Technology company Lucideon is advancing its global position in pharmaceutical and biotech product development with investment in a new in vitro cell biology lab.
The firm has invested several hundred-thousand pounds into the facility to accelerate product development in areas including medical devices, pharmaceuticals, consumer healthcare products, and novel materials.
The laboratory at Lucideon’s UK headquarters in Stone has been developed through collaboration with the School of Engineering and Materials Science (SEMS) and the Institute of Dentistry at Queen Mary University of London, under a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) between Lucideon and the university, partially funded by Innovate UK.
Lucideon hosted Queen Mary post-doctoral researcher Dr David Shepherd for 30 months to pass on his advanced cell biology expertise to the on-site team as a KTP Associate.
Tom Archer, Product Marketing Manager (Healthcare), said: “This is an exciting collaboration for Lucideon as we pioneer advanced methods for pharmaceutical and biotech product development.
“Cell biology involves the study of cells, their structure, behaviour, and function in response to stimuli.
“Understanding these processes is crucial for the R&D of materials and chemicals intended for contact with humans such as medical devices or pharmaceuticals.
“The new lab brings opportunities to offer a range of investigative and analytical solutions that support our customers’ projects, including the R&D process of material and drug development, as well as the ongoing validation of products in the manufacturing stage.”
He added: “The new in vitro test facility at Lucideon will enable faster and safer innovation of pharmaceuticals and biomedical devices, to accelerate the translation of future healthcare developments from R&D to market more efficiently.
“This could not have been achieved at the same pace, without either the expertise of the academic team or the company’s commercial perspective and it highlights the value of universities and industry working together to achieve impact.”
