BHRSolutions is teaming up with some of the UK's leading authorities in biotechnology to create the Pro-Bio Faraday Partnership, focusing on biocatalytic manufacturing, which involves the use of enzymes rather than chemical catalysts. The Partnership comprises four universities and two research and technology organisations including University of Cambridge Institute of Biology, UMIST Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London's Department of Biochemical Engineering, the University of Edinburgh Centre for Protein Technology, Capenhurst.tech and BHRSolutions.

Industry will steer the Partnership, with support already pledged by GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, DuPont and Zylepsis, as well as Regional Development Agencies, trade and professional organisations, and venture capitalists. Dr John Beacham CBE, former Group Research Manager and Chief Scientist of ICI, will act as an independent chairman.

With £2.2m funding from EPSRC and DTI, Pro-Bio will stimulate research and undertake technology translation work. The research priorities are discovering and developing new biocatalysts; developing integrated processes; and designing and modelling new processes. The aim of the technology translation is to ensure that market needs are identified and translated into research requirements, and that the results of research are implemented industrially. To initiate this process BHRSolutions has hosted a research strategy meeting at Cranfield, at which industrial delegates and core partners defined research plans based on common, emerging needs.

A Pro-Bio telephone help line has been installed on +44(0)1234 752057 to clarify what services Pro-Bio can offer as well as to direct enquirers to other sources of information. Further information may also be found on the Pro-Bio web site at www.pro-bio-faraday.com.

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For more information, please contact us.