Industrial Liaison Office

The area of single particle cryo-EM is a rapidly developing technology that is delivering a new approach to looking at previously intractable structural questions. It is an area of huge interest to the pharmaceutical industry because we are able to visualise novel atomic structures of new drug targets and, at the same time improve our understanding of challenging current targets.  The decision to expand eBIC, with a focus on industrial users, is an exciting opportunity for UK-based industry to continue to be at the forefront of structural biology in drug discovery.

Dr John Barker, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Protein Sciences

We have collaborated with Diamond Light Source since its inception 10 years ago. The announced investment in cryo-electron microscopy at the Harwell Campus will transform access to this innovative technology for the Life Sciences Industry. We will be able to image large and complex proteins in a way that has previously not been possible with more traditional techniques. At Vertex we are committed to the development of new precision medicines that can treat serious diseases and we believe that cryo-electron microscopy can accelerate the discovery of such medicines.

Dr Gillian Burgess, Site Head & VP, Research at Vertex Pharmaceuticals Oxford