIZONS

30. EVENTS RAISE AWARENESS OF HEALTH SECTOR

31. UNIQUE STUDY AIMS TO HELP OLDER PEOPLE

32. RESEARCH EXCELLENCE

34. QUANTUM GENETICS

35. NUTRITION AT WORK

36. INTEGRATED PROCESS DEVELOPMENT

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Image of blood serum proteins, separated by charge and size.Consensus of protein signature shown in black.

N H S I N N O V A T I O N S

N O R T H S U P P O R T S N E WP R O T E I N T E S T S T OH E L P T A C K L E C A N C E RCancer patients who undergo treatment may no longer haveto suer debilitating side eects i clinical trials taking place inNewcastle prove to be a success.

Nonlinear Dynamics spin-out company, Biosignatures, hasdeveloped a new test which better identies protein markers in the

blood and tells specialists how patients will respond to dierenttreatments.

Working on the project with some o the biggest names inpharmaceuticals, the company recently commissioned the NHSInnovations North team at RTC North to broker introductions andhelp set up clinical trials within the health service.

The work o Biosignatures build on existing research which hasallowed doctors a better understanding o the way the cells andproteins o the body work. NHS Innovations North IntellectualProperty Manager, Carl Brown, explained:

By examining a much larger sample o protein markers within apatients blood sample, the new test will provide doctors with muchmore detailed inormation about the patients disease status.

Blood serum contains in excess o 20,000 proteins and, ratherthan making a diagnosis using a single biomarker, the new test willreport changes to a much larger set o markers associated with aparticular disease. It is this disease specic signature that will assistearly diagnosis.

Biosignatures CEO, David Bramwell, added:

What we are doing may dramatically improve diagnosis and theselection o methods used to treat patients. We know many cliniciansare rustrated that they cannot give the level o care they want to.

I they had the right inormation to assist them then they could notonly minimise patient discomort but also target expensive treatmentsto those they will work on.

You may have a patient who would, as it stands, go throughchemotherapy or be put on a course o a particular drug. Our testcould tell the doctor i that is likely to work, or whether a dierentcourse o action may be a better option.

The tests would give clinicians more options in monitoring andmanaging the disease which could have a major impact on patientsquality o lie.

The team at NHS Innovations North has provided us with crucialaccess into the health service and helped us set up clinical trials.Ultimately this will allow us to rene the tests in the eld and make areal dierence to patient care.

Clinical trials are already underway on patients suspected o havingprostate cancer and thanks to NHS Innovations North, Biosignaturesis also working on a proposed trial with Thyroid Cancer patients atNewcastles RVI.


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A C C E S S T O T H E N H S A N D

H E A L T H C A R E M A R K E T SCompanies developing new products or use in healthcaremarkets can now access support rom the NHS InnovationsNorth team.

Working on the commercialisation o healthcare related intellectualproperty, NHS Innovations North has a proven track record inmanaging the commercialisation o new ideas and research inthe North East, oering assistance to businesses as well as staemployed in the regions Trusts.

Specialising in IP assessment, patent searching, market research and

due diligence, the team also provide consultancy or businesses lookingor support in research and development unding applications.

Oering a high quality service that includes prior art exploration, marketassessment and the commercialisation o new healthcare technology,the team have recently assisted a locally based company providingsupport research into groundbreaking diagnostics devices.

NHS Innovations North is one o a network o innovation hubsacross the UK set up to help make the most o new ideas withinNHS Trusts and improve healthcare.

Delivered in the North East by RTC North, the project will benetrom 800,501 o European Union investment rom the ERDFCompetitiveness Programme 2007-13, managed by regionaldevelopment agency One North East.

The ERDF programme is bringing over 250m into the North Eastto support innovation, enterprise and business support across the

region.

For more inormation on NHS Innovations North services call CarlBrown on 0191 516 4400Email [email protected]

www.nhsinnovationsnorth.org.uk


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W O R K I N G I N A R I C H V E I NCounty Durham security company Biotecnix Limited hasannounced the latest advance in technology that eradicatesthe need or ngerprints when it comes to security access.

The company, based on Ponds Court Business Park, in Consett,has been working on technology which recognises vein patterns toconrm a persons identity.

Co-directors Mia Chapman and Michael Largue, who established thecompany in August 2008, have been developing new applicationsor sensor technology developed in the eld known as biometrics.

Michael, who used to work in a senior position within the IBM globalnetwork security division, said: The main orm o biometrics has

tended to be ngerprints so i you want to get into a building, thesensor reads your ngerprints and allows you in i there is a match.

However, that can be a fawed system. For instance, a labourermay nd his ngerprint eroded through his work. Certain types o

bleaches and detergents used by those who clean can have a similareect. The result is that the sensor can erode over time and will notwork and users will not be allowed access to their own buildings,which is inconvenient to the individual and the company. There arealso concerns over iris recognition systems and their usability in themarket place.

What we have done is utilised the technology or sensors which canread vein patterns and come up with new security applications suchas access control and time and attendance hardware and sotwaresystems. The technology exists, what we have done is developed iturther or high security applications or the working environment.

Vein patterns are unique to each individual and the sensors can

identiy them in order to allow access, whether it be to open a doorin a building or allow a vehicle engine to be started. The sensorscan even tell i the person is alive or dead so there is no way apersons nger or hand can be cut o and used to authenticate.


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One o the advantages is that it is a contactless biometrics systemwhere there is no need to touch the sensor; a contact biometric canlead to it becoming dirty, wearing down and not working properly.

All you need to do is place your nger above the sensor and it willinstantly identiy you rom your vein patterns, in addition to havingthe unique capability o recording those who are denied and attemptaccess.

Mia said: We have taken the best o technology to develop oursolutions. We have developed some very interesting high securityapplications or businesses utilising the next generation o biometrics digital vein recognition.

The company already provides sensors or buildings and has, or

several years, also provided intelligent tracking systems or morethan 9,000 client feet vehicles. Now, it plans to develop and expandthe use o its vein recognition sensor systems urther.

Michael said: Our tracking systems already monitor the movements

o vehicles throughout the UK and Europe. Our vein recognitionsensor will make the vehicle even more secure because i someonetries to steal the vehicle, the sensor will not recognise their veinconguration and send an instant alert to our monitoring centre inNorth Yorkshire.

Another o the applications available is a system that protectscomputers and server access so that the users unique vein patternis used via the sensor to unlock sensitive les as well as protectingprivate les and login to a high standard o encryption.

Mia said: At a time when companies are increasingly sensitiveabout their protected inormation, especially with the current climateand unortunately people being made redundant, systems like ours

that increase security access to computers and buildings are ideal todramatically improve business security.

www.biotecnix.ltd.uk

Michael Largue and Mia Chapman


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A W A R D S , A C C R E D I T A T I O N S& S T R A T E G I C P A R T N E R S H I P SThe last two years have proven to be rather busy orComplement Genomics Ltd, a service laboratory based at theNorth East BIC, Sunderland. Founded in 2000 by its two co-owners, Dr. Neil Sullivan and Louise Allcrot, the Companyhas ocused on providing clients with high quality servicesat competitive prices and this is ref ected in the numerousquality standards and customer service awards the companyholds and in the loyalty o its client base, which extends thelength and breadth o the country.Through its trademarked, ISO9001:2008 certied Geneblitzservice, the Company oers a comprehensive range o molecularbiology services to the bioscience community, both commercial andacademic, which include:

n Residual DNA analysis e.g. or bio-manuacturing companiesn Pharmacogenetic testing e.g. or clinical trials volunteersn Genome Wide Association studies (GWAs) e.g. or pharma and

academic researchersn DNA sequencing including next generation sequencing and

sequence enrichmentn Gene expression studies e.g. pre and post treatmentn Validation o stem cell lines e.g. DNA ngerprinting, genotypingn Mutation detection and screeningn Nucleic acid isolationn Eco/Toxicology testing e.g. AMESn Forensic/human identity testing servicesn Accredited paternity testing services*

(*The ISO17025 accredited dadcheck service is the only DNA testing laboratory inthe North East that is accredited by the Ministry of Justice as a body that may carryout parentage tests directed by the civil courts in England and Wales under Section

20 of the Family Law Reform Act, 1969.)

In addition, the Geneblitz service also oers clients a bespokeassay design, optimisation and validation service or a number othe above techniques. More inormation can be ound by visiting thewebsitewww.geneblitz.com

Over the last two years, this small but highly ambitious biosciencecompany has begun to make a name or itsel not only regionally andnationally but also in the US where it recently announced a strategicpartnership with Expression Analysis a leading provider o highthroughput genomics solutions based in North Carolina.

The partnership with Geneblitz provides us with an establishedpresence in the United Kingdom, with an experienced serviceprovider who operates with the same philosophy and similar qualitystandards and platorms, stated Steve McPhail, President and CEOo Expression Analysis. Geneblitz will ocus its eorts on Genome-Wide Association studies which have become an increasingly largerpart o our business, continued Mr McPhail.

Expression Analysis is an industry leader with a great reputation inthe eld o genomics services and our decision to partner with themwas not a dicult one, said Louise Allcrot, Chie Executive Ocer oComplement Genomics Ltd. By combining our experience, scienticleadership and high-throughput capabilities, we will be able to helpmeet the needs o the extensive pharmaceutical and biotechnologyinrastructure in the United Kingdom.

In addition to providing research and supportive laboratory-basedservices to the bioscience sector, Complement Genomics Ltd. also runsits own internal research and development and over the last two yearshas been awarded a number o grants including a Grant or Researchand Development (GRD) rom One North East or developing novelways o extracting DNA rom rare scene o crime samples (2007)and, more recently, the company was part o a successul 5-party

consortium (RegeniTherix), that won a bid or Technology StrategyBoard unding towards a 3 year project looking into the developmento intelligent dressings or wound healing. This project will generateintellectual property or the company through the discovery o newgenetic associations with the wound healing process as well as theearly identication o inection at the wound site through the detectiono specic markers at the molecular level.

For urther inormation please contact Louise Allcrot, Chie Executive,on +44 (0)191 516 6500 or email [email protected]


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I M P R O V I N G O U R H E A L T HA N D W E L L - B E I N GAn impressive research base and a commitment to the principlethat research should inorm teaching at all levels lies at theheart o the work o a key department in one o our regionsuniversities.

The University o Sunderlands Department o Pharmacy, Health andWell-being brings together a variety o disciplines and programmes,with a theme o improving peoples Health and Well-being, at thecentre o which is the long established Sunderland Pharmacy School.

A measure o the standing o the School is the recent success o thirdyear pharmacy student Matthew Crum, crowned winner o this yearsBPSA McNeil Responding to Symptoms Competition.

The award, made at the British Pharmaceutical Students Association(BPSA) Conerence, marks Matthew out as one o the bestpharmaceutical students in the UK and he was also named runner-upin the Reckitt Benckiser Student o the Year Award Competition.

Located on the Universitys City Campus where acilities are excellent,and set to improve urther through a multi-million pound investmentprogramme, the Department has highly qualied sta who usetheir wealth o experience in the education and training o utureproessionals in many dierent arenas o Health Care.

And they also oer postgraduate programmes and short courseswhich contribute to Continuing Proessional Development or HealthCare Proessionals across the Health Service.

Pharmacy, Chemistry & Biomedical sciences graduates are involved indiagnosing and treating diseases, research into how diseases developand investigating how particular chemicals can enhance healing.Many o them go on to work or top pharmaceutical companies.

Research excellence in pharmacological and biomedical sciences atSunderland takes place in well equipped laboratories equipped witha wide range o state-o-the-art instruments and expert sta who knowhow to get the best out o the specialist equipment.

In recent years, in collaboration with Proessor Michael Spedding,Deputy Director o Research, Institut de Recherches InternationalesServier (IRIS), France, the team has identied a number o signicantndings in relation to the ability o brain-derived neurotrophins tomodiy oxygen utilisation, organelle oxidative eciency and glutamatemetabolism - cellular events which have major implications orneurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases.

Collaborating with international institutions o the highest quality iscrucial to research and the aim now is to build on these ndingsurther by incorporating essential measurements, such as cellular andintracellular cationic movement, membrane potential, permeabilitytransition and levels o reactive oxygen species (ROS) into these

research programmes.

A number o researchers in this team study the dierential expressiono genes and proteins and their relevance to human and animaldisease - undamental to the understanding o biological processes.To enhance the understanding o these processes urther a systemsbiology approach is developed, taking a more global analysiso gene expression whereby the technology is underpinned by therecently acquired acilities or proteomics research.

The group is also engaged in collaborative research with chestconsultants rom regional hospitals in Sunderland and Newcastle ina study o lung unction in asthmatic and non-asthmatic patients ando the respiratory health and quality o lie in patients with chronicobstructive pulmonary disease.

Further research is investigating the determination o the optimalperusion or non-heart beating donation; islet transplantation usingnon-heart beating donors; the treatment o acute renal grat rejection;neuroprotection and quality control tests or hyperimmune response.These research topics are unded by high-esteem bodies such as theWellcome Trust, the Kidney Research Fund and the NHS.

www.sunderland.ac.uk

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M I C R O D I A G N O S T I C S D E B A T EIn the ast-changing world o healthcare, miniaturiseddiagnostics can deliver real benets to patients and healthcareproviders. Mike Parker was in the audience at a debate held atNETPark to explore its potential.

In recent years, long-distance travellers have increasingly been seensporting new leg garments that closely resemble the once ashionablepop socks.

And, while they may not be the best look or a 50-year-old businessmanin a suit, compression tights are the ootwear o choice on long-haulfights because they are the only readily accessible method to tackledeep vein thrombosis (DVT). The condition, where a clot can orm in

the deep vein in a persons leg with oten atal consequences, hasparticularly been linked to longer aircrat fights.

According to a report by the Surgeon General in the US, DVTs occurin about one in every 1,000 people each year. In a paper calling oraction to prevent these blood clots, the US Department o Health andHuman Sciences estimated that approximately 350,000 to 600,000

Americans each year suer rom DVT and at least 100,000 deathsmay be directly or indirectly related to this condition.

A team o scientists at the Teesside University is thinking small whenit comes to nding the most cost eective way to combat this large-scale health threat.

Proessor Zulqur Ali, Assistant Dean in the universitys School oScience and Technology and Director o the Technology FuturesInstitute, is leading the team which is developing a point-o-caredevice to detect DVT.

They are using polymer substrates to create a low-cost, disposable

device that ordinary members o the public can use. The team isexploring hot embossing and injection moulding techniques to makethe product.

Pro Ali chaired a debate on the role o microdiagnostics held atthe North East Technology Park (NETPark) in Sedgeeld. He said:Microdiagnostics oers the potential or the early detection o


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disease. I you can detect diseases beore the physical symptomsbecome apparent you have a better chance o a cure. We also haveto provide care at the point o need.

Microdiagnostics technology has enormous implications or changingthe ace o global healthcare both rom a cost perspective and inproviding cutting edge diagnostics right at the point where they aremost needed and where laboratories are unavailable.

Also speaking at the NETPark debate hosted in partnership with theElectronics KTN - was Proessor Peter Fielden, Proessor o AnalyticalScience at Manchester University, who outlined how his team hasbeen working on devices to detect troponin one o the markersused to detect heart disease.

Pro Fielden also highlighted the wider applications o microdiagnosticsin the security sector, explaining how handheld devices were beingdeveloped to analyse inorganic materials used in explosives such asthe nail bomb that was detonated in the Admiral Duncan pub in May1999.

Dr Dale Athey, a ormer biochemist in the NHS and now chieexecutive ocer at Orla Protein Technologies Ltd, told a 40-strongaudience at the event that microdiagnostics was driving the growth indecentralised healthcare.

Dr Atheys company, which spun out o Newcastle University in 2002,

uses protein engineering to produce a range o applications includingmore accurately detecting bacteria, viruses or proteins in blood.

He explained how his company had ormed a joint venture withJapanese electronics manuacturer Japan Radio Company, to useOrlas technology in diagnostic devices which can be used bydoctors and paramedics to perorm tests on patients without theneed or complex equipment.

But, taking a bright idea and turning it in to a protable product isboth long and expensive, according to Dr Athey. He said: From theuniversity bench to commercialisation is a long and arduous route.There are many mistakes that can be made along the way.

This is down to the act that the commercial opportunity is rightat the high end o the risk curve. There is quite a tortuous route togetting a technology through to making some commercial gain.Theres a lot we can share on how we can do that successully.

Dr Athey quoted data rom the US indicating that it can takebetween $50m to $100m to get a diagnostic test to the market andhe pointed out that scientists needed to think about their businessmodel as well as their technical one.

Microdiagnostics clearly has an exciting role to play in the uturedevelopment o healthcare and security, not least or its abilityto provide aster analysis and response times, high-throughputanalysis, lower abrication costs and a saer platorm or chemical,radioactive or biological studies. However, with commercialisationcosts still incredibly high, it will be the best business cases that will

head the eld.


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E N T E R P R I S E

A N D I N N O V A T I O NThe challenging and proound economic climate in which ourgraduates and universities nd themselves means that renewedeorts must be made to ensure that the student experience isimbued with opportunities or the acquisition o knowledge,learning experiences that are relevant and the integration otheory and practice.

Universities like Durham must seek to equip students or a lie-world o much greater uncertainty and complexity involvingrequent occupational, job and contract status change, globalmobility, adaptation to dierent cultures, working in a world o fuid

organisational structures, greater probability o sel-employment andwider responsibilities in amily and social lie1.

Enterprise and innovation are increasingly acknowledged bygovernment as the driving orce behind change and job creation. Thegovernment is supporting major initiatives in all phases o educationto drive the introduction o enterprise into the curriculum.

The Regional Economic Strategy emphasises that the North East needsto increase the number o graduate new business ventures. In addition,student perceptions are also changing, with increasing numbers ostudents registering an interest in ollowing an entrepreneurial careercalling or the opportunity to test and develop their entrepreneurialskills and industry is looking or an element o entrepreneurial creativityin its top class graduate recruits.

In October 2007 Durham University established the Centre orEntrepreneurial Learning (CEL). The primary purpose o this centreis to promote and co-ordinate entrepreneurial learning within theuniversity and to harness and develop the capacity o regional, nationaland international stakeholders. The objective being to acilitateentrepreneurial behaviour amongst students, sta and alumni, whileworking in partnership with relevant external stakeholders to supportthis eort.

CELs unique blended approach incorporates enterprise, underpinnedby the latest technology, into the ormal subject based curriculum. Thecentre has also developed a wide ranging suite o inormal capacitybuilding interventions accessible by students and sta through the

colleges and departments.

Durham University has committed itsel to the scaling up andembedding enterprise and entrepreneurship education across theuniversity campus to expose all students to inspiring opportunitiesand meaningul learning experiences. Activities have been developedto equip graduates with entrepreneurial skills and behaviours, andto help graduates to understand the opportunities available to themthrough utilising enterprise as an appropriate vehicle or careerdevelopment.

All students are supported to understand the relevance o enterpriseand entrepreneurship to their lives and careers.The centres strategy

ocuses upon developing enterprising graduates who are equippedto ull their potential as employees, entrepreneurs and global citizensby enabling them to:n contribute to economic development, perhaps by starting new

venturesn address major societal challengesn aect changen develop their own intellectual, economic and social capital

through the acquisition and development o entrepreneurialskills, behaviours and attributes

One o CELs oerings is GLEAM (Graduate Learning oEntrepreneurship Accelerated through Mentoring). This internationallyacclaimed graduate start-up programme teaches the practice obusiness to nascent owner/managers through workshops that take

a pragmatic and practical approach, enhanced by one to onementoring. To date it has assisted more than 160 graduate businessesto develop in the region.

CEL works in partnership with SMEs rom across the region- ownermanagers acting as role models and mentors or the graduatebusinesses, helping them to develop social capital as well as businessskills. Online virtual communities o practice already link students toover 5000 businesses in the region.

To nd out more about our work please [email protected]

1 Gibb, A (2005) Toward the Entrepreneurial University: entrepreneurship

education as a lever or change, NCGE, Birmingham


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T H E C H A L L E N G E O FD R U G D E V E L O P M E N TThe discovery and development o a new drug is a complexbusiness. Not only is it scientically challenging, but theinternational Regulatory Framework demands rigorousattention to standards and procedures in order to successullydeliver a new therapeutic substance into clinical practice.

In essence, drug development depends upon making the rightdecisions at the right time in order to minimise costs and timelinesin a way that maximises the generation o data to characteriseand understand the nature o the product. In practice, the process

o transorming a compound rom lead candidate stage to anapprovable drug demonstrating both ecacy and saety comprisesa number o main phases. Each o these phases presents challengesand opportunities!

n Choosing the development candidateIt is important to apply the most appropriate technologies to maximisethe choice o compounds with the characteristics to survive the hurdleso development.

n Satisying the Regulatory AgenciesOverall project design and strategy need to satisy RegulatoryGuidelines, taking account o precedent but justied on a case bycase basis as necessary.

n Managing the projectThe choice o contract service providers is critical and outsourcedprojects require careul monitoring to ensure standards and timelinesare managed.

n Designing and conducting the studiesCareul study design is necessary to satisy scientic demands,regulatory expectations and quality compliance programmes.n Interpreting the dataThe ongoing progress o the molecule through the dierent stages odevelopment depends upon rigorous interpretation o the data acrossa variety o experimental models and species.

n Preparation o regulatory submissionsAn adequate risk/benet assessment, taking account o the biologicalactivity o the compound, exposure characteristics and cross-speciescomparison o eects needs to be presented through the regulatoryprocess to justiy clinical development and ultimate marketingauthorisation.

Facilitating Drug Development in the North EastFocus Biosciences Limited is an independent consultancy based inthe North East which provides expert advice and technical support to

pharmaceutical, biotechnology and associated industries.

The company was ounded in 2003 by Dr Frank Bonner who hasover 25 years o experience in toxicology and drug development,gained through a variety o senior appointments in multi-nationalpharmaceutical companies and contact research. The Founder is aPast President o the British Toxicology Society, has served on nationalcommittees o the Association o the British Pharmaceutical Industryand is a member o the Scientic Advisory Boards or a number otechnology companies developing products or services to supportdrug discovery and development.

Utilising the skills and experience o independent consultants is aneective way o gaining access to specialist knowledge on an asneeded basis.

Focus Biosciences Limited provides a range o services to supportthe drug development process and to help clients navigate theinternational regulatory environment. In addition, the Company hasan extensive network o associates and collaborators which providesthe opportunity to gain access to proessional expertise and know-how encompassing the wide range o technical disciplines that isrequired to progress a candidate drug molecule through the dierentstages o the regulatory process.

Contact Dr Frank W Bonner - Focus Biosciences Ltd, PO Box 89,Ponteland, Newcastle upon Tyne NE19 2ZSTelephone 01434 672622 or email [email protected]


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R E S E A R C H E R S S E E K

B E T T E R D I A G N O S I S O FD E A D L Y C O N D I T I O NMEDICAL DEVICESResearch being carried out in the North East is helping to tackle thepotentially deadly condition deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Teesside Universitys research has been looking at better ways odiagnosing the condition, which is the most common cause ounexpected death in developed nations.

DVT is a condition in which blood clots orm in one o the bodysdeep veins, oten the leg, which can result in pulmonary embolism,

which occurs when a clot lodges in the lung. Factors that might leadto DVT include obesity, immobility and old age.

Proessor Zul Ali, Assistant Dean o the School o Science &Technology at Teesside University, in Middlesbrough, is co-ordinatinga project which uses nanotechnology to come up with a prototype ora miniaturised, portable device which can diagnose the condition.

The work includes leading researchers rom Germany, France,Spain and Hungary as well as private sector companies, who are26 months into the 36-month project.

Funding or the venture has included nance rom the GovernmentsScience Research Investment Fund (SRIF2), which allowed the creation o

a clean-room which has become the UK centrepiece o the research.

Further support has come rom what was the Department or Tradeand Industry, One North East and Europe.

Pro Ali said that as part o the DVT project, the consortium hopes tocarry out a small-scale trial and attract urther private sector undingto urther develop the idea.

The work has been praised in an independent review conductedby the Technopolis organisation or the Higher Education FundingCouncil or England into the way public unding is used or research.

The work was one o 35 examples cited or special mention.

Pro Ali said: We are very conscious that our work should bringeconomic benet to the region and improve quality o lie, so we areobviously delighted to be recognised in this report.

Dr Elizabeth Robertson, Dean o Teesside Universitys GraduateResearch School, said: This is a really excellent result or Zulsteam to get this level o recognition.www.tees.ac.uk


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S O P H I S T I C A T E D S O F T W A R ET O H E L P T A C K L E F R A U D S T E R SINNOVATION CONNECTORS

A new centre has opened which will help companies tackle thegrowing problem o digital raud.

Gateshead Colleges 75,000 Digital Forensics Lab will oercourses to equip companies with the skills needed to recognise andtrack criminal activity and put preventative measures in place.

Fraudulent activities covered include those using computers, mobilephones and the internet known as cybercrime.

The Federation o Small Businesses estimates that raudulent internettransactions, unscrupulous emails known as phishing and securityproblems caused by viruses and hackers costs an average smallbusiness 800 a year, running into several thousands o pounds.Computers are also used to commit nancial rauds like moneylaundering or alse accounting and to gain unauthorised access torestricted websites or inormation held on databases.

Now, organisations can enrol their IT technical sta on a digitalorensics investigation course at the college to learn how torecognise the tell-tale signs o criminal activity, using the centresup-to-date equipment and sotware.

The Digital Forensics Lab was designed with help rom NorthumbriaPolice and the North East Fraud Forum, which works withorganisations to raise awareness o the latest techniques or ghtingraud. Investment was provided by One North East.

Detective Sergeant Alan Batey, head o Northumbria Policescomputer crime unit, said: We are seeing year-on-year growthin the number o people using computers, the internet and mobilephones to co-ordinate and undertake criminal activities.

The new Digital Forensics Lab will be a great resource to helpcompanies uncover raudulent activity, helping them to better protecttheir business, market share and ultimately prots.

Gateshead Colleges assistant principal (adult and highereducation), Mary Lindsay, said: Our digital orensics courses willprovide people with the skills and condence to tackle a costly andhighly damaging problem that could be aecting hundreds o localbusinesses.

Tim Pain, head o business, enterprise and skills at One NorthEast, said: Gateshead College is using cutting edge technologyto provide businesses with training in the latest digital orensicsinvestigation techniques.

While we hope that organisations never experience digital raud,which is a growing threat, it is comorting to know that such a state-o-the-art acility is available locally to help train sta to deal with

the issue.

www.gateshead.ac.uk


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C A M B R I D G E R E S E A R C HB I O C H E M I C A L S T O B E P A R T O F

G R O U N D B R E A K I N G I N I T I A T I V EBIOSCIENCESResearch support company Cambridge Research Biochemicals(CRB) Limited has secured a key role in a European initiative to bringtogether experts in scientic research rom across Europe .

CRB, which is based in Billingham, Teesside, in North East England,specialises in the synthesis o peptides, protein ragments which areused in the research and discovery o new medicines.

Already partnered with a number o major companies, CRB has nowbeen named as one o the partners in the BIOSCENT project, part othe Seventh Framework Programme or research and technologicaldevelopment (FP7).

Established by the European Commission to co-ordinate scienticresearch, FP7 brings together research-related EU initiatives,allowing companies like CRB to share their scientic know-how inpeptides with other experts rom across Europe.

Peptides are short polymers ormed rom the linking o amino acids.Reagents are used to develop new peptides. Understanding the waypeptides work is key to tackling a wide range o medical conditions.

The idea o BIOSCENT is to give Europe leadership in key scienticand technological areas.

CRBs involvement is as a SME which will include providing peptide

synthesis expertise and synthetic peptides to support the developmento peptides within the eld o heart stem cell research.

The company will be eligible or EC support o 196,400 Euros aspart o a consortium research and development programme worthEuros 6,305,731 with the project lasting ve years.

There are 15 European members o the consortium, which is headedby the University o Pisa, Italy, through Proessor Paolo Giusti,Department o Chemical Engineering, Industrial Chemistry andMaterials Science.

CRB Commercial Director Emily Humphrys said: To be involved isvery exciting or us because it means that we are collaborating withsome o the most respected research groups across Europe. We arealready working with some o the biggest names in the pharmaceuticalindustry so strengthening our place in the academic network is veryimportant to us.

The news comes at a time o continued growth or the company,

which was recently awarded a Grant or Business rom the ormerDepartment or Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reorm (BERR).

The grant, administered by regional development agency One NorthEast and aimed at companies who are involved in innovative work,will help CRB urther develop its Billingham laboratories in order toincrease production and improve eciency.

Another driver to urther expansion is the alliance established betweenCRB and a major European chemical company. Under the agreement,CRB will carry out a range o research on new products as well astesting the eectiveness o existing ones.

Emily Humphrys said: We will be providing product support or the

company, which means making peptides to test existing products toprove their ongoing consistency and reliability. However, our workwill also provide data which will be used in the development o newproducts.

www.crbdiscovery.com

Peptide synthesis at CRB


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P R O T E C T I N G S H I P S F R O M R I S KA company based in a North East research centre has introduced anew service designed to provide urther protection or ships againstpotentially damaging uels.

The primary business o Guardian Marine Testing Limited (GMT),based at The Wilton Centre, near Redcar, is to test uels used by ships,to conrm that they are sae to use.

Now, GMT has developed a system or detecting chemicalcontaminants in the uel.

Sales and Marketing Manager Andrew Shaw said: Our testing serviceis vital because it allows our clients to use the uel with condence that

they will not damage or destroy their engines, endanger the crew orcreate environmentally damaging exhaust.

However, there are occasional incidents when a uel appears to beperectly in accordance with specication but causes serious problemswhen the ship burns it. In some cases, it has been known to causecomplete power ailure. It would be catastrophic i a crude oil carrierwas driting o a coastline somewhere.

When the uel is then investigated urther ater the incident, it can beound that it is contaminated with chemicals.

The company, which began trading in May 2008, has responded bylaunching ChemScan, which will allow its team to test uel samples or

chemicals and report the ndings to the client in the same time rameas the usual testing.

Andrew said: This will, no doubt, give in 99% o cases a clear resultbut its the one per cent which we are looking to identiy and catchbeore the uel is used.

www.gmtlab.com

Technology developed and piloted at The Wilton Centre by chemicalcompany Lucite International has been used to start up a new world-scale plant in Singapore.

The plant uses Lucite Internationals alpha process, a new technology

or the manuacture o methyl methacrylate, or MMA.

Test tube experiments on what was to become the alpha process beganin the early 1990s, when the Acrylics business was still part o ICI.

Scale-up via batch-type reactors and distillation units took place, andthis led to the design and construction o the rst continuous pilotplants in 2001.

The pilot plants were used to develop the technology urther, andto validate process engineering models o the new system, beoremoving to the design o Alpha Plant 1 or Singapore.

The signicantly lower cost-base o the alpha technology has put

Lucite in an excellent position to move orward as a leader o theworldwide acrylics industry.

GMT Technical Manager Andrew

McEwen (left) with OperationsManager Paul Livingston andSales and Marketing Manager,Andrew Shaw

Lucites Alpha 1 plant heralds thedawn of a new era for MMA


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L E A D I N G T H E W A YI N P O L Y M E R - B A S E DM I C R O E N G I N E E R I N GEpigem is a highly specialised company, whose core

competences are in abricating products enabled by polymermicrostructures (typically channels and wells, ridges and domes- in the size range o 100 nanometres {diractive colour} to100 microns {miniature plumbing}). These microstructures aremanuactured into key components or our customers servingapplications ranging rom bioanalytical instrumentation usedin drug discovery, to display touch screens, to creative ashionaccessories. Process microengineering creates coatings andintegrated microstructures providing unctional propertiesincluding optical, electrical, magnetic, chemical and biological,as required.

Epigem span out o the strategic R&D operation o ICI at Wilton14years ago. We oer product development and contract manuacturingservices worldwide to the Microsystems and optoelectronics industries.

Epigem have strong links with the regions universities. For example,Newcastle, Durham and Teesside have been involved in providingsupporting science to EU research projects in the eld o miniaturisedbioanalytical instrumentation and UK projects on polymer electronicsor display and lighting applications. We are part o the regionssupply chain, developing lm based products or emerging markets,and are one o our (with INEX, NanoCentral and PETEC) North Eastbased centres o excellence oering open access services in the eldo micro and nanotechnology; in our case under the Fluence brandname (www.fuence.co.uk). We also provide access to leading edgeEU MNT centres including QinetiQ and CSEM through the silicon-polymer integration service Integramplus (www.integramplus.com).In the rst three years o operation the Fluence Microfuidics Centre

has supported 29 companies and 25 universities; locally in theNorth East (5), Nationally (34) and Internationally (15). As wellas multinational companies, start up companies rom universities

have been supported rom the proo o concept stage through to

commercialisation - with support when required transerring romR&D by Fluence to manuacture o key components by Epigem.

Microfuidics has a wide range o applications both or enabling new orimproved products and also in new processes. This includes methodso making products (chemicals, materials, portable instrumentationetc) or or undertaking alternative methods o measurement or orintensiying processes by making them smaller and more energyecient. Microfuidics is requently integrated with other unctions.Microfuidics is enabling the way products are delivered and used tobe radically transormed, or example, pregnancy testing in the homeand drug delivery inhalation sprays. Epigem / Fluence is supportingbioanalytical instrumentation development and manuacture - used insupport o drug discovery and miniaturised assays at the DNA, proteinand cultured cell levels- or various drug screening environments

including in-vitro models o the microfuidic environment within bloodcapillaries.

Other measurement applications have been developed including anaerodynamics system or monitoring the air pressure prole acrossa structure such as an aircrat wing or car or increasing energyeciency. A range o microfuidic printing processes are availablewithin Fluence or product manuacture that are a key part o ouractivity in the emerging polymer electronics market and are beingemployed, or example, in the manuacture o display touch screencomponents.

Unit 3, Malmo Court, Kirkleatham Business Park, Redcar TS10 5SQT: 01642 496 300 F: 01642 496 301 E: [email protected]

www.epigem.co.ukwww. uence.co.uk


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C A R I N A V T P I O N E E R I N GR E S P I R A T O R Y T E C H N O L O G YACUTE CARECarina VT is proud to supply some o the most technologicallyadvanced portable ventilators in the world or the acute management

and transer o critically ill patients with respiratory ailure.

For those patients requiring weaning rom invasive ventilation,advances in non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) haveundoubtedly increased survival, requiring short or long term ventilationas a means o lie support. Mechanical ventilators supplied by Carina

VT are capable o NPPV delivery or use in weaning programmes.

HOME CARE AND RESPIRATORY THERAPYIncreasing numbers o children and adults with longterm breathingdiculty are able to leave hospital and regain a high level oindependence at home, thanks to technological advances inlightweight, portable and versatile mechanical ventilators.

Carina VT provides specialised ventilators or home care use, as wellas ollow on support as part o the overall care package that enablesventilator dependent individuals to enjoy living in the communityagain.

We are now proud to introduce a range o therapy devices to assist thepatient in airway clearance and preventative techniques to promoterespiratory independence.

SERVICE EXCELLENCE FOR UK CUSTOMERSResponsible or world leading portable ventilator technologies,Carina VT is dedicated to providing the highest level o service, atersales support and customer care.

n Supplies o service parts stock held in the UK are only genuine

manuacturer parts.

n Service and ater sales support remains within the expertise oCarina VT Ltd and strictly ollows manuacturer guidelines andquality systems. All o our service programmes are perormed

by the Carina VT service team, and not subcontracted to externalservice providers.

n Flexible programmes o atercare are tailored to customersindividual requirements.

n With a choice o Maintenance Only options or ComprehensiveService Contracts, Carina VT can oer annual renewable serviceagreements as well as extended Technical Support programmes.

TRAININGCarina VT is committed to providing the highest quality atercareand support to our customers. Along with service support to suit awide variety o user situations, we are proud to oer user trainingappropriate to the required level o competency.

Device training can be provided at the clinical lead site, with sessionsranging rom one to our hours, and tailor-made bespoke trainingcan be designed or delegates o-site to suit user needs.

Following standard or extended warranty on our range o high qualityproducts, it is also possible that organisations would wish to perormmaintenance or servicing on their own products.

Service technical training can also be provided either direct rom oursupplier manuacturer or authorised service training packages directlyby the Carina VT service management team. A comprehensive trainingcourse would be designed to meet our technical customers needs.

www.carinavt.com


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C A L L I N G A L L E N T R E P R E N E U R S !Its been almost a decade since Henry Chesborough, aproessor at the University o Caliornia, Berkeley, rst wroteabout Open Innovation. This is the concept that companiescan no longer aord to rely entirely upon their own internalresearch and development and may lack the agility to respondquickly to market opportunities. Instead, they should draw onexternal resources, ideas and best practice to complement theirown work and advance the development o new technologies.

One organisation taking a truly Open Innovation approach is AllianceBoots, which launched the Boots Centre or Innovation in 2007.

Alliance Boots develops many successul products in its own researchacilities in Nottingham, but also wanted to introduce more excitingnew product ranges by working in partnership with external parties.

The Centre works with early stage companies and inventors to develop

pioneering healthcare and beauty products. Set up as a partnershipbetween Alliance Boots, the Institute o Lie Science at SwanseaUniversity and Longbow Capital, it is open to ideas rom around theworld, and invites entrepreneurs to present their innovative health andbeauty concepts or consideration. The Centre is also working withsome o the UKs leading universities to seek out new technologiesthat can be applied to the health and beauty sector.

This oers innovators a unique route to market. The Centres teamprovides advice, technical expertise and sources o unding tostimulate the development o new ideas and bring new concepts tomarket quickly and successully. Importantly, the creator retains theiroriginal IP rights.

The teams experience it includes retail experts, scientic advisorsand project managers refects the diversity o innovators needs.They can provide as much or as little support as required, workingwith experts within Alliance Boots and externally to move conceptsthrough the development cycle and onto the shelves. Recent productlaunches illustrate how this process works.

IncoStress is a new and eective solution or women suering romurinary stress incontinence. Its inventor approached the Centre ata trade show with a nished and patented product addressing a

signicant consumer need but no plan or bringing it to market.

The Centres team oered vital business support, including guidanceon supply chain management and packaging, assistance withunding by helping the inventor to navigate through the investmentprocess, and marketing expertise. Less than a year later, the devicewas available across the UK on the Boots consumer website.


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Working with the Centre was easy and the team were incredibly

supportive throughout the whole process, explains Gaynor,the products inventor. Their expertise, especially in marketing,distribution and packaging, was invaluable.

Another product launched through the Centres work is Boots SmoothSkin, a handheld device that uses Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) technologyby Swansea-based CyDen Ltd. to provide permanent reduction ounwanted body hair.

The technology was rst developed at the University o Swansea totreat children with birthmarks. During their work on the treatment othe skin with light, scientists realised that this technique could alsosuppress the growth o hair. Medical device company CyDen was setup to exploit the IPL technology, and has been successully supplyingthe proessional market or a number o years. The company wanted

to address the consumer market and began to develop a prototypeor home use.

CyDen introduced the prototype to the Boots Centre or Innovation

team, who quickly realised that it addressed a major consumer need.

They carried out research to understand how best to position theproduct, quantiy potential demand and investigate price elasticity,and then worked with CyDen to optimise the technology or consumeruse. This resulted in a small, aordable device that was easy to use inthe home and was launched successully earlier this year.

There are some amazing technologies out there, and we aim tostimulate the development o new applications that can benet thegeneral public, as well as providing business opportunities or theirinventors, explains the Centres managing director Ron Petersen.

We believe there are market opportunities or new solutions acrossthe healthcare spectrum, rom diagnostic devices to pain relie. Weoer inventors a unique combination o advice, unding and a routeto market or their products. I they have innovative ideas, wed like to

work with them to develop the next generation o health and beautyproducts.

www.bootsinnovation.com


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C R E A T I N G N E W H O R I Z O N SF O R T H E U K S I N D U S T R I A LB I O T E C H N O L O G Y F A C I L I T YThe Centre or Process Innovation (CPI), a key driver o market-led innovation in the UKs processing sector, has launched anew Biosource programme which will help open new doors tocompanies looking to embrace the industrial biotechnologyrevolution.

The new programme will see the National Industrial BiotechnologyFacility (NIBF), managed by CPI, enhanced with a range o newequipment that will bolster its capabilities in enabling customers toreplace traditional chemical processing techniques with new cleanerand less wasteul enzyme routes.

Providing a single centre to trial and develop manuacturing processesthe 12 million NIBF, based at CPIs head quarters in Wilton, is anopen access acility enabling customers to scale up proo o conceptideas in the emerging eld o industrial biotechnology.

Through its partnership with CoEBio3 the acility provides a uniquegene-to-kilo service and an integrated plug and play design,allowing customers across a diverse range o sectors to producetrial quantities o products, scale-up processes and provide detailedreal time inormation on ermentation.

The Biosource programme will enable the installation o a range o newacilities including; a 15L steam-in-place ermentor; a photobioreactorand other equipment or the growth o algae; a high speed centriuge;and additional analytical capabilities. At pilot scale, additions includepre-processing equipment or wet and dry biomass and membraneand ltration equipment or down stream processing.

Sophie Walton, business manager or the NIBF, said Integral toNIBFs success to date is its adaptability in allowing a range obusinesses to test new processing concepts to ensure they are viablebeore urther investment. The Biosource programme will enhancethe acilities.

CPI is currently working with a range o customers operating withinne chemical, cosmetic, ragrance, ood, marine, and uel markets.The centre is also working on several FP7 projects, collaborating withpartners across Europe with the aim o developing new technologiesor the greater good o European industry.

What NIBF oers?n 2 x 1000 litre ermentors.n Online PAT to tell you exactly whats happening within your

ermentation as it happens.n Unique plug and play DSP.

n New pre-processing options.n Development labs to 10 litre scale.n Marine ermentation capability.n Novel bioreactor design, build and optimisation.n Dedicated 50 litre solvent acility and integrated chemical

processing capacity.n Consultancy services and process packages.

I you need a passionate, intelligent and fexible partner or yourscale up, who can add value through innovation, then pleasecontact Sophie Walton at [email protected].


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E V E N T S R A I S E A W A R E N E S S O FI M P O R T A N T H E A L T H S E C T O RWork is under way to raise awareness o the massive potentialo bio-business among academics and business people in theNorth East.Newcastle University Business School has been staging a series oevents designed to encourage debate and discussion about thesector, which has been responsible or some o the most importantmedical breakthroughs o recent times.

The city already has a number o successul companies specialisingin the eld and the monthly events at the University have outlined theurther potential through presentations and discussions.

They ollow the appointment o our Proessors o Practice in the eldso bioprocessing technologies, medical science, ageing and healthand energy, whose remit has been to support good business ideasemerging rom the University, as part o Newcastle Science City.

Named Conversaziones, dened in the dictionary as a meetingor conversation, especially about art, literature, or science, theevents are organised by Research Associate in Biobusiness LucyFoley. The most recent one was on June 25 when Tony Bradshaw,o bioProcessUK, a national Knowledge Transer Network or the

bioprocessing sector, addressed the gathering.

Lucy said: The Conversaziones events are aimed at making peoplemore aware o the potential o the biopharmaceutical sector and itsplace in the drugs market.

The events have been excellent and have been evolving as morepeople engage with what we are trying to do.

This really is a liesaving industry in terms o the drugs it can produceand we want academics and business people to work together moreclosely to share their expertise.

One o the benets will be that existing companies can have accessto support through Newcastle University Business School and it wouldalso be good i start-up companies emerge rom this process.

Lucy is also completing a project aimed at researching the developmento monoclonal antibodies, which have already led to the developmento drugs used to ght conditions including respiratory illnesses.

Her research, to be published later this year, will examine waysin which academics and businesses can work closer together tostreamline the process.

Lucy said: It took approximately 25 years or the rst monoclonalantibodies to reach the market and I will look at the lessons that havebeen learned during that process and also look at ways in which itcould have happened aster.

For instance, you might get a medical researcher who spends six

years getting a product to a certain stage then calls in a bioprocessengineer who says it cant be produced in large enough quantities.That is six years lost. It would be much better i some o the processescan overlap to lessen the time taken.

www.ncl.ac.uk/nubs


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U N I Q U E S T U D Y A I M ST O H E L P O L D E R P E O P L EA unique research project led by North East experts is helpingto shape the long-term provision o health and social careservices or older people across the UK.

The Collaborative Development Network, which brings togetherhealth, social science and mathematics experts, is being pioneeredby Northumbria University, in Newcastle.

Building on a 25-year study into the well-being o a group opensioners rom the North East who are now in their 80s, thenetwork has been awarded 50,000 by the Lielong Health andWellbeing Cross-Council Initiative to urther the work.

Proessor Charlotte Clarke, Associate Dean o the School o Health,Community and Education Studies at Northumbria, said: Societytoday is oten guilty o ocusing on older people as a problem,instead o concentrating on what people can oer to society andhow to develop ways o managing.

This exciting new network is taking a completely dierent approachby identiying those aspects o the social, psychological and physicalenvironment that enable an older person to use their own skills andabilities to the best eect.

Proessor Clarke is working with a multi-disciplinary team on theproject and believes that their work will provide huge benets toolder people in the uture.

The Collaborative Development Network will involve health, socialscience, psychology and mathematics experts rom Northumbria andacademics rom the Universities o Sheeld, Newcastle and Manchester,as well as international advisors rom Australia and South Arica.

Pro Clarke said: We believe the network will both inorm andsupport individuals, policy makers and healthcare proessionals toensure the UK is able to provide the very best support or olderpeople in the uture.

The network will build on work done by the British AcademyInternational Research Network on risk and ageing, the UKCRCCentre or Translational Research in Public Health and data collatedrom older people taking part in North East Age Research, the studywhich started more than 25 years ago.

The latter has been investigating older peoples cognitive abilities -the way they think and process inormation.

Dr Lynn McInnes, the co-ordinator o the 25 year study, said: Theoriginal research actually started back in the 1980s when wewanted to examine what happens to peoples cognitive abilities asthey get older. We discovered that age has little bearing on cognitiveperormance and theres great variability amongst older people.However, we also discovered that older people elt good cognitiveperormance helped enhance their quality o lie and that havingbetter cognitive abilities was intrinsically linked to better health ingeneral.

Now we have the opportunity to eed those ndings into animportant piece o research which will draw on a wide range oexpertise to help shape the uture provision o services or olderpeople right across the country.

www.northumbria.ac.uk


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Newcastle Biomedicine is a world leading collaboration o research scientists, engineers, clinicians and teachingproessionals, working together across traditional disciplinary divides.

Joining Newcastle University with the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and other academic institutesand NHS hospitals in the North-East, we excel in tackling challenges in health and healthcare.

Our principal aim is to support strong basic science at Newcastle University and translate that into direct beneftsor patients in our partner NHS Trusts. This strategy has already led to major advances in the healthcare opatients within the region, nationally and internationally.

We aim to transorm peoples perceptions o their own health and their healthcare. We are frmly rooted in theNorth-East o England, its culture, and its people. With their enthusiastic support we have been able to buildresearch, teaching and clinical acilities that are now among the best in the world.

R E S E A R C H E X C E L L E N C ENewcastle Biomedicine rearmed its research excellence in the2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), the UKs ocial survey oresearch quality. The work o research sta was assessed by specialpanels and graded or quality, ranging rom 4* (world leading) to 1*(nationally recognised). Overall, Newcastle University was ranked17th out o 162 universities and colleges in the UK, in a leaguetable compiled by Research Fortnight magazine.

In Medicine, the results provided an external endorsement o ourinternational standing in key areas o research.

n We were ranked 8th in the UK overall or all medical Units o

Assessment combined.n We were in the top 5 or both hospital- and laboratory-based

clinical subjects, where two-thirds o the outputs were classiedas world leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*)

n Cancer studies had 75% o its research classed asinternationally excellent and a urther 15% as world leading.

Our research is organised into 8 Institutes in:n Ageingn Cellular Medicinen Cancern Cell and Molecular Biosciencesn Health and Societyn Human Genetics

n Neurosciencesn Stem cells (jointly with Durham)

2009 marks the 175th anniversary o medical teaching in Newcastleand the 25th anniversary o the opening o the current medical school.The Newcastle upon Tyne School o Medicine and Surgery (then parto the University o Durham) was established in 1834. A new medicalschool opened in 1984.

Our hospitals now combine excellent day-to-day patient care withworld leading innovation and research. A Europe-wide healthcaresurvey in 2007 gave us the highest level o patient satisaction or anycity in Europe.

The quality o service provided in Newcastle hospitals makes them

much more than local hospitals. They are recognised nationally ascentres o healthcare excellence, with over 30% o patients comingrom outside Tyne and Wear to take advantage o the quality o ourcare and o our expertise. We treat complex cases reerred to us byother hospitals rom across the UK.

Were at the oreront o healthcare practice in many specialist areas.The Freeman Hospital has an international reputation or leading-edge transplant surgery, or both children and adults. The team thereperormed Europes rst successul heart transplant or a child in1987 that patient is now a healthy, young woman. And we havecontinued to pioneer healthcare, perorming the rst single lung andthe rst dual lung transplants in.

At the Newcastle General Hospital we have one o only two bubbleunits in the country, where children with severe immune systemproblems are treated in a special air-tight isolation ward.

Massive investment in acilities and people continues, including the300 million Transorming Newcastle Hospitals programme toupgrade our city centre hospitals.

A L O N G H I S T O R Y O F

B E N E F I T I N G P A T I E N T S


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P A R T N E R I N G W I T H I N D U S T R YNewcastle Biomedicine has strong strategic relationships with themedical, pharmaceutical and lie sciences industries. Partnershipswith companies ranging rom North-East based SMEs to majormultinationals are developed through a Joint Research Oce, which

brings together university and NHS sta to provide a one-stop shopor commercial interactions.

We have a growing range o Continuing Proessional Development(CPD) activities or doctors and dentists. They range rom classes o

less than 8 students to much larger sessions or over 100 students;and rom a ew hours up to several days, oten spread over severalweeks or months, available or more in depth material. Accreditedand unaccredited CPD is available. In response to employer

demand, there has been a strong movement towards accreditedCPD. CPD can be developed quickly or specic subjects utilisingthe embedded expertise in the Institutes & Schools and resourcesand specialist equipment is available or technical training.

T A K I N G S C I E N C E I N T O T H E C L I N I COur Clinical Research Platorms eight rst class acilities - providepractical support or researchers and a caring and supportiveenvironment or study participants. Supported and managed bya core team, the individual platorms operate in state-o-the-artacilities with experienced sta capable o conducting all phases o

research, including early-phase work.

The platorms comprise:n Newcastle NIHR Clinical Research Facility - situated at the Royal

Victoria Inrmary, staed by experienced research nurses andresearch proessionals.

n The Wilson Home Immunotherapy Centre - at the oreront o thedevelopment o tolerogenic therapies, the Centre shares stawith the Clinical Research Facility.

n Newcastle Magnetic Resonance Centre - situated in the Campusor Ageing and Vitality at Newcastle General Hospital, this acilityis equipped with a high eld (3T) magnetic resonance scanner.

n Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre - our newestplatorm (opened in March 2009) is situated in the new NorthernCentre or Cancer Care (NCCC) at the Freeman Hospital.

n The Positron Emission Tomography Centre - temporarily locatedat the Campus or Ageing and Vitality, our clinical PET-CT

scanner is likely to move shortly to the NCCC, as most earlystudies are likely to be in cancer research.

n Clinical Ageing Research Unit (CARU) - situated on the Campusor Ageing and Vitality, CARU provides an ideal high-qualitypatient-riendly environment or phase II-IV clinical studies in theolder patient.

n The Newcastle Clinical Trials Unit helps investigators design,conduct and analyse trials across all types o health and socialtechnologies and supports intervention trials designed to improveclinical and service eectiveness.

n South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust Clinical Research Facility - asatellite partner platorm o Newcastle Biomedicine located inthe Academic Centre, James Cook University Hospital.

With all o this excellence with a purpose, it is no surprise weare punching well above our weight nationally. Two o the sixnational clinical research networks (the only ones outside oOxord, Cambridge and London) are based in Newcastle (onejointly hosted with London). We host the national BiomedicalResearch Centre on ageing and two national Medical Research

Council coordinating centres.

I you want us to work with you, contact:Martin CoxBusiness Development ManagerTelephone 0191 2227309Email [email protected]

www.ncl.ac.uk/biomedicine


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Q U A N T U M G E N E T I C SNovel chemistry provides the essential raw material or the innovativeproducts and processes that are the lieblood o the UK chemicalindustry. For many years, the only available approach to early stagediscovery has been through traditional laboratory chemistry methods,oten with an element o luck providing the key advances. More recently,the pharmaceutical sector has led the way in using computer-basedmethods, initially to augment experimental studies, but increasingly tond creative new ways to tackle the discovery process.

Today, the remarkable advances in computer power that wehave seen over the last ew decades are opening up exciting newpossibilities to bring computational chemistry into the centre o thediscovery process, across the whole range o the chemical industry.

At Northumbria, we have developed a proprietary new computer-based method or chemical discovery, called Quantum DirectedGenetic Algorithms (QDGA). The approach is built on researchcarried out at Northumbria University in partnership with majorindustrial chemical manuacturers.

QDGA can be tailored to a very wide range o problems andprovides a dramatic acceleration o the development cycle whilereducing discovery cost. It also provides a detailed picture o theundamental chemistry o a desired process, giving a reliableassessment o the easibility o new concepts and products. Projectsare handled at a business-to business level through QuantumGenetics. The company aims to provide specic, disruptive catalystand reactant products that:

n deliver a positive step-change in the nancial and environmentalimpact o existing chemical engineering processes

n enable entirely new processes and products

Quantum Genetics mission is to provide solutions in manychemical sectors including Consumer Chemicals, ProcessChemistry, Pharmaceuticals, Fuels, Mining and Metal Extraction,and Petrochemicals.

www.quantumgenetics.co.uk


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N U T R I T I O N A T W O R KNutrition is our business, make it part o yours.

Nutrition at Work is an enterprise developed by RegisteredNutritionist, Dr. Fiona Caple (RNutr), which provides consultancyand training in all aspects o diet and nutrition or delivery in theworkplace, rom short lunch and learn interactive workshops oremployees to menu analysis or individual nutritional advice.

The driver or this enterprise comes rom a number o Governmentstrategies which directly involve employers taking responsibilityor the health o their workorce. Case-studies published by theDepartment o Health indicate that businesses who have introduceda ocused and accessible wellbeing strategy have been rewardedwith reduced absenteeism, reduced attrition rates and increasedsta morale.

More and more businesses are introducing and developing wellbeingstrategies and indeed The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies toWork For takes into account scores or wellbeing.

Employers are in a strong position to help improve the health otheir employees and, in a review by the Health Development

Agency, identied workplace interventions as being an eective wayo communicating inormation to a large proportion o the adultpopulation.

This innovative service delivered in your premises includes theollowing workshops:

n weight management

n understanding ood labels

n menu analysis services

n personalised nutrition advice

www.northumbria.ac.uk/consultancyenterprise


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B I O M A N U F A C T U R E I N T E G R A T E DP R O C E S S D E V E L O P M E N TLyddallan Consultancy Ltd was established in 2007 by Andy

Lyddiatt to service technical and strategic projects in the eldo biomanuacture. The company works closely under NDAs

with small and large corporations, government agencies andacademic collaborators to deliver innovative solutions tocomplex problems associated with the conception, researchand development and achievement o the integratedmanuacture o macrobioproducts (proteins, nanoplexes orcells). These are targeted at applications in biopharmaceutical,ne chemical, ood and drink or diagnostic sectors.

In recent times a recognition has grown that an understanding o theresponse o molecular and biological properties o products to theprocess environments o their manuacture (ermentors, centriuges,lters, precipitators, chromatographic contactors, concentrators etc)

is as critical as the engineering design and integration o such unitoperations to establish successul processes. Indeed, such propertiesmay govern whether a bioproduct can be made to the specicationsrequired by the market place (ecacy, saety, shel-lie etc). Prooor prediction o manuacturability in newly discovered candidates isincreasingly an early goal o putative development.

Like many bioscientists, Andy Lyddiatt was drawn to the study oprotein structure and chemistry by a ascination in the understandingo biological unctionalities. During PhD training in the 1960s inthe Durham University lab o Don Boulter, it was necessary tomanuacture and puriy signicant quantities o plant and animalproteins to states o near molecular homogeneity in order to enableunambiguous structural characterisations.

It was clear that these same molecular properties could useullyinorm and acilitate the design o improved, bulk manuacture orindividual protein products. The harnessing o structural inormationor target products (and unwanted impurities) to the design andimplementation o ecient, up-scaled biomanuacture has sincebeen central to Andys proessional career.

Ater research posts in Dublin, London and Cambridge, Andyjoined the Chemical Engineering Department at the University oBirmingham in 1983 to establish the Biochemical Recovery Group(BRG) whose development o novel biomanuacturing methodsbecame based upon sound molecular and process engineeringprinciples. A key eature o this period was the high numbero research contracts successully concluded with government,academic and industrial partners (the latter including Astra Zeneca,Celltech, Cobra Biomanuacturing, GSK, Medimmune, Millipore,Unilever, Whatman and Whitbread).

Projects commonly ocused on researching robust alternatives toestablished chromatographic practice (fuidised bed adsorption, oamfotation, aqueous two-phase ractionation, selective precipitationetc) and their evaluation when ully integrated into representativeoperational manuacturing fows rom upstream bioreactor todownstream ormulation. In the 90s the ocus shited increasinglyrom proteins toward nanoscale products such as viruses, virus-likeparticles and plasmid DNA whose physical dimensions pose a newset o manuacturing challenges. Augmenting the technical output othe BRG during this period was the steady fow o trained personnelexperienced with representative eedstocks who were recruited by

biotechnological companies such as Avecia, Centocor, Genentech,Millipore, Pall, GSK, Lonza, Merck Serono, Novozymes, Prometic,UCB Celltech and Wyeth.

In 2002 the unique regional attractions o the North-East, rst

encountered as a Durham undergraduate, proved critical in persuadingAndy Lyddiatt to accept the post o Director o R&D with MilliporeCorporation at their manuacturing acility in County Durham.

Managing separation technology and innovative product developmentin both Consett and Bedord MA oered an invaluable learningcurve in R&D delivery to service the prescribed needs o the market-place. The intimate relationship o a material supply vendor withbiopharmaceutical manuacturers oered a great learning experience,and yielded unique insights into commercial R&D, not least the need orresearchers to understand key business drivers and or marketing olk tobetter appreciate technical constraints inherent in R&D processes.

Thus were sown the seeds o an interest in the reactive interaces

between science, engineering and business thinking relevant tobioproduct development which Andy currently explores as Proessor oPractice in Bioprocess Technologies in the Newcastle University BusinessSchool (NUBS). Here he has worked with Proessors Gary Montagueand Elaine Martin o Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials inthe establishment o a University Research Centre and an EngineeringDoctorate Training Programme in Biopharmaceutical Technology. Healso works closely in NUBS with Lucy Foley, a biochemical engineeringpostgraduate rom UCL who is researching and dening howprocess engineering and biobusiness awareness could contribute toa compression o the timerame to market or scientic inventions inemerging elds o nanotechnology and cellular therapies. There aremany salutary lessons evident in the 25+ year evolution o therapeuticantibodies rom discovery to the present day products o maturetemplate processes.

Newcastle University currently has our Proessor o Practice Posts activewithin the our themes o Newcastle Science City (Energy, Ageing and

Vitality, Molecular Engineering and Regenerative Medicine). The parttime nature o these appointments is designed to enable the incumbentto be active as catalyst and role-model or engagement and changewithin the translational interace o academic teaching and research,whilst remaining active and visible in commercial and entrepreneurialarenas.

Lyddallan Consultancy is the commercial outlet through which Andy Lyddiatt oers technical and strategic services in bioprocesstechnologies underpinned by 35 years experience in academic andcorporate research, development and manuacture. Practical skillsare oered in the design, implementation and trouble-shootingo integrated bioprocesses or the manuacture o natural andrecombinant bioproducts (proteins, nanoplexes, cells). Innovativesolutions to technical problems and networked sources or customersolutions are a speciality. Past projects have involved technical inputto product and process development in small and large companies,assembling technical evidence in support o company patent litigations,and strategic reviews o unding and policy landscapes or regional andnational bodies.

A signicant ongoing project is the Programme Management o theBioprocess Research Industry Club (BRIC) ormed by BBSRC, EPSRC,bioProcess UK and a consortium o 17 companies. BRIC currently unds24 research projects in 18 Universities ocused upon industrial needs orbioprocess technologies in an integrated programme worth in excess

o 13 million. A proposal to government sources or urther rounds oBRIC unding to meet unmet needs is in currently preparation.

Andy Lyddiatt can be contacted at [email protected]


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NETWorks Summer 2009

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