It can take approximately 10-15 years and considerable investment to bring a drug onto the market. The life cycle of a drug comprises four stages: discovery and research, development, regulatory approval and commercialisation. Our research contributes to all of these stages, helping to translate research into practice – taking a drug from ‘bench to bedside’.
Our research is carried out by a multidisciplinary group consisting of world-class academics and researchers from diverse backgrounds. We bring together expertise in laboratory skills, experimental design, clinical evaluation, knowledge of governance and ethical procedures required for human subject research, and the application of our technologies within healthcare settings. Our staff are leaders in their chosen fields and actively engaged in relevant industry-based research and consultancy.
We work closely with several pharmaceutical, biotechnology and healthcare organisations to help provide solutions to major global health challenges.
Examples of key business clients and partners include the Dr Hadwen Trust, Future Health, GlaxoSmithKline, Lilly, Loughborough University, Mologic, Unilever and University College London.
About our research
Focusing on neurology, immune-inflammation, urogenital and gastrointestinal therapeutic areas we examine the mechanisms of diseases at molecular and cellular levels to identify targets to treat neurodegenerative diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, erectile dysfunction and irritable bowel syndrome.
We also develop synthetic receptors using Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) for application in drug development and manufacturing. This technology can reduce the cost and preparation time required for drug formulation and quality control.
We work closely with several pharmaceutical, biotechnology and healthcare organisations to help provide solutions to major global health challenges.
Examples of key business clients and partners include:
• Dr Hadwen Trust
• Future Health
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Lilly
• Loughborough University
• Mologic
• Unilever
• University College London.
Our facilities
We utilise the university’s extensive state-of-the-art facilities that are also accessible to doctoral students and, on a contractual or consultancy basis to external organisations. Facilities include a purpose-built bioscience laboratories housed in the Vincent Building which include the following:
• Compound screening platform
• Histology Suite
• Microbiology Suite
• Tissue Culture Laboratory.
Working with us
We work with a wide variety of leading global organisations, Government departments and charities; helping to provide solutions to major global health challenges. Through research and consultancy we apply our expertise, knowledge and experience to problems presented to us by our partners, helping to deliver effective business solutions that will:
• help define and achieve objectives on time
• solve specialised problems
• free up in-house staff
• reduce private consulting company’s expenditure.
Our partners also value our industrial facilities and equipment – some of which they don’t have inhouse.
Specific consultancy services include:
• Review articles
• Legal support, reporting and expert witnessing
• Technological support and advice
• Technological market sector analysis
• Project management and project delivery
• Workshop/seminar/course delivery
• Database development.
Our work continues to have considerable impact in the real-world. For example we have produced small molecule drugs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome. In addition we re-engineer drugs already on the market to produce novel compounds which can be targeted to the site of action and the mechanism to determine the optimum route of delivery.
