Developing biopharmaceutical skills at Newcastle

A research facility at Newcastle University is a leader in developing new techniques and research in biopharmaceuticals

The Newcastle University Research Centre in Biopharmaceutical Processing is a UK leader in developing techniques for drug development and production processes. The centre facilitates inter-disciplinary research collaborations between biological, physical and engineering scientists; developing research expertise which is relevant to the problems and needs of industry.

The work of the research centre in collaboration with industry spans a broad range of knowledge transfer activities. Experts at the centre offer consultancy services and continuing professional development (CPD) courses to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, such as the application of Process Analytical Technologies (PAT) for the pharmaceutical sector. Researchers at the centre also have long-term research partnerships with industry: Professor Gary Montague, Director of the centre, works closely with some of the UK’s leading pharmaceutical companies through a consortium called Britest. Britest has been established as a forum for supporting strategic research collaborations between industry and academia, aimed at developing innovative approaches to drug processing and manufacturing.

Thus the centre exploits a range of knowledge transfer mechanisms both to underpin its research programme, and to achieve economic impact from that research by offering a competitive edge to its industry partners.