Discovery Through Innovation Manchester Institute of Biotechnology Discovery Through Innovation Research at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology
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Discovery through Innovation Manchester Institute of Biotechnology Discovery through Innovation Research at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology Contents Grand Challenge: Biomedical and Healthcare 43 12 Innovation in Action 45 Grand Challenge: Research Centres, Institutes and Facilities Industrial Biotechnology 48 18 Postgraduate and Training 51 Grand Challenge: Science and Society 22 Biofuels and Energy 53 Faculty Honours 57 Selected Publications Spotlight: 26 Centre for Synthetic Biology Office of the Director Nigel Scrutton Director Spotlight: Lesley-Ann Miller Communications Manager Systems Biology Rosalind Le Feuvre Research and Planning Manager 31 Penny Johnson Research Strategy Co-ordinator (EU and Industry) Janet England Support Services Manager Spotlight: Editor Lesley-Ann Miller 34 Text Mining Design & Production WeAreCreation.co.uk Spotlight: www.mib.manchester.ac.uk Technologies [email protected] 37 3 MANCHESTER INSTITUTE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY Driving discovery through innovation Fig. 1.0 Discovery through The Manchester Institute of Biotechnology inform and are informed by our research Grand Challenges and showcasing a Innovation Pipeline (MIB) is one of the leading biotechnology at the molecular, systems and design levels selected portfolio of projects that illustrate research institutes in the world. Focusing on as illustrated in our Discovery through the diversity, quality and dynamism of advanced quantitative approaches to specific Innovation Pipeline (fig 1.0). our research teams. Our reputation as an biotechnology challenges at the interface, international leader in the biotechnology We pursue and are actively engaged in the MIB enjoys a unique pluralistic and open field is evidenced with over 1400 Harnessing the synergy of interdisciplinarity challenging research projects that enable research culture that is realised through a publications, since 2009, in major journals us to make significant advances in science Focusing on specific challenges in biotechnology the co localisation of researchers from distinct coherent and integrated research concept and the impact of the Institute’s research is and engineering to benefit industry disciplines generates interdisciplinary teams with unique capabilities. and the establishment of a unique multi- and evident from a sustained commitment to the and society. Our track record in driving inter-disciplinary community of researchers successful translation of basic science into major interdisciplinary programmes in commercial success. committed to working across discipline Design promotes interaction biotechnology has attracted more than boundaries. The Manchester Institute of £90M in external funding since MIB’s As a leading industry-interfaced Reflecting the needs of interdisciplinary science, the MIB features open-plan, multifunctional Biotechnology is committed to inception in 2006 and our portfolio biotechnology institute we are proud to laboratories and extensive specialist research facilities. The MIB is based at the John Garside the pursuit of research excellence, continues to grow substantially primarily engage in technology transfers and have Building and houses over 500 research staff education, knowledge transfer through a ‘tightening’ of our focus in areas a number of strategic partnerships with and students from 52 research groups from Discovery through innovation and discovery through innovation of core strength (industrial biotechnology; companies from the chemical, biotechnology across The University of Manchester from Delivering internationally recognised programmes across all disciplines, with a strong emphasis whereby a coherent and integrated synthetic biology; catalysis science; systems- and biopharmaceutical sectors to translate the Faculties of Engineering and Physical on translational research, knowledge transfer and discovery through innovation. interdisciplinary research community based research; biomedical biotechnology; research council funding into products and Sciences, Life Sciences, and Medical and work towards developing new fuels and energy research), and supported services for the betterment of all people and Human Sciences. With a strong emphasis on biotechnologies that will find by strategic recruitment to new leadership the environment across the globe. Innovation in action translational research, knowledge transfer applications in areas such as human positions in the Institute. and discovery through innovation our Nigel Scrutton Advancing economic and societal development through knowledge generation and transfer. health, the energy economy, food philosophy has placed us in a strong position Our research strengths are showcased in Director Enabling companies of all sizes to benefit from our research technology and expertise. security, industrial transformations and to address a series of Grand Challenges that the ensuing pages defining our research Exploiting commercially significant innovation through licensing and the creation of spin-out/spin-ins. the environment. 4 5 The University of Manchester Our goal, outlined in the Manchester 2020 quality of our research activity is unrivalled pioneering approaches to major global strategic plan, is to establish the University as in the UK. We have a distinguished history challenges in biotechnology it has evolved a major centre for interdisciplinary research. in research, innovation and enterprise into one of the leading biotechnology The large scale and quality of our activity at stretching back over 180 years with many of research institutes in the world. Manchester sets us apart. We are able to the major advances of the twentieth century We are committed to enhancing the lives combine disciplines and capabilities to meet having been discovered at the University. of all people, through knowledge transfer both the challenges of leading-edge research Our institutes carry responsibility for several and education and this commitment is and the external demands of society, of the University’s key research priorities, firmly embedded in the global challenges business and other stakeholders. working in areas where we have achieved that constitute the unique research vision The University of Manchester is one of or aspire to world-leading status. The of the MIB whose role is integral to the the world’s leading centres for biomedical Manchester Institute of Biotechnology was advancement of the research mission of the and biotechnology research that sits at the the first university-based, purpose-built University. forefront of new discoveries in science and interdisciplinary research institute of its kind Professor Luke Georghiou engineering. Research is at the heart of the in the UK. Through the establishment of Vice President for Research University and the sheer scale, diversity and multi-skilled interdisciplinary teams applying Expanding cross campus in spectroscopy through Professor Peter In a programme funded by the EPSRC the MIB collaboration Gardner. Our systems/modelling/text mining engaged in a suite of short-term speculative of modern cell sorters the relatively small on the design of these filter stages, and activities continue to assemble cross-faculty activities to consolidate the cross-disciplinary Stem cell fractionation using numbers obtained and the addition of use cutting edge science and technology We continue to develop collaborations across teams of researchers to deliver innovative culture within the Institute. In one project, interactions with artificial matrices labelling reagents mean that these methods to generate a completely new approach to the University campus with current research research at the forefront of medical Professor Peter Gardner in collaboration with There has been a recent explosion in interest are not suitable for widespread application of stem cell purification. Specialist techniques grant funding aligned with 83 research biotechnology. Professor Mark Dunne (FLS) differentiated four in and potential applications of stem cells. stem cell therapy. Stem cells have yet to find such as microfluidics, nanotechnology, rapid groups from all four Faculties. Recent separate cell lines in pancreatic stem cells using Their potential for therapeutic medical global application, because of their rarity. This microstructure prototyping will be combined funding successes and applications endorse FTIR cell population imaging technologies. applications is particularly exciting, with project proposes to change the current stem with the latest ideas in cell biochemistry a closer alliance with other University of Cross-disciplinary feasibility the real prospect of growing replacement Manchester Institutes: Photon Science Following on from earlier work led by cell sorting methods from low throughput and cell biorecognition to fulfil the primary tissue and bone to overcome a wide variety Institute, Manchester Institute of Innovation There are numerous areas of research within Professor John Vickerman which utilised one-by-one techniques to very high objective of making it easier, cheaper and of disease conditions. Stem cells also have Research, and the Institute for Science, the biological and biomedical field that imaging Mass Spectrometry for 2D and 3D throughput alternatives that will be capable faster to harvest useful stem cells. The benefit an important role in diagnostics, and have Ethics and Innovation. The development of require the ability to quantitatively analyse cellular characterisation in an Alzheimer’s of sorting millions of cells simultaneously.