Dr Glenn Crocker, Chief Executive, BioCity
Glenn Crocker has a first degree in Genetics and a D Phil in Immunology from Oxford University. After a few years in post doctoral research, he joined Ernst & Young where he qualified as a chartered accountant. His work with E&Y focused on advising the biotechnology industry, spending several years in Palo Alto, California, and returning to Cambridge to head the UK biotechnology practice for the firm, focusing on business development and corporate finance transactions.
In 2003 he joined BioCity Nottingham Ltd as Chief Executive and has grown the business substantially since then. In 2006 he jointly founded R5 Pharmaceuticals, a contract formulation and manufacturing business, and is a non-executive director of that company.
Glenn is also a non-executive director of Medilink East Midlands and a board adviser to several other companies.
Mark Bryan, Senior Associate, Laboratory Planning, CUH2A Europe
Mark Bryan is a principle planner working from the London office of HDR. He has worked closely with UK and overseas organisations to develop sound laboratory designs including unique approaches to verification of containment criteria. Mark has worked to progress the quality of design through all stages of facility design and construction. His design experience includes Research and Development, Biological Containment, Vivarium and pharmaceutical development and production facilities
Translational Research
Translational research is being moved forward in several ways in the UK. What are the implications to medical research, research parks, etc and are there lessons and ideas which the wider science community can take to help develop its research.
Malcolm Tait, KJ Tait Engineers
Malcolm Tait is a Partner with the firm of building services designers, KJ Tait Engineers. Malcolm graduated from South Bank University and then completed a Masters Degree in inter-disciplinary design at the University of Cambridge. He has been with KJ Tait Engineers for 17 years and has developed specialist design expertise in the field of Higher Education and the Bio-Tech Sectors. He has worked on a number of life science projects at Cambridge Science Park, University of Cambridge & Cranfield University.
Reducing Carbon: Unlocking Value
Building Regulations in the United Kingdom will demand ever lower carbon emissions from new science buildings. Building Regulations are the regulatory means to guide the industry towards ‘zero carbon’ buildings at the end of the decade. The talk by Malcolm Tait will offer an insight into how might a Client deliver a science building which meets the regulatory carbon requirement, whilst still achieving a successful marketable product. The talk will explore the opportunities that feed-in-tariffs provide as well as laboratory ventilation innovations that minimize carbon emissions. Some of these innovations have recently undergone successful trials at a major laboratory building in Cambridge.
David Leon, David Leon and Associates
David Leon of David Leon and Associates specialises in designing work places and buildings for the scientific community, and has done so for 25 years. Clients include BP, ICI (now part of Akzo Nobel), Coca Cola, Delft University of Technology, Pfizer, SKF, and Shell as well as a number of SMEs. He has a long track record on refurbishment projects as well as new builds and has recently written the Best Practice Guide Renewing Workplaces and Buildings in conjunction with the UK Science Park Association. Copies are available from UKSPA or David Leon and Associates – contact details: tel 020 7223 0308; email david@davidleon.eu, web www.davidleon.eu.
Renewing Work Places for Science and Innovation
Few organisations here in Europe will be devoting capital expenditure on building new laboratories – at least not in the foreseeable future.
Despite strong evidence that the design of work places – and particularly research workplaces – have a major impact on research output, companies are finding it very hard to justify the cost of building new and better facilities for their scientists. In the meantime, scientists and their marketing colleagues are under increasing pressure to deliver world class-innovation in reduced timescales and for less cost.
Many of these scientists have to deliver high value results whilst working in work places and laboratories which are inefficiently organised. They work hard to deliver results despite the obstacles of their working environments.
But is it necessary to have a new building to gain efficiency? There are less expensive but equally successful solutions for creating modern, effective and efficient research work places – environments which make a major contribution to innovation.
This presentation is about renewing existing work places and laboratories through refurbishment and includes Case Studies from Unilever, Johnson & Johnson and others. Refurbishments can be undertaken at a various levels of intervention. They are less of an upheaval and less costly than new builds. They are more acceptable to senior management too.
Mike Dockery
Mike Dockery has been involved in the design of plant and building services engineering for more than 30 years. Since 1980, his work has had an increasing emphasis on 'high-science' projects (pharmaceutical, biotech, micro-electronics, petrochem, university, and defense clients). In this time, his experience has become focused on research and design facilities, including all the key scientific disciplines (synthetic and analytical chemistry, biology and biotechnology, physical sciences, and vivariums), and has seen an increasing involvement with the wider context of building design, particularly including functional layout. His project involvement has run through from conceptual engineering, to site trouble-shooting, commissioning, and handover activities.
Mike has a commitment to the ethos of multi/inter-disciplinary design and the various techniques which improve its effectiveness (3D, 4D CAD, CFD's, and full size physical modelling). He is chairman of the BSI Laboratory Technical Committee LBI/18 and leads the UK delegation to the CEN Fume Hoods Committee. In 2007, he was involved in a series of one-day events intended to formally introduce the Labs21 approach of sustainable laboratory design to Europe.
Laboratory Design in the UK: Flexible, Adaptable, Sustainable
A central aspect of Mike's work has been the challenging of 'formulaic design' or 'design-by-rote' through the consideration of innovative techniques and technologies to improve functionality and reduce costs, yet still maintain the highest levels of laboratory safety and adherence to codes. This presentation considers how this philosophy is key in meeting the evermore frequent demands for laboratories that are flexible, adaptable, sustainable, and of good value.
The Laboratory News 'Great Debate'
The Great Debate will give scientists a unique opportunity to voice their opinions and make themselves heard. Laboratory News has assembled a panel of experts who will be on hand to answer questions, offer advice and give their point of view on the issues affecting scientists and laboratory staff across all scientific disciplines. The Great Debate is a unique forum open to all visitors to the Scientific Laboratory Show.
Workshops
Choose one from:
Scientific IT – S-lab
Many factors, such as cloud-based services, virtual collaboration and meeting technologies, cheaper simulation and visualisation possibilities for research, and cost and regulatory pressures for greener computing, are reshaping computing possibilities for science-based organisations. This workshop will address key issues for science parks and their tenants in developing their IT capability and particularly focus on methods that can potentially reduce costs, increase flexibility and minimise environmental such as adoption of cloud applications; thin client infrastructures; and virtualisation.
Presentation by Bob Cushing
Presentation by Peter James
REACH, GHS and CLP: your duties – UK REACH Competent Authority and HSE
An opportunity to meet with expert speakers and discover all that you need to know about some major new duties. Dr Pierre Cruse from the International Chemicals Unit of the Health and Safety Executive will be joined by Mike Potts of the UK REACH CA who will provide a background to the regulation and the main duties. Pierre will be speaking on the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures. He will explain the background to the GHS and the main features of the 'CLP' Regulation which implements it in the EU.
Presentation by Mike Potts
Presentation by Pierre Cruse
Intellectual Property: the future of innovation in the life sciences industry– Marks and Clerk
A number of major challenges are currently facing the life sciences industry. Spanning both the biotech and pharmaceuticals sectors is the patent ‘cliff’ looming over big pharma. In this challenging commercial environment, maximising existing product life takes on new significance, in addition to boosting the pipeline for new products. Access to funding will prove critical as will new sources of R&D. Tomorrow's breakthroughs may well come from the smaller biotech players of today. In this workshop, patent attorney Mike Dowler will explore the key issues with an emphasis on how research emanating from science parks will be affected as well as sharing first-hand insights from a recent Marks & Clerk industry-based research into the future of innovation in the life sciences industry. We hope you will come away from the workshop with ideas on how best to protect and maximise your labaratory innovation, while avoiding the pitfalls. Marks & Clerk has long been recognised as one of the leading intellectual property firms in the UK. The firm's patent and trade mark attorneys together with their associated firm of solicitors offer clients a comprehensive range of IP services - covering patents, trade marks, designs and copyright - including obtaining protection worldwide, portfolio management, strategic and commercial advice, licensing, enforcement, due diligence and litigation. With 11 offices across the UK, the size and extent of the firm's resources means they are able to offer expertise covering an extremely diverse range of technologies and industry sectors - life sciences is a key specialism. Mike Dowler is a patent attorney based in the Marks & Clerk Birmingham office. www.marks-clerk.com
Presentaion by Mike Dowler
Business support for life science companies – BioCity, Medilink, Catapult Venture Capital and UKTI
A series of practical presentations from:
• Medilink East Midlands – Highlights of the Strength and Opportunity report from BIS’ and support available in the East Midlands
• Rob Carroll, Catapult Venture Managers - Tips for raising finance
• Glenn Crocker, BioCity – Biocity incubator, Bioentrepreneur School, East Midlands Germinator, Mobius Life Sciences
• Ian Morrison, UKTI – Services/support for life science companies
John Saunders, Health and Safety Laboratory
John Saunders is an applied scientist with an extensive background in scientific research and development. He is a principal scientist working in the Occupational Hygiene Unit and has over 20 years experience in the field of ventilation. During this time he has gained extensive knowledge of a wide range of ventilation systems including general ventilation and local exhaust ventilation systems ranging from laboratory fume cupboards to industrial spray booths. He is currently a team member of the HSE Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) project that was responsible for, amongst other deliverables, the HSE guidance on local exhaust ventilation.
HSL was originally set up to help the Health and Safety Executive – otherwise known as HSE – to minimise risks to people’s health and safety at work. Today, with over 30 years’ experience, investment and growth under their belt, their scope of work is unparalleled – and ever-widening. So, as well as continuing to support HSE, the Laboratory now works with a wide range of other public and private-sector organisations, often conducting detailed, bespoke research and development work on their behalf.
Getting laboratory extract ventilation that works
Specifying, buying Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) that works can be a tricky business. Frequently LEV is installed and used, but because it is rarely commissioned properly, it fails to protect the user. This can result in laboratory staff being exposed to harmful substances.
This presentation will provide a background to the latest HSE guidance on LEV and describe the best way to ensure LEV works, which therefore protects health and is, in the long run, the cost effective option.
Jon Murthy, United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS)
Jon Murthy has over five years' experience of laboratory accreditation across a number of industry sectors, and has been instrumental in its growth in both new and existing areas. Jon plays an active role in the international accreditation network in both the European Co-operation for Accreditation and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation.
Prior to joining UKAS, Jon worked in a number of positions across the BBC. Having completed a BBC-sponsored MBA, Jon’s last role involved commercialising the Corporation’s technical intellectual property, which resulted in technology spin outs that produced wireless, display and blue-screen technology.
Future Trends in Laboratory Accreditation
There has been a 50% growth in UKAS accreditation over the last 5 years. Similar growth levels are expected in the next 3-5 years. Jon Murthy will explain the reasons behind this demand for accreditation, and why laboratories are seeking accreditation in ever greater numbers.
The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is the sole national accreditation body appointed by government to assess and declare the competence of laboratories. Described in a recent Laboratory News feature as a service that 'can be the making of a Laboratory', this session will set out why accreditation will become increasingly important in the future.
Colin Gilmore-Merchant, Head of Science & Technology, HOK London
HOK Science & Technology Group: Laboratory Planning, Architecture and Design
Colin has been involved in the design and planning of numerous laboratories in the last 17 years. In this time his experience has covered all the key scientific disciplines including synthetic and analytical chemistry, biology, micro-biology and biotechnology, physical sciences and vivaria. These disciplines have been included in laboratory projects for colleges, universities, government bodies, institutes and pharmaceutical companies, all of whom want to see the best and most appropriate results in the shortest time frame.
His project involvement at HOK includes the United Kingdom Centre for Medical Research and Innovation in London.
Colin's approach to designing laboratories is through a multi/interdisciplinary design team who together with the client (who is always seen as an integral member of the design team) can deliver the right labs which are designed to accept change in the future.
Present and Future Trends in Collaborative Research
There is a clear recognition that silo working environments do not assist or promote the discovery of solutions in scientific research programmes. Collaboration is believed to be the way forward and a number of papers including the Cooksey report reflect this aspiration. The design of laboratory buildings can influence connectivity between researchers but collaboration and interaction takes a number of forms and this presentation explores a number of these and how they might be measured.
Peter James, S-lab
The S-Lab programme believes that the application of new approaches and innovations can make laboratories safer, more successful and more sustainable. It is financed by the four UK higher education funding bodies to identify and disseminate good practice, and raise awareness of its amongst laboratory users, designers and suppliers. It has three streams of work, on laboratory design (working in partnership with the US Labs 21 initiative); laboratory operation (working closely with lab managers and technicians); and laboratory-based curricula (working in partnership with Higher Education Academy Subject Centres and the Green Chemistry Network). Although its centre of gravity is in universities, it also supports action in private and public sector laboratories. Its activities include events; developing cases and guidance documents; development of laboratory auditing tools; and laboratory benchmarking. S-Lab also developed, with partners, the laboratory credits within the new BREEAM Higher Education scheme.
Laboratories of the Future – Safe, Successful and Sustainable
There is growing conflict between the key factors for research success – creative interaction, high productivity, and good working conditions – and the physical constraints and operating expense of the traditional laboratory. This presentation highlights emerging solutions to this including separation of experimental from write up areas; IT to support more flexible working; robotics and other forms of automation to remove humans from the bench; and movement of research from in vivo/vitro to in silico. All of these can improve both business and environmental performance, without compromising safety.
