Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre
Annual Report 2015
Contents
Contents Foreword 01 Highlights Timeline
02
Overview of IBioIC
04
Industrial Engagement
08
Meet the Industrial Member
10
Academic Partners
12
Skills Programme
14
The Industry-led Project Programme
16
Exemplar Projects
18
Governance 20 Meet the Team
22
Equipment Centres
25
Events 28 Looking Forward
32
Financial Summary
33
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Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
Foreword
T
he last year for the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) has been very much about gearing up for delivery.
The IBioIC team have been extremely active organising numerous business engagement events, running several project competitions, including one specifically aimed at supporting micro-companies, and attending national and international conferences.
We had an excellent start with a vibrant and inspirational “The Journey Started” conference in January with over 220 attendees. During the course of the year we have been building the team and making a number of key appointments. We have also witnessed some major outcomes with 17 students graduating from the new collaborative Master’s course, the majority of whom are now employed in the sector, whilst 19 graduates are now engaged in the new PhD programme. IBioIC continues to invest in industry-academic collaborative projects with 7 projects launched over the past 12 months. These projects bring our investment in projects to over £1M with a similar contribution leveraged from industrial partners.
The IBioIC brand is rapidly gaining broader recognition both at home and abroad and the recruitment of company members is accelerating at pace with over 40 companies now signed up. This is underlined by the successful bid to bring the European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology and the Bioeconomy (EFIB) to Glasgow in 2016. IBioIC were instrumental in developing the bid and we look forward to hosting this leading event in October.
Following the vision and original funding plan prepared at the end of 2013, the CEO and management team have developed and issued a detailed strategy and updated business plan with very clear targeted milestones, outcomes and impacts that can be easily monitored to ensure success. A key highlight has been the recent opening of the Rapid Bioprocess Prototyping Centre (RBPC) at the University of Strathclyde. This suite of state-of-the-art equipment, together with the technical expertise within the Institute, will allow users to rapidly analyse new microbial strains for a range of bioprocesses. The Centre at Strathclyde will be complemented by the opening of the Flexible Downstream Bioprocessing Centre (FlexBIO) at Heriot-Watt University in the first quarter of 2016. This facility fills a critical gap in the scale-up process and will allow users to test the efficacy of their bio-processes at the 15-100 litre scale. Similarly, the FlexBIO centre is supported by considerable expertise in this area and I am confident that the two centres offer open-access, world-class facilities and know-how to the biotechnology sector in Scotland.
The IBioIC team is continuing to work on developing the offerings to business and expect to substantially increase membership during the following 12 months. This growth and success has only been possible with the world-class and diverse technology base offered by the 14 partner universities, the substantial assistance and infrastructure support provided by the hub university, Strathclyde, and the guidance and support of the Governing Board in addition to the Scientific Advisory Board and the Commercial Advisory Board. The innovation centre is now focussing on making 2016 the year of accelerated innovation and delivery, leveraging the achievements of this past year and is committed to substantial business impact. I close by once again thanking all our supporters, stakeholders and funders and in particular the Scottish Funding Council, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I wish you all an excellent and fulfilling year end and look forward to working with you all next year.
Ian Shott, CBE, FREng IBioIC Chairman
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Highlights
Highlights
July 2015 Trade Visit to Canada
May 2015 Skills for Industry January 2015 IBioIC First Annual Conference June 2015 Launch of IBioIC Micro Company Exemplar Funding Call
June 2015 Workshop with Oil & Gas Innovation Centre
March 2015 IBioIC move to Inovo
2015
February 2015 Bio-refinery Roadmap Launched
June 2015 IBioIC Horizon 2020 Funding Workshop
May 2015 All Energy Conference
July 2015 Glasgow wins bid to host EFIB 2016 May 2015 Images of Research Competition
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Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
Commercialisation activity
Outreach activities
Skills activities
Encompassing activities
October 2015 New cohort of PhD students start July 2015 Bio World Congress
December 2015 IBioIC join the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC)
October 2015 Bio-economy Investment Summit
September 2015 New cohort begins MSc course in Industrial Biotechnology
November 2015 Rapid Bioprocess Prototyping Centre (RBPC) Opened at the University of Strathclyde
2016
August 2015 Celtic Renewables awarded £11M grant by the UK Department of Transport
October 2015 New website launched
November 2015 MSc Graduation
October 2015 EFIB 2015
November 2015 ‘IB Acclerator’ funding call launched with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise
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Overview of IBioIC
Overview of IBioIC Scope of IBioIC IBioIC leads the development of the bio-economy from feedstocks to products (Figure 1). Focusing on the three strategic areas of Synthetic Biology, Biotransformations and Integrated Bioprocessing, we manage a diverse portfolio of industrially led research using the combined knowledge of the Higher Education Institution (HEI) partners towards commercially relevant targets. IBioIC leverages a large assortment of enabling technologies from bioinformatics and bioretrosynthesis through metabolic engineering and ‘omics analysis to fermentation and feedstock- and downstream-processing. As a result IBioIC has the ability to enable its member companies to transform exciting novel technologies from low to high technology readiness levels creating a multitude of new commercial opportunities across a wide variety of industry sectors.
IB PROCESS
IBioIC THEMES
Crude feedstock
TECHNOLOGIES Bio-retrosynthesis Pathway identification
Biorefining
Synthetic Biology
Molecular biology
Refined feedstock
Bioprocess
Bioinformatics
Metabolic engineering Biocatalysis Biotransformation
Primary product
‘Omics Analytical biochemistry Feedstock processing Analytical chemistry
Upgrading Secondary product
Integrated bioprocessing
Fermentation Multiphasic Separations Downstream processing
Figure 1 Schematic showing the overlap of technologies with IBioIC themes
Operational model of IBioIC / USPs IBioIC has a team expert in all areas of Industrial Biotechnology providing advice on business strategy, manufacturing strategy and technical bioprocess development through the IB pathway from bioinformatics to downstream processing. Key to this support is our ever-growing network of industrial and academic partners. We facilitate interactions between potential end-users and technology developers with a view to implementing new research programmes. We work closely with other NGOs and policy makers to advise and advocate on behalf of our academic and industrial membership. We provide tangible, focused tools to drive the development of the bio-economy. Our skills programme is the first collaborative MSc of its kind and has begun to deliver post-graduate qualified scientists to the IB businesses of Scotland. We are training the next generation of IB leaders through our industrially-led PhD programme across Scotland’s IB-engaged academic community. We have used our own funding to leverage further input from both academic and industrial sources to increase the number of studentships available.
Our new Accelerator programme will drive commercial industrially-led IB development projects in HEI laboratories. For the first time, the industrial partner will be able to receive cash funding with co-funding from Scottish Enterprise or Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Our first Equipment Centre, the Rapid Bioprocess Prototyping Centre, will be transformative in the development of IB processes. Integrating the ability to carry out “phenomics” studies with existing ‘omics capability at the University of Strathclyde and subsequent high-throughput bioprocess development will reduce experimental effort while dramatically increasing the quality of the data produced. Our aim is to move bioprocess development from a “know-how” to a “know-why” culture. Finally our second Equipment Centre, the Flexible Downstream Bioprocessing Centre, hosted by Heriot Watt University is under construction and will open early in 2016. This facility will allow companies to test bioprocesses at an early stage of development at a suitable scale for downstream processing development and optimisation.
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Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
Downstream processing can account for more than 60% of the cost of a bioprocess. Access to such facilities early in the development process will allow member companies to adapt their upstream development strategies to suit the optimal downstream processing providing the most economically viable integrated bioprocess. IBioIC is an industry led national Centre with a model to develop a highly attractive, resource leveraging and easy to engage with open innovation culture. The industry leadership ensures a strong market pull and the Centre’s core team consists of industrially experienced experts providing the best support and project management
capability for company members. Through the use of technology and innovation from the academic partners, IBioIC drives forward solutions to industrial problems. The operational strategy of IBioIC is to operate within the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 to 7, i.e. primary research on business issues and research application, and then develop the technology through to small pilot scale technical demonstration, to produce robust technical transfer packages. These packages can be scaled up in the companies themselves or through working in collaboration with Innovate UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult and CPI to fully demonstrate commercial viability.
Technological Experts
Providing the Tools
• IBioIC has a core team expert in all areas of IB with wider management, financial and marketing expertise amounting to more than 100 years of industry experience
• IBioIC is committed to directly investing £30 million by 2019 into collaborative development projects
• We provide advice on Business Strategy, Manufacturing Strategy and Process Development
• We have built 2 open access facilities for the use of our members and the wider IB community
Linking Communities • IBioIC is at the hub of a growing network where industry freely interacts with academics and other business leaders, generating new ideas and, with the support and guidance of the Centre, develops these into new products • We advise, advocate and influence policy makers from within Scotland, the UK and Europe
• We have created educational programmes from HND to PhD level including designing and developing the UK’s 1st collaborative MSc in Industrial Biotechnology • Management of a diverse research portfolio across our three key areas: synthetic biology, biotransformations and fermentation and integrated bioprocessing
Figure 2 IBioIC areas of expertise
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Overview of IBioIC
Overview of IBioIC Uniqueness of IBioIC The map shows the location of the fourteen IBioIC Higher Education Institution (HEI) partners, HEI collaborators and all current and potential industry members showing the breadth and range of institutes and companies involved in the innovation centre.
“IBIOIC has taken the outstanding academic expertise in Scottish Universities and linked it directly with the groundbreaking biotechnology industry. The PhD programme is training the next generation of talented, highly-skilled and ambitious scientists who will be recruited by companies or universities, forge new partnerships and be the key players in setting up future new businesses. Students are walking out of research labs straight into the start of exciting careers with our industrial partners. If only I was 25 again.� Prof. Dominic Campopiano, School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh
Key Members Academic Partners Aberdeen NCIMB Robert Gordon University University of Aberdeen Ayr Marine Biopolymers Burntisland CelluComp Dundee Cellexus Cypex Michelin Dundee Cell Products The James Hutton Institute University of Dundee University of Abertay Edinburgh AMT BioDetectors Celtic Renewables Diageo FIOS Genomics Forestry Commission Ingenza Johnson Matthey M Power World Edinburgh Napier University Heriot Watt University Queen Margaret University The University of Edinburgh EPP SWRI Bouygues Biotangents Benchmark Vaccines Synpromics Horizon Proteins Nandi Proteins NiTech
Glasgow BluTest BioFilm Sistemic Scottish Leather Group Scottish Renewables Thermo Fisher Scientific William Tracey University of Glasgow University of Strathclyde University of the West of Scotland Biffa Ardent Energy 3F Bio Grangemouth Fujifilm Ineos Syngenta Inverness Cells United University of the Highlands and Islands Irvine DSM GSK Irvine Bay UPM Caledonia Lewis BASF Linlithgow Alba gaia Livingston Fibre Photonics Lockerbie E.ON Montrose GSK North Uist Uist Asco
Oban Glycomar Lallemand Xanthella SAMS, University of the Highlands and Islands FAI Aquaculture St Andrews Sasol University of St Andrews Stirling Kerry Ingredients Zero Waste Scotland
Outside Scotland Akzo Nobel Applikon Aurozymes Bioline Croda Enzymatics Eppendorf Genialis Algenuity Agilent Technologies Beacon Biome bioplastics Biocatalysts Biotech North Silicolife VWR Pennotec MBCOI Shannon ABC Invista Lonza Lucite Epigem
Merck CPI CK Science YSI BioVale IAR TWB ACIB Bio-Sep TBPF Novozymes Sartorius Stedim Biotech Seafarmacy Shasun TCI Unilever Imperial College London University College London University of Cambridge University of Manchester University of Nottingham Queensland University of Technology
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Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
Lewis
North Uist
Inverness
Aberdeen
Montrose
Dundee Oban Stirling
Perth
St Andrews
Burntisland Grangemouth Linlithgow
Edinburgh
Glasgow Irvine
Livingston
Ayr
Lockerbie
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Industrial Engagement
Industrial Engagement Led by industry, for industry, company engagement is critical to the success of the IBioIC. Serving organisations of all sizes from SME to Multinational, the centre is fast becoming the hub of an Industrial Biotechnology network with its roots in Scotland but with a global reach. With our technical expertise, world class academic institutions and our industry members IBioIC is putting Scotland on the IB map. Our current industrial membership includes:
“The SFC is used to building bridges between academic researchers and business, but the new Innovation Centres will create a new emphasis on economic and social impact as well as industry-led innovation - in other words applied research.� Sir John Arbuthnott, MRIA, President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
“2015 was a year that saw the IBioIC build on its excellent start. Clarity on its direction of travel was achieved with the publication of its Strategic Roadmap, and an impressive portfolio of development projects is now underway. Additionally, the opening of the Rapid Bioprocess Prototyping Centre at Strathclyde, significant progress in the construction of the Flexible Downstream Bioprocessing Centre at Heriot Watt, and the graduation of the first cohort of Industrial Biotechnology MSc students demonstrates the impact and real difference the IBioIC is making to the development of Industrial Biotechnology in Scotland.� Ian Little, INEOS
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10
Meet the Member (Industry)
Meet the Industrial Member ADVANCED MICROWAVE TECHNOLOGIES LTD
Advanced Microwave Technologies (AMT) develops, manufactures and installs microwave equipment which treats flowing liquids at industrial scale. The patented equipment has a very wide range of applications from pasteurising drinks to pre-treating biomass. For seven of its eight years of operation to business attempted to commercialise the technology in the food and drink industry. Whilst there has been a modest level of success in this market and new niches are constantly discovered, it became clear that a new direction was needed: this was Industrial Biotechnology. AMT joined IBioIC in 2015. Our first interaction was the inaugural conference. This was a
huge success for AMT in introducing us to people whose focus was Industrial Biotechnology. We had known for some time that microwave technology had been applied in laboratory conditions to IB problems, but none had been exploited at industrial-scale. What we learned at the conference gave us the confidence and initial contacts to start seriously exploring the application of microwaves to IB market. This has been a significant success for us. We signed a global license deal with a major IB company in October for the pre-treatment of waste to produce energy. Stephen Roe, CEO, Advanced Microwave Technologies Ltd (AMT)
Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
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CRODA
Industrial Biotechnology is central to Croda’s business. Sustainability is integral to everything we do and we are fully committed to using renewable raw materials and environmentally sensitive processes; to producing innovative ingredients that help improve the sustainable credentials of end products; and supporting our people and the communities in which we operate. Our success is driven by collaboration, our proactive attitude and our ability to
think differently. Membership of IBioIC allows us to widen our network and develop new collaborative opportunities to help us achieve this. We also take advantage of the skills programme IBioIC run by taking on MSc students for their industrial placement. This not only allows us to train up an individual entering the IB sector but gives us access to highly skilled individuals that can add to our team of passionate experts. Will Cannon, Business Development Director (Biotechnology), Croda
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Academic Partners
Academic Partners The Centre is fortunate to have the active involvement of fourteen Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in supporting its activities. Figure 3 shows the capabilities of these HEIs in terms of the colours of biotechnology, it graphically shows the diverse range of skills we can access in supporting our Industrial partners’ research needs. Over the last year all fourteen HEIs have been active for the Centre, they have given valuable advice on the Commercial and Scientific Advisory Boards as well as assessed the merits of Exemplar projects and PhD Studentship applications. They have worked with Industrial members in developing Exemplar projects and then submitted these into the two competitions that have been held over the year. They have submitted applications for PhD Studentships and provided course content to the Collaborative MSc program. They have actively
Health
Marine
Industrial
Agriculture
University of Strathclyde University of St Andrews
attended all the IBioIC organised events over the year and have been energetically involved in the development of the IB strategy for Scotland and how this should drive the activities of IBioIC over the next few years. The Centre has been involved with over 150 individual academics from Scottish HEIs over the last 12 months and would like to sincerely thank them all for their valued advice, support and enthusiasm. Finally the Centre is working with two Further Education Colleges (FECs), Forth Valley College and Glasgow Kelvin College and the Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) has established an HND program in Industrial Biotechnology to feed in directly to Industrial employment or as an alternative route into higher academic study.
Edinburgh Napier University Abertay University The James Hutton Institute Heriot Watt University
SAMS / University of the Highlands and Islands
Queen Margaret University
University of Glasgow University of Edinburgh University of Aberdeen Robert Gordon University University of the West of Scotland Figure 3 Scottish HEI partner core competencies.
University of Dundee
Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
“IBioIC has had another hugely successful year as it continues to meet the challenge of delivering economic impact and growth through the development of the bioeconomy and industrial biotechnology. I am particularly pleased that two major milestones have been achieved this year. The opening of the £1Million Rapid Bioprocess Prototyping Centre at Strathclyde provides state-of-the-art facilities to the R&D community. In addition, I was delighted to see the first cohort of MSc students graduate from the University. The MSc in Industrial Biotechnology is an unprecedented collaborative programme taught across 8 different Scottish Universities. I look forward to another successful year as IBioIC continues to deliver for the Scottish economy.” Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal, University of Strathclyde
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Skills Programme
Skills Programme MSc Programme IBioIC have developed the UK’s first collaborative MSc course. The MSc in Industrial Biotechnology is delivered by eight Scottish Institutions and awarded by the University of Strathclyde. Designed in collaboration with industry the course comprises of taught modules followed by an industrial placement and project thesis. Eleven of IBioIC’s industrial members currently participate in the industrial placement scheme.
The MSc programme has been nominated for •
the 2015 Innovative Collaboration Award
•
Scottish Enterprise Life Science Awards 2016
•
Multi-Collaborative Project Award, The Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards 2016
This year 21 students from a variety of scientific disciplines embarked on the MSc in industrial Biotechnology.
Launched in 2014 the first seventeen students graduated in November of this year.
PhD Programme
15+10+4520A
IBioIC currently support 19 PhD students across 9 Scottish Universities. Approximately 80% of these projects involve an industrial partner and ten companies currently benefit from the research being conducted by the students. The PhD projects cover the full spectrum of Industrial Biotechnology colours. IBioIC continue to innovate in their approach to PhD projects and are currently working with two other Innovation Centres to fund innovative multi-disciplinary projects bringing new skills and techniques to research in Industrial Biotechnology.
PhD’s Funded by Strategic Area
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Cell Factory Construction (3) Downstream Bioprocessing (2) Enzymes & Biocatalysis (8) Integrated Bioprocessing (4) Sustainable Feedstocks (2)
Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
HND Programme IBioIC, together with Forth Valley and Glasgow Kelvin College, have developed a national HND qualification in Industrial Biotechnology that was successfully validated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) in May, 2015. This bespoke programme, designed in response to industry need, will launch nationally in 2016 and aims to produce graduates with key skills for employment in the IB sector. IBioIC are also working alongside Skills Development Scotland (SDS) to promote the uptake of Modern Apprenticeships in Life Sciences, Chemical Sciences and Engineering disciplines. These skills developed by the Modern Apprentices will be central to building a successful Industrial Biotechnology sector while providing the employee with a recognised qualification in a growing sector.
STEM Partnership IBioIC are working on two new initiatives to promote IB in schools. In partnership with Skills Development Scotland, the Scottish Schools Education Research Centre and North Ayrshire Council, we plan to hold a STEM event bringing together schools and employers from the Industrial Biotechnology industry. Our second initiative is a Teacher-In-Industry placement. In this scheme a teacher spends a week in industry learning about IB, career opportunities in the local area while gaining hands-on experience in practical elements of IB-related work. Accreditation of the placement by SSERC for teacher CPD will be sought.
“I have studied Biology in Portugal and I have done my fourth year research project in the James Hutton Institute, in Dundee, Scotland. Being in love with science and research and the idea of pursuing a research career I knew that enrolling in a great MSc would help me build my milestones and gain important skills for the future. I was really attracted to this programme because of its option in Algae Biotechnology specialization. As a foreigner, it is important that I can further develop my English and study at a University with such a great reputation as Strathclyde University. I truly believe this MSc has been an amazing experience in terms of meeting great professionals and teachers in cutting edge biotechnology. I truly recommend this course!� Barbara Meireles Vaz Guimaraes, MSc Student
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The Industry-led Project Programme
The Industry-led Project Programme The Industry-led Project Programme supports collaborative projects that address a defined market need or commercial opportunity through the innovative application of biotechnology. In its second year, the Centre has built on the success of its inaugural year with a further three calls for projects. The project proposals are led by an industrial leading or core member with a collaborative team including at least one Higher Education Institute partner. The proposals are assessed by both the Commercial and Scientific Advisory Boards and ranked on technical and commercial merit. Our approach is informed by the triple-helix model, which brings together business, academia and government, to create the framework to drive innovation and economic development in the Knowledge Economy.
Industry Members
IBioIC Business Development and Project Team
Academic Partner(s)
Project Ideas
Collaborative Project Team
IB Accelerator Programme A highlight of the past 12 months has been the launch of the new Industrial Biotechnology (IB) Accelerator funding call in collaboration with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. By partnering with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, we have been able to design a funding call that provides a contribution to the project costs of both the academic and industry partner throughout Scotland. The aims of IB Accelerator programme are threefold: 1. to support the development of new products and manufacturing processes to bring them closer to industrial reality; 2. to provide the necessary skills to meet the growing needs of industry; and 3. to be the centre of knowledge exchange for sharing best practice in industrial biotechnology. Further information on the IB Accelerator call can found at the following website: www.ibioic.com/IB_Accelerator_Programme.htm
Development of Project Proposal
SE/HIE Funding
The IB Accelerator Project
IBioIC Funding
Outputs
Knowledge Exchange
Commercialisation of IP
Additional Revenue Streams
Skilled Workers
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Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
Due to the increase in demand from the previous year, 2015 saw IBioIC fund eight industry-led projects from two competitions with a total project investment of over £1.3 million. The projects covered all four colours of IB and all five of IBioIC key themes.
10+60+2010A 16+25+9A ■ ■ ■ ■
Red (1) White (8) Blue (2) Green (1)
Projects Funded by IB Colour
Projects Funded by Theme
Project 2015 Call 2
Project 2015 Call 1
With applications spanning large multinationals to microcompanies this competition saw the largest numbers of entries to date. All successful projects commenced in 2015 and thought-provoking results are already being produced. Project Title
Lead Company
■ Sustainable feedstocks (2) ■ Enzymes and Biocatalysis / Biotransformation (3) ■ Cell Factory Construction and Process Physiology (3) ■ Downstream processing (1) ■ Integrated Bioprocessing (3)
The second project call for the year was a themed call targeting micro-companies. This call was very well received by our company members with a high calibre of entries resulting in a total of 4 projects being funded.
Collaborators
Project Title
Lead Company
Collaborators
Photodynamic Xanthella Ltd. enhancement of industrial feedstock production by microalgae through solar wavelength conversion
University of St Andrews
3f Diversity
3fbio Ltd.
University of Strathclyde
Sympromics Ltd.
The University of Edinburgh
Development of novel enzymes for methacrylate biomanufacturing
Ingenza Ltd.
University of St Andrews and Lucite International
Design of inducible promoters for improved bioprocessing in mammalian cell systems
Fibre Photonics Ltd.
The University of Edinburgh
Bioengineering with CRISPR-Cas to deliver non-GM yeast for industrial and agricultural applications
Ingenza Ltd.
Real-time control of bioreactors with in-situ spectroscopy New world byproducts
Horizon Proteins Ltd.
Heriot-Watt University
Development of scalable purification of functional oligosaccharides
GlycoMar Ltd.
The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University
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The Exemplar Programme
Exemplar Projects GlycoMar - Optimising the production of a biologically active microalgal polysaccharide GlycoMar recently completed their first Exemplar project which was successful in combining a distinct set of technical approaches to enhance the understanding of commercial polysaccharide production from GlycoMar’s chosen strain. The project also identified several new opportunities for new production strains and polysaccharide products. The project engaged with three of IBioIC academic partner institutions: SAMS, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Strathclyde.
strain optimisation and selection. New novel strains identified are now being investigated by GlycoMar at 20L scale to confirm the effectiveness of the bio-process. The Complex Fluid Partnership, University of Edinburgh, provided valuable rheological and physical characterisation work that revealed important information regarding the commercial application of GlycoMar’s polysaccharides. This resulted in changes to the downstream processing of the product during continuous cultivation at >200L, conducted by project partner MicroA, leading to increased productivity. The University of Strathclyde performed the biochemical profiling of the polysaccharide product and consolidated understanding of the biomass composition.
“During the course of the project GlycoMar’s understanding of culture optimisation and polymer rheology has increased, due to transfer of knowledge from project partners”
The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), part of the University of the Highlands and Islands, provided expertise in
Horizon Proteins - New World By-products Horizon Proteins Ltd., a spin-out company from Heriot-Watt University, develops processes for the recovery and re-use of protein and energy from fermentation and distillery by-products. In Scotland whisky is traditionally made from malted barley. Migrants to the New World adapted this technology and experimented with locally-produced grains, with the first distilleries opening in the late 18th century. This has given rise to a strong tradition of American whiskeys, which are made from a combination of barley, rye, wheat or corn. As a result, the byproducts from American whiskey are very different to those from the malt whisky process. Horizon Proteins has developed a process for using pot ale from Scottish malt whisky distilleries to produce a sustainable, nutritionally-suitable protein for salmon feed. Following in the footsteps of pioneers adapting whiskey production to local American grains, the New World by-products project will look to adapt this technology to American by-products and recover protein for use in local feed markets with the potential to replace grains which have been diverted from the table to the still. The project partner is Heriot-Watt University, led by Dawn Maskell from the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling and Dr Nik Willoughby, from the Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering. They have extensive expertise in bioprocessing and valorisation of brewery and distillery by-products and with access to leading research facilities will ensure that a scalable and transferable process will be developed for the American market.
“This Exemplar project enables the continued collaboration between Horizon Proteins and experts at Heriot-Watt University in developing technology for by-product streams from US whiskey distilleries. The commercial opportunity afforded by this will accelerate application of Horizon Proteins technology on the international stage with the overall benefit of providing new protein feed ingredients to local feed sectors – a growing concern in a world with a rapidly increasing population.” Jane White, Horizon Proteins
Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
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Xanthella - Photodynamic enhancement of industrial feedstock production by microalgae through solar wavelength conversion Xanthella Ltd. is a micro-SME who provide a range of novel photo-bioreactors (PBRs) for algal bio-production. Using their expertise in light, LED technologies and photonics, Xanthella optimise production through control and manipulation of the illumination. Microalgae can produce a wide range of industrial feedstocks including plastics, biofuels, nutraceuticals, pigments and pharmaceuticals. The main bottleneck in their development is the high cost of production. This project seeks to reduce the costs of upstream production through the development of novel solar light conversion materials that will enhance the performance of algal PBRs. This will be achieved by photodynamic control of microbial contamination, while enhancing photosynthesis and reducing UV impact enabling a wider range of materials to be used. The project partner University of St Andrews, led by Dr Graham Turnbull and Prof Ifor Samuel, are internationally recognised for their expertise in polymer optoelectronics research.
Ingenza - Development of novel enzymes for methacrylate bio-manufacturing Ingenza Ltd (www.ingenza.com), an industrial biotechnology (IB) company, is a leader in the commercial application of synthetic biology. Ingenza provides efficient scalable bioprocesses to manufacture chemicals, biologics, pharmaceuticals and biofuels, all from sustainable feedstock sources. Lucite International (www.lucite.com) is the global leader in the design, development and manufacture of acrylic-based products. In this IB project Ingenza and Lucite collaborated with the University of Strathclyde, led by Dr Nick Tucker, to further the development of bioprocesses for the sustainable manufacture of acrylate intermediates using innovative synthetic biology approaches. The project focused on knowledge transfer between the academic and industrial partners. This has resulted in novel ‘omics and metrology techniques being deployed at Ingenza, who have since invested in further developing these methods in-house. The project partners are now planning two further projects to capitalise on their respective expertise and further exploit the knowledge gained from their initial collaboration.
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Governance
Governance The commercial and scientific advisory boards judge the project and PhD competitions and advise on the strategy and operations of IBioIC. The management team is made up of IBioIC staff and is responsible for delivering on the decisions and guidance from the Governing and Advisory Boards. In 2015 the Governing and Advisory Boards each met faceto-face four times with numerous short telephone meetings in between when urgent decisions, approvals or advice was required. Highlights of the year include the Governing Board approval of the IBioIC Strategic plan and a five year business plan and the Advisory Boards approval for funding 10 projects from 3 competitions and 10 PhD studentships. The IBioIC team wishes to thank all the members of these Boards who give their time, expertise and advice voluntarily and in the best interests of the Innovation Centre. The success of the Centre so far is in no small part due to the diligence and experience of these Boards.
The Innovation Centre operates three levels of Governance: a governing board, two advisory boards (scientific and commercial) and a management team. The Governing Board is responsible for strategy, planning, delivery, reporting and ensuring that IBioIC is run as efficiently and effectively as possible. The Governing Board has established three sub-committees: Remuneration and Membership Committee overseeing the CEO’s performance and Membership discounts, the Audit Committee overseeing the finance, risk register and potential for conflicts of interest and most recently a Nominations Committee looking for a replacement Chair from 2017.
The Scientific Advisory Board has identified a knowledge gap in the theme of integrated bioprocessing and will identify one or two suitable candidates to invite to join the board early in 2016. The Terms of Reference for each of these Boards require a review of their membership every two years. IBioIC will shortly be two years old so each of the Boards have reviewed their purpose and composition with the intent of strengthening their expertise and experience levels. A few members have offered to step down. From the start of 2016 the IBioIC Board Memberships shall be:
Governing Board Board Members
Affiliation
Ian Shott CBE
IBioIC
Dr Ian Fotheringham
Ingenza
Dr Dave Tudor
GSK
Dr Ian Little
INEOS
Dr Sandy Dobbie
MBL
Prof Alan Wolstenholme
Xanthella
Prof Bob Tooze
Sasol
Mr Mark Simmers
Celtic Renewables
Prof Gary Loake
University of Edinburgh
Prof Marcel Jaspers
University of Aberdeen
Prof David Littlejohn
University of Strathclyde
Mr Roger Kilburn
IBioIC
Observers Ms Sophie Lowry
Scottish Funding Council
Ms Caroline Strain
Scottish Enterprise
Mr James Cameron
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
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Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
Scientific Advisory Board Board Members
Affiliation
Dr Michele Stanley
Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)
Prof Derek Stewart
The James Hutton Institute
Prof Dominic Campopiano
University of Edinburgh
Dr Nik Willoughby
Heriot Watt University
Dr Nick Tucker
Strathclyde University
Dr Reuben Car
Ingenza (Leading Member)
Mr Ted Chapman
GSK (Leading Member)
Dr Alan Kennedy
Diageo
Dr Douglas MacInnes
MBL
Dr Ian Hodgson
Fujifilm
Dr Eric Whale
Cellucomp
Dr Ian Archer
IBioIC
Commercial Advisory Board Board Members
Affiliation
Dr David McElroy
Ingenza (Leading Member)
Mr David Mackie
Marine Biopolymers
Dr Douglas McKenzie
Xanthella
Dr Jeremy Gillespie
Enzymatics
Dr Linda Brooks
Life Technologies
Mr Jim Laird
3f bio
Dr Charlie Bavington
GlycoMar
Prof Martin Tangney
Edinburgh Napier Univeristy
Prof Joyce Tait
University of Edinburgh
Mr Roger Kilburn
IBioIC
Observers Dr Sarah Petrie
Scottish Enterprise
22
Meet the Team
Meet the Team Roger Kilburn – Chief Executive Officer Appointed CEO of IBioIC in January 2014, Roger brings with him a wealth of experience as an international business leader and a proven track record in business turnaround, growth and leadership. His background is within the chemical and fine chemicals sectors where he spent over two decades working for industry giants such as ICI and Johnson Matthey in the UK, Australia, Germany and USA. He is also a Fellow of the IChemE. From there he focussed on using his experience to support technology based SME’s with strategy, business development and management and got the bug for leadership that clearly drives him today. Roger sits on the steering groups/boards of Chemical Sciences Scotland, Accelerating Innovation team of the UK Chemical Growth Partnership, Skills team of the IBLF, Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre, Green Growth Partnership, Scottish IB Development Board and Engineering Industrial Advisory Panel of Heriot Watt University where he is also a Guest Lecturer. Ashley Jackson – Marketing and Communications Manager Having set up the administrative function of IBioIC and project managing a successful office move to the Inovo Building in March, Ashley move from the position of Administration Officer to Marketing & Communications Manager were she has been responsible for the creation and implementation of the Marketing & Communications strategy and plan for the Centre. Establishing a presence in the IB community at a local, national and international level has been a key priority for IBioIC in 2015 and as such, Ashley has been instrumental in her efforts project managing IBioIC’s annual conferences; coordination of exhibition/presenting/marketing opportunities at local/national/international events; recruitment and relationship management of a PR company providing support for media coverage; remodelling the IBioIC website; as well as becoming an active committee member for the Project and Marketing teams as part of EFIB 2016.
Catriona Clark – Project Manager Responsible for IBioIC’s project programme, which includes industryled projects, feasibility projects and the IBioIC equipment centres, Catriona has grown the project portfolio this year with the successful running of two industry-led project competitions resulting in eight new funded projects. Catriona has also launched the first joint project competition in collaboration with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. This year Catriona managed the completion of the first feasibility project with the Forestry Commission and is working to further this research and make the case for a biorefinery in Scotland. Through management of the two IBioIC equipment centres, the first of which was successfully launched in November 2015, Catriona is bringing real assets to IBioIC members and the Scottish IB community to accelerate the growth of IB towards the £3BN industry target. Kimberley Jolly – Skills Programme Administrator Kimberley joined IBioIC in March 2015 to help facilitate the Skills Programme Manager in delivering the MSc, PhD, HND and STEM programmes. Kimberley is responsible for MSc recruitment and is the point of contact for all MSc and PhD students. Kimberley regularly liaises with the universities responsible for delivering the MSc course to help coordinate classes, lecture materials and training courses. In addition, Kimberley organises both internal and external meetings relating to the skills programme as well as other events organised by IBioIC.
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Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
Paul Hudman – Business Development Manager Paul has had a busy year visiting companies both in Scotland and further afield, introducing the work of the Centre and more widely, the growing importance of IB to the Scottish economy. He has represented IBioIC at a number of national and international meetings and has presented the activity of the Centre to audiences across all sectors. Supporting members and attracting new organisations are key objectives of the commercial team and Paul has been instrumental in defining and communicating both IBioIC’s identity and our unique proposition for industry. Membership has increased by 80% over the year and, with the addition of “Network Members”, the Centre’s sphere of influence has expanded and continues to expand to include a number of similar or complementary organisations both locally and globally. Judith Huggan – Business Development Manager Jude joined IBioIC as Skills Programme Manager in May 2014 and was instrumental in implementing the UK’s 1st Collaborative MSc in Industrial Biotechnology which had a 100% pass rate in its first year. She was also responsible for developing a nationally validated HND award in Industrial Biotechnology as well as coordinating 3 calls for PhD studentships and an active STEM outreach programme for Industrial Biotechnology. Jude has since moved over to the Business Development team and since October has held the position of Business Development Manager responsible for member retention.
Maria Andrus – Administrative Assistant Following the development of other roles in the Centre, Maria has taken on further office administration responsibilities. Key additions to her role have included: acting as secretary for the Commercial and Scientific Advisory Boards; management of membership invoicing; and supervision of the newly appointed Modern Apprentice position. Maria has also managed the implementation of the Salesforce CRM system, tailoring this to the team’s activities, as well as providing support to the team during the University of Strathclyde Finance Department’s transition to Agresso. Andrew Stewart – Project Funding Manager Andrew joined IBioIC in July 2015 as Project Funding Manager and is responsible for delivering ambitious targets for securing external funding. Andrew’s background is in research and development and he has over 15 years’ experience in roles in both academia and industry, including over 6 years working for university spin-out companies. Andrew did his undergraduate degree at the University of Manchester before moving to Scotland for his MSc (St. Andrews) and PhD (Heriot-Watt University). He continued on an academic career path with a postdoctoral position at Cambridge, investigating the use of semiconductor devices as biosensors, before leaving academia to join a spin-out company based in Cork, Ireland. He then joined a Warwick University spin-out company developing high-efficiency solar energy modules for sun-belt countries. Prior to joining IBioIC he was a Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow. He is a member of the Institute of Physics and is an alumnus of the Scottish Crucible programme.
24
Meet the Team
Jill Paterson – Finance Manager Jill joined the team in March 2015 and is responsible for the financial control of IBioIC. Jill’s main objective during 2015 was to develop a robust reporting model for the governing board and Scottish Funding Council. Future focus will be to ensure the ongoing financial integrity of the expanding activities of the innovation centre. A qualified management accountant, Jill has a wide range of experience across a variety of industry sectors including electronics, aerospace, banking, airports and whisky. She has also worked with the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre and tries to share experience across the two organisations. Susanne Boyle – Skills Manager Susanne is focusing her activities around growth of the Centre’s HND in Industrial Biotechnology course whilst enhancing the highly successful MSc and PhD degree programmes. Through these efforts, and key stakeholder engagement events such as the Annual Conference and Skills for Industry days, she is hoping to help create over 1500 jobs in Scotland by 2025 with the skills programmes offered by IBioIC and its partners. Susanne holds a Doctorate in Xenobiotic Metabolism, she was research active in the field of biomarkers and schizophrenia and her passion for chromatographic analysis also led to research into traditional medicines and some memorable international conferences. Susanne has held a number of academic posts during which she developed MSc programmes and managed a large team which developed innovative STEM resources and delivered digital services for UK Universities and Colleges. Lynsey Muir – Modern Apprentice Lynsey joined the IBioIC team in October 2015 as our first ever Modern Apprentice. In her role, she supports the team’s everyday needs - from ordering supplies to keeping our Twitter page up-to-date! Having recently left school, Lynsey is keen to broaden her skills and knowledge in preparation for her future career, as well as learning more about the IB world along the way. In her free time, Lynsey enjoys taking part in various ‘Young Farmer’ events and helping out with her local Brownie pack.
Ian Archer – Technical Director Dr Ian Archer joined IBioIC as Technical Director in August 2015, Ian is tasked with shaping the IBioIC’s strategy and implanting the business plan for the centre. Specifically, he identifies mechanisms, resources and techniques for solving industry problems through biotechnology. Having received his degree and PhD in Chemistry from Imperial College, London, Ian spent six years working as a Work Group Leader in Process Technology with Zeneca (latterly Avecia) in Grangemouth, Scotland. With a firm background in synthetic organic chemistry and chemical process development, in 2004, Ian joined Ingenza Ltd. as Head of Process Development where he was responsible for all aspects of bioprocess development and developed his expertise at the interface of molecular biology, microbiology and bioprocess development. Louise McKean - Legal Louise is a Solicitor based in the University of Strathclyde and provides legal support to IBioIC on all contractual, Intellectual Property and other legal matters. Louise is based with the Team one morning a week. Louise has worked for the University for over ten years within Research & Knowledge Exchange Services providing intellectual property, contractual and other legal support to all matters relating to research and knowledge exchange activities within the University. Prior to working at the University she worked in Scottish Enterprise and in various private practice firms. In her spare time, Louise enjoys spending time with her husband and two young children, running, reading, cooking and travelling.
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Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
Equipment Centres The Flexible Downstream Bioprocessing Centre hosted at Heriot-Watt University The Flexible Downstream Bioprocessing Centre (FlexBIO) links to the RPBC by taking the most promising bio-processes and proving they work at a scale that allows the move to commercialisation. This Centre fills the current UK-wide gap in the provision of scale-up facilities at this semi-tech scale (15100 litre) combined with a highly flexible, integrated approach to total process development on a single site. FlexBIO is located at Heriot-Watt University, which has both the process engineering and bio-science skills to support this Centre. FlexBIO will open in Q1 2016, to find out more information or to book the facilities please e-mail FlexBio@ibioic.com. Bacteria cell culture laboratory will allow for scale up studies of bacteria and yeast fermentations and algal growth studies. Equipment includes: • • • • •
Laboratory fermenters ranging from 0.7-5L Applikon 30L Biobench Fermenter System Shaking incubators Gassed full spectrum Xenon light boxes 5L photobioreactors with LED/Xenon light sources
Mammalian cell laboratory provides flexibility expanding on the centre’s capabilities to handle different culture types. Equipment includes: • • •
4-14L Eppendorf Celligen Blu disposable stirred tank systems 2-20L GE Wave system Static incubators
Downstream bioprocessing laboratory provides a suite of skid mounted equipment providing a flexible environment to handle a wide range of products. The lab also houses a 2 x 2 m walk-in fumehood allowing more complex solvents to be handled safely. Equipment includes: • • • • • • •
AKTA Avant Alfa Laval high speed continuous disc stack centrifuge High-pressure homogenizer Pilot scale continuous centrifuge Flexible membrane/filtration system Liquid/liquid extraction kit Freeze drying equipment
Analytical laboratory provides high-quality at-line analysis of products. Equipment includes: • • • • •
GC HPLC QTOF LC Mass Spectrometry Protein/carbohydrate/lipid analysis Plate reader for ELISA/general rate assay
“SAMS (UHI) continues to enjoy working in partnership with the IBioIC and the opportunities it has brought enabling us to expand on our engagement with industry. Over the last year we were successful in securing IBioIC funding for two PhD studentships both with industrial collaborators and look forward to welcome this year’s in take of Industrial Biotechnology MSc students.”
“The development of this facility, which is due to open in Q1 2016, will allow IBioIC to fill a critical gap in the development pathway for biological products, reducing the cost of and shortening the time for process development. The centre is actively seeking projects that can be used to validate equipment and processes as the facility comes online.”
Dr Michele Stanley, SAMS (UHI)
Dr Nik Willoughby, Heriot-Watt University
26
Equipment Centres
The Rapid Bioprocess Prototyping Centre host by University of Strathclyde The Rapid Bioprocess Prototyping Centre (RBPC) addresses the problem of the ability for synthetic biologists to develop new strains much faster than the ability to test the viability of these strains in a bio-process. The combination of this equipment and the bioprocessing translational expertise available in the University of Strathclyde makes a unique centre where the ability to quickly analyse and optimise processes around new synthetic strains will be much closer to the speed at which these strains can be developed. RBPC is an open access, fee-for-service facility where industrial members of IBioIC and HEI partners can rigorously assess the potential of new cell lines, bio-products or novel approaches to bio-processing, in terms of actual industrial
potential. There is a preferential access rate for IBioIC leading and Core members who will receive a 20% discount on the industrial rate. The Bioprocess Prototyping facility is focused around the bioprocess stages up to an industrially compatible scale (15litres STR reactors) which is entirely complementary to existing Centres such as the National Bioprocess Industries facility at CPI. The Rapid Bioprocess Prototyping Centre was officially opened by Dr Ian Fotheringham, Managing Director of Ingenza Ltd. on 26th November 2015. All enquiries should be directed the IBioIC Business Development team through rapidbio@ibioic. com or through the IBioIC website, http://www.ibioic.com/ EquipmentCentres.htm.
RBPC contains the following equipment: Omnilog Phonotype Microarray System A proprietary technology that can quantitatively evaluate thousands of phenotypes in microbial cell assays at any one time. Each Phenotype Microarray plate contains 96 different cell culture medium for testing metabolic activity and chemical sensitivity of different microbes. This allows for phenotype detection, or for optimisation of growth conditions, in the organism of interest. Applikon 15L Biobench Fermenter System (two systems available) A stainless steel reactor with a steam-in-place sterilisation system. The system can be used for scale-up studies, medium and process optimisation, batch, fed-batch, perfusion and continuous cultivation. The RBPC has two systems available.
DASGIP 8 x Parallel Bioreactor System A multi-reactor system that allows advanced bioprocess control and automation in cell culture and microbiology. With the use of up to eight reaction vessels the system allows parallel processing control of parameters, user-defined profiles and innumerable automation results in accelerated and efficient process development. The DASware software solutions support DoE, process historians and comprehensive data management.
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Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
YSI 2900 Biochemistry Analyser (two systems available) The Gold Standard in bio-analytical instruments allowing for highly accurate and quick results in a wide range of different chemistries including:
Kaiser RXN2 Raman Spectrometer with a MR filtered probe
• • • • • • •
Glucose Lactate Glutamine Glutamate Xylose Ethanol Methanol
• Ammonium • Sucrose • Galactose • Lactose • Choline • Glycerol • Hydrogen peroxide
This system allows for flexible sampling of both solid and liquids. The RXN2 is a multi-channel analyser with spectral coverage of +150 to +3425cm-1 and spectral resolution to 4 cm-1. The MR filtered probe is versatile, for both at-line and in-line analysis.
“This year we have started to really understand the Scottish Biotechnology scene and several new projects, some outside of IBioIC have started. Last year we started with one project, this year we have 5 projects at various stages of completion. Two directly involve IBioIC but all have been created because IBioIC exist and we understand the capability here. Over 50% of the collaborative Biotechnology projects my team manage now have a Scottish partner.” Ted Chapman, Biotechnology Business Manager, GSK
Agilent 1290 UHPLC An adaptive system that can handle a wide range of chromatography applications. The system comes with an auto-sampler and a Refractive Index Detector and Diode-Array Detector, along with ChemStation software for efficient reviewing and analysis of results.
28
Events
Events IBioIC First Annual Conference, January 2015 In January 2015 IBioIC held its first annual conference in Glasgow. Titled, The Journey’s Started’, the conference brought together leading industry and academic experts from across Scotland, the UK and further afield. In addition, the first cohort of IBioIC sponsored MSc and PhD students were given the opportunity to showcase their work. In total over 240 delegates attended the one day event.
“Our first annual conference was a great success and attracted over 220 delegates and over 20 exhibitors which was a fantastic result given that we had only be in existence for a year. As well as an opportunity for our members to network, our PhD students had the chance to showcase their research to the IB community in Scotland and beyond. ” Roger Kilburn, CEO, IBioIC
Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
Skills for Industry Day In May, IBioIC held their Skills for Industry day as part of Engage with Strathclyde Week. The meeting provided an opportunity for the IB community to discuss the skills required to deliver a successful and innovative bio-economy with skill providers such as Further Education Colleges and Skills Development Scotland and other stakeholders such as the Scottish Funding Council, the Royal Society of Chemistry and Zero Waste Scotland. The event also provided an opportunity for students enrolled on the MSc in Industrial Biotechnology and on IBioIC’s PhD programme to give their individual prospective on where the skill gaps exist and how these might be filled.
“The skills industry day was an opportunity for Skills Development Scotland to listen to the challenges the industry faces. We look forward to working in partnership with industry and the education providers to tackle these areas over the coming months.” Dr Ronnie Palin, Skills Development Scotland
Horizon 2020 Information Day In June, IBioIC co-hosted a one-day workshop on funding opportunities for Biotechnology in Horizon 2020 and other European Funding Programmes. The workshop provided a forum to learn about current and future funding opportunities with Horizon 2020 as well as opportunities to network and develop project ideas. Presentations were given by Scottish Enterprise, Innovate UK and Scotland Europa.
“The Horizon 2020 event co-hosted by IBioIC was an excellent opportunity to discuss some of the funding instruments available under the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, including the SME Instrument, Eurostars and Fast Track to Innovation. Horizon 2020 offers some great funding schemes for both SME’s and academics and has a strong focus on innovation and business impact. Industrial Biotechnology and the bioeconomy are high on the agenda of the EC with relevant calls across the programme.” Camille Moran, Enterprise Europe Network Scotland, Scottish Enterprise
29
30
Events
Events The European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology and the Bio-economy In October IBioIC attended the European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology (EFIB) 2015 in Brussels. Attracting over 700 biobased professionals the forum provided three days of insightful presentations, workshops and one-to-one meetings. At the conference, Caroline Strain, Head of Chemical Sciences at Scottish Enterprise, updated the delegates on Scotland’s progress towards building and growing its Industrial Biotechnology sector. Caroline reported that the five key milestones detailed in the 2013 strategy document, The National Plan for Industrial Biotechnology – Towards a Greener, Cleaner 2025, have been met and in some cases exceeded. In addition, Roger Kilburn, IBioIC CEO, announced that the forum would be held in Glasgow for the first time in 2016.
“IB is a growing and ambitious part of the Scottish economy and builds on Scotland’s existing capabilities in life sciences, chemicals and engineering. It provides a mechanism to increase economic outputs, build new employment opportunities, increase innovation and efficiencies, develop new manufacturing systems, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and produce energy. We have made significant strides towards our goals for 2025 and will continue to support companies investing in IB in Scotland.” Caroline Strain, Head of Chemical Sciences, Scottish Enterprise
Launch of the Rapid Bioprocess Prototyping Centre, University of Strathclyde In August the Rapid Bioprocess Prototyping Centre (RBPC), hosted by the University of Strathclyde, was officially launched by Dr. Ian Fotherhaming, Managing Director of Ingenza Ltd. The centre houses state-of-the-art equipment which is available as a pay-for-service, open access facility for IBioIC members and partnering Higher Education Institutes to rapidly analyse and optimise processes around new synthetic strains. With the capacity to prototype bioprocessing up to the 15 litre scale, the centre is complementary to existing centres such as the National Bioprocess Industries facility at the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI). For further information on the centre please visit http://www.ibioic.com/RBPC.htm or contact rapdibio@ibioic.com.
“The opening of the Rapid Bioprocess Prototyping Centre hosted by the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences was a key milestone for IBioIC in 2015. The state-of-the-art facilities are a key asset for the IB community in Scotland and since the launch in November we have received significant number of enquiries from both academic and industry partners regarding access to the equipment.” Prof Iain Hunter, SIPBS, Strathclyde University
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Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
Outreach and Events
Q1
Q3
IBioIC’s 1st Annual Conference, Glasgow 22 January 2015 Hosted
IB press trip, Scotland 13 July 2015 Attended
Scottish Enterprise Life Sciences Annual Dinner & Awards, Edinburgh 5 February 2015 Attended
BIO World Congress, Montreal 20 July 2015 A P E Attended, Exhibited, Presented
IBLF Showcase, London 11 February 2015 Attended, Exhibited, Presented BIOPROSP, Tromso 18 February 2015 Attended
Q2
Trade Delegation, Montreal 23 July 2015 Attended European Conf on Marine Natural Products, Glasgow 30 August 2015 Attended VentureFest, Glasgow 09 September, 2015 Attended
Skills for Industry, Glasgow 5 May 2015 Hosted
Q4
All Energy Conference, Glasgow 6 May 2015 A P E Attended, Exhibited, Presented
Edinburgh Synbio Centre Launch, Edinburgh 07 October, 2015 Attended
BioTrinity, London 11 May 2015 Attended
BioMarine, North Carolina 12 October, 2015 Attended
European Biomass Conference, Vienna 1 June 2015 Attended
EFIB, Brussels 27 October, 2015 Attended, Exhibited
BioDundee, Dundee 02 June 2015 Attended, Presented
Ecomondo, Italy 03 November, 2015 Attended, Presented
Horizon 2020, Glasgow 24 June 2015 Attended
Science & the Parliament, Edinburgh 11 November, 2015 Attended, Exhibited
OGIC/IBioIC, Aberdeen 25 June 2015 Attended
Global Bioeconomy Summit, Berlin 24th November 2015 Attended
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Looking Forward
Looking Forward •
IBioIC joins the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC).
•
The Bio-based Industries Consortium is the private partner in the €3.7BN Public-Private Partnership with the EU. The Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBIJU) operates under Horizon 2020 and supports industrial research and innovation.
A joint funding call with the Oil and Gas Innovation Centre (OGIC) will be launched to help develop innovative biotech solutions for the oil and gas sector.
•
Following the latest PhD studentships competition, the 3rd cohort of PhD students will begin their projects.
•
A call to apply for fully funded access to our equipment centres will open in 2016.
•
Expand the membership, to a target of 70 members by the end of 2017.
•
The European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology and the Bioeconomy takes place in Glasgow from the 18th to the 20th of October 2016
•
The Flexible Downstream Bioprocessing Centre (FlexBIO) at Heriot-Watt University will be operational in Q1 2016.
•
Member-to-Member Networking Event to facilitate collaboration and networking amongst IBioIC members.
•
A newly developed HND course in Industrial Biotechnology will be run at Glasgow Kelvin College and Forth Valley College.
•
The deadline for our latest industrially led funding call, the IB Accelerator Programme, closes on Monday the 29th of February 2016.
•
A joint call for PhD studentships will be launched in collaboration with our sister Innovation Centres, the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre and The Data Lab.
“Celtic Renewables is delighted to be a core member of IBioIC, as the strategic imperatives and key initiatives being developed by IBioIC to help support the expansion of Industrial Biotechnology in the UK have strong alignment to the strategic plans of Celtic Renewables. In addition the collaborative partnerships and expending IBioIC network provide a range of opportunities for the further development of the Celtic Renewables technology.” Mark Simmers, CEO Celtic Renewables
“This year I have contributed again to the Masters Programme in Industrial Biotechnology which continues to demonstrate an unprecedented degree of collaboration across Scottish Universities, and to attract very high quality students. In the teaching and also as a new member of the IBioIC Commercial Advisory Board, I will be contributing my expertise on interactions between the innovation capacity of a sector and the relevant governance processes, particularly the influence of regulatory systems and stakeholder perspectives (sometimes referred to under the heading ‘Responsible Research and Innovation’ (RRI).” Prof Joyce Tait, Director, Innogen Institute, The University of Edinburgh.
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Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre Annual Report 2015
Financial Summary Projects
19
projects awarded since start of IBioIC. IBioIC Investment
£1.4M £5.5M Total Investment
55+45+A
4 Competitions 31 Applications
Financial
IBioIC Capital Investment in 2 equipment centres
£2.7m total
13 Successful Projects
Rapid BioProcess Protyping Centre at Strathclyde - £0.7m from IBioIC (£1m total)
Total Investment
Flexible Downstream Bioprocessing Centre at Heriot Watt
£2.7M
Skills
38
£1.8m
Exemplar Projects
MSc Students 38 students have started, in January-December 2015 17 graduated and a further 21 started.
IBioIC Spend
- £1.1m from IBioIC (£1.7m total)
52+43+5A 19
PhD students 19 PhD students
8 started in October 2014, 10 started in October 2015, 1 started in December 2015
Outputs AY14/15 No of engagements with companies (144) Jobs created in companies (31) Number of business to business collaborations (12) Number of academic to business collaborations (14)
All information supplied within this document is correct at time of printing, January 2016.
Acknowledgements The IBioIC wish to pay thanks to the Governing, Scientific and Commercial Advisory Boards as well as industry members and the HEIs who all contributed to the content for the annual report. Prepared by: Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) For further information, please contact: info@ibioic.com
www.ibioic.com