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The EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Emergent Macromolecular Therapies actively encourages and fosters long-term research partnerships and knowledge transfer between its academics and sponsors for mutual benefit. We have a range of mechanisms to facilitate interactions and engagements.
We encourage access to use our extensive facilities (pilot plant, ultra scale down instruments, responsive bioprocessing facility, analytical equipment etc) via shared doctoral projects and post-doctoral feasibility studies.
Research Collaboration
- Shared Doctoral Projects
The Centre For Doctoral Training (CDT) in The EPSRC Centre For Innovative Manufacturing In Emergent Macromolecular Therapies was established in May 2012. Its focus will be on manufacturing research and training required in the most rapidly developing parts of the UK bio-centred pharmaceutical and healthcare biotechnology sector, that have major implications for future medicine.
Our aim is to train bioprocess engineering leaders of the future who will underpin translation of new scientific advances into safely produced, more selective, therapies for currently intractable conditions at affordable costs. To achieve this we will embed CDT PhDs within the vibrant research community of the top UK Institutions and that of the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Emergent Macromolecular Therapies, to ensure that they benefit in terms of impact and knowledge transfer from the links to research led companies.
It is essential that we are able to capture novel analytical, mathematical, computational and predictive techniques, emerging from academic laboratories across the UK to bring them to bear on our EPSRC Centre vision. We will support CDT PhDs to establish blue-sky collaborations with academics whose underpinning research areas will in time directly bear upon bioprocess manufacturing. At least 75% of the CDT cohort will be based at highly resourced external collaborating Institutes. 15 PhDs will be funded by the CDT until 2015.
To discuss potential research projects that could be supported by the CDT please contact Dr Paul Dalby.- Centre feasibility studies
Funding for post-doctoral feasibility studies of 6-12 months duration is available to UK academics external to the Centre. These studies need to relate to the Centre vision but can span the full breadth of our remit.
These studies are encouraged to make use of Centre facilities and they should involve active collaboration with a Centre researcher.
The intention is that Centre involvement will help to bring these studies forward to a point where incorporation within the Centre programme is possible or where new funding opportunities are created. In this way these studies grow the capabilities of the Centre and its network of users.
The priority themes for feasibility studies are: Biophysical measurement New technologies and manufacturing strategies Modelling / Optimisation methodologies Life cycle cost analysis
- Biophysical measurement
- New technologies and manufacturing strategies
- Modelling / Optimisation methodologies
- Life cycle cost analysis
Download
- Further information on studies and the priority areas themes (pdf, 62kb)
- Proforma outline application form (pdf, 43.6kb)
In addition, the Centre will periodically issue calls for proposals on specific topics through the Open Call pages on the EPSRC website.
Feasibility studies funded since 2011
Lead Investigator Organisation Title Start Date Value Dr Jon Sussex Office of Health Economics Measuring expenditure on research into manufacturing June 2012 £29,000 Dr Daryl Williams Imperial College London Protein crystallisation of Monoclonal Antibodies May 2013 £27,000 Dr Oliver Hardick University College London Production and derivatisation of nanofibre adsorbents for high productivity purification March 2013 £20,000 Prof. Mire Zloh University of Hertfordshire Molecular dynamics simulation of freeze drying processes: effects of excipients on protein structure and stability during freezing processes April 2013 £4,000 Dr Stephanie Allen University of Nottingham Molecular Force Based Assays for the Prediction of Stability and Performance of Lyophilized Biopharmaceutical Formulations April 2013 £20,000 Prof Alexander 'Sasha' Golovanov University of Manchester Protein biopharmaceuticals as NMR targets March 2013 £20,000
Dr Jonathan Huddleston Brunel University Analytical Aqueous Phase Partitioning (AAPP) for the Biophysical Characterisation of Protein Isoforms/ adenovirus, liquid-liquid technology, scalability Late 2013 £30,000 - Collaborative Research in response to funding calls
e.g. from TSB, BRIC, Horizon 2020
The Centre for Innovative Manufacturing already has a strong record of working with companies on collaborative R&D project. It is keen to partner with companies on new projects funded by TSB, BRIC, Horizon 2020 and other agencies in all areas related to the Centre programme.
The Centre welcomes discussion with companies about potential research projects and will be organising workshops to help develop research projects in response to future funding calls.
For further information please contact Andrew Davidson.
Knowledge transfer
- EPSRC Centre bioprocess briefings
Bioprocess Briefings are regular events and open to all the bioprocessing community in which seminars in recent bioprocessing research and development are given by high-profile speakers.
There is no charge for these events which are very popular with audiences of more than 100 commonplace.
They are followed by lively drinks receptions organised by the Beaker Society that provide the audiences with excellent networking opportunities and the chance to talk with speakers directly.
To receive information on forthcoming Bioprocess Briefings email Dr Karen Smith.
Bioprocessing Matters
News from the Centre will be regularly reported in editions of Bioprocessing Matters. Bioprocessing Matters is provides regular updates on the activities of the Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering and has an international circulation of more than 5000.
To be added onto the email circulation list for this publication please email: mbi-training@ucl.ac.uk
Travel bursaries
To help encourage participation by the UK academic community, the Centre offers support toward expenses involved in attending some Centre meetings and events.