UCL establishes its presence at Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst

UCL has established its presence in the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst (SBC) through moving three research projects into laboratory space there. These projects - together with Puridify, a spin-off company of UCL Department of Biochemical Engineering - will properly establish UCL's presence in SBC. The initiative is part of UCL's drive to engage more closely with the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries for translating its research to meaningful innovation for improving patients' health and quality of life. These research projects have been strategically chosen by UCL's Translational Research Office in the UCL School of Life and Medical Sciences and by UCL Business PLC (UCLB), the university's technology transfer company. They were selected because of their commercialisation potential and the benefits that the SBC open innovation campus will offer. The innovative model will see academic and industry research staff work side-by-side on potential therapeutics in a way which, it is hoped, will speed their development and delivery to patients. The projects - which are co-funded by the Higher Education Funding Council England (HEFCE) catalyst fund and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre - have taken up residence in separate laboratories with state of art facilities for research in chemistry, biology and clean manufacturing.