SWINDON, UK: The EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Emergent Macromolecular Therapies is offering funding to academics outside the centre for up to 10 research feasibility studies related to the manufacture of biopharmaceuticals.
The research is to establish a centre that delivers innovation in manufacturing research to assess emergent challenges facing the UK biopharmaceutical sector, and which impact its global competitiveness. The EPSRC Centre will act as the focus for a national network of leading users and academics in manufacturing and provide strong support for UK industry.
It aims to be recognized as the primary centre for the creation, delivery and dissemination of decision-support tools to enable the manufacture and lifecycle optimization of novel macromolecular therapies. This will widen access to valuable therapies for patient by decreasing development timelines, raising manufacturing efficiency and reduce costs to the purchaser (eg NHS).
Studies will be funded in four themes aligned to the programme of the EPSRC Centre. The feasibility studies should examine the subject area in the field, identify key challenges and research questions not currently being addressed and develop full proposals for funding by established routes.
It is expected that studies will develop preliminary data and or demonstrate experimental methodologies as well as undertaking the necessary desk research. Feasibility studies are expected to lead to significant new funding involving the centre and attracting industrial support. Awards are limited to a maximum of £20,000 at 80 per cent FEC and for a project duration of 6 to 12 months. Recipients must be from institutions outside the centre and be eligible to hold an EPSRC grant.
The centre employs 8 PDRAs across the remit of its programme. These PDRAs are part of the centre resources that can be made available to these feasibility studies.
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