Extending Translational Biomedical Research At The University Of Leicester

Lead Research Organisation: University of Leicester
Department Name: UNLISTED

Abstract

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Technical Summary

The Confidence in Concept scheme is a key part of MRC’s translational research strategy and provides annual awards to institutions, to be used flexibly to support the earliest stages of multiple translational research projects. The award can be used by the institution to support a number of preliminary-stage translational projects. The projects supported should aim to provide sufficient preliminary data to establish the viability of an approach –– before seeking more substantive funding.  It is intended to accelerate the transition from discovery research to translational development projects by supporting preliminary work or feasibility studies to establish the viability of an approach.

People

ORCID iD
 
Description Breast Cancer Now preclinical catalyst award - Explants
Amount £670,000 (GBP)
Organisation Breast Cancer Now 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 06/2018 
End 05/2021
 
Description Development of novel patient-derived xenografts.
Amount £133,912 (GBP)
Organisation Roche Pharmaceuticals 
Sector Private
Country Global
Start  
 
Description ECMC Consumables Fund - Leicester Molecular Diagnostics
Amount £5,000 (GBP)
Organisation Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre Network (ECMC) 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 02/2016 
End 03/2016
 
Description EPSRC grant funding - Structural biology studies of COP9 signalosome.
Amount £464,000 (GBP)
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2016 
End 08/2019
 
Description Explant collaboration with LifeArc
Amount £320,000 (GBP)
Organisation LifeArc 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start  
 
Description Fellowship - Diagnostics of Lyme disease
Amount £97,932 (GBP)
Organisation Phelix Research & Development 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2020 
End 12/2020
 
Description Functional characterisation of the anti-apoptotic protein BCL2A1 in DLBCL
Amount £11,552 (GBP)
Organisation German Cancer Research Center 
Sector Academic/University
Country Germany
Start  
 
Description Further LifeArc funding for Explant project
Amount £170,000 (GBP)
Organisation LifeArc 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start  
 
Description Genentech clinical trial (COPD STOP)
Amount £130,000 (GBP)
Organisation Genentech, Inc 
Sector Private
Country United States
Start 01/2018 
 
Description Leicester Molecular Diagnostics
Amount £95,000 (GBP)
Organisation Hope Against Cancer (Rutland and Leicestershire) 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2017 
End 07/2017
 
Description Leicester Molecular Diagnostics
Amount £23,000 (GBP)
Organisation Hope Against Cancer (Rutland and Leicestershire) 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start  
 
Description Leicester Precision Medicine Institute studentship
Amount £75,000 (GBP)
Organisation University of Leicester 
Department Leicester Precision Medicine Institute
Sector Hospitals
Country United Kingdom
Start  
 
Description Mepolizumab project
Amount £70,000 (GBP)
Organisation Midlands Asthma and Allergy Research Association 
Sector Learned Society
Country United Kingdom
Start  
 
Description Neurodegeneration
Amount $55,555 (USD)
Organisation Michael J Fox Foundation 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United States
Start 01/2016 
End 01/2017
 
Description PDX Project
Amount £100,000 (GBP)
Organisation Hope Against Cancer (Rutland and Leicestershire) 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 05/2017 
End 04/2019
 
Description The Integrative Midlands Partnership for Biomedical Training (IMPACT) - Explants
Amount £100,000 (GBP)
Organisation Medical Research Council (MRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start  
 
Title Explant Project 
Description Using an ex vivo tissue explant to model patient responses to standard of care and novel drug therapies 
Type Of Material Model of mechanisms or symptoms - human 
Year Produced 2015 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact MCR Toxicology (Leicester) and the University of Leicester have worked in collaboration to develop the model to its current format (since 2007). The collaboration with CRT began in 2015 and encompasses access to individuals and facilities at CRT-DL (Cambridge) and work to trial a number of their novel compounds. CRT has continued the collaboration under the name of Cancer Research UK Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories and the MRCT has continued the collaboration under the name of LifeArc. The partnership with LifeArc and CR-UK Therapeutic Discovery Labs to test a range of novel anti-cancer drugs is continuing (for a total of £735,000 until 2021) and has attracted considerable attention from the pharmaceutical industry. Boehringer Ingelheim, Pierre Fabre and Ono Pharmaceuticals are interested in the PDE platform for preclinical drug testing. The pre-clinical model is now used with a wide variety of tumor types from lung to breast cancer, melanoma, colorectal cancer and endometrial cancer. A number of publications have used this methodology (prior to MRC funding) from this source. This project has now produced 3 publications, in addition to several poster presentations with published abstracts, alongside further collaborations with other tech transfer companies. This project has received 3 rounds of follow on CiC funding (MC_PC_14117, MC_PC_15045, MC_PC_16051) - Updated in Feb2020. 
 
Description Biomarker discovery for Mepolizumab efficacy in severe asthma 
Organisation Genentech, Inc
Country United States 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Non invasive (blood based) methods for stratifying patent response to novel therapeutics. Access to patient samples from clinical trials. development of novel biomarkers of respiratory disease exacerbations (asthma and COPD).
Collaborator Contribution New to market monoclonal antibody with reduce efficacy in Phase II clinical trails. Assess to drug and clinical trials data.
Impact Data fully collected and novel observation of changes in eosinophils in response to treatment noted - no changes in basophils. Methodology established that is now supporting a follow on clinical trail with Genentec - financial contribution noted in additional sections Updated March 2019. Update Feb2020: Midlands Asthma and Allergy Research Association research grant secured (basic science application) to follow-up basophil observation data (£70,000 - see Further Funding Tab).
Start Year 2016
 
Description Biomarker discovery for Mepolizumab efficacy in severe asthma 
Organisation GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
Country Global 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Non invasive (blood based) methods for stratifying patent response to novel therapeutics. Access to patient samples from clinical trials. development of novel biomarkers of respiratory disease exacerbations (asthma and COPD).
Collaborator Contribution New to market monoclonal antibody with reduce efficacy in Phase II clinical trails. Assess to drug and clinical trials data.
Impact Data fully collected and novel observation of changes in eosinophils in response to treatment noted - no changes in basophils. Methodology established that is now supporting a follow on clinical trail with Genentec - financial contribution noted in additional sections Updated March 2019. Update Feb2020: Midlands Asthma and Allergy Research Association research grant secured (basic science application) to follow-up basophil observation data (£70,000 - see Further Funding Tab).
Start Year 2016
 
Description Development of novel small molecules for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma 
Organisation GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
Country Global 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution We have provided structural biology information and early cellular data to provide target validation. We are now supporting a GSK lead Med Chem programme by providing and running complex cellular and pre-clinical models such as explants, PDX models and PK/PD studies.
Collaborator Contribution GSK are providing on-going structural biology data to support a medicinal chemistry programme and are also developing novel assays to demonstrate target engagement. Target engagement was proven, but molecules failed to show directed cell killing activity, of sufficient magnitude to continue further with lymphoma models. Follow on work lead to assessments of molecule actions for other autoimmune diseases (including systemic lupus) but due to medicinal chemistry constraints the project has been terminated.
Impact We have progressed from the GSK Fast Track award scheme of lead identification to the DPAC award scheme which is the lead optimisation phase of the drug discovery pipeline. Within the DPAC scheme, we have moved from milestone 1 to milestone 2. It is hoped that this programme of work will ultimately result in a 'to clinic' drug. DPAc programme with GSK is still ongoing and progressing. Ana Sousa Manso has now left the LD3 team and is working as a Biology Project Coordinator for C4X Discovery Ltd, Manchester, United Kingdom (reported elsewhere in this application). Lead ID phase completed and progressing through Early Lead Optimisation. Evaluation point for progression to Late Lead Optimisation due in Q2 2020 - due to issues with medicinal chemistry (potency vs cell penetrance) the project has been terminated. GSK have given the rights, IP, synthesis info and background data for 5 compounds to UoL to use in further research projects and/or commercial development. A project management group has been established to maximise the outputs from this resource. Publications are in progress (jointly with GSK) - paper under review with Journal of Biochemistry (Feb 2021). Reviewed and updated 2021.
Start Year 2016
 
Description Novel kinase target in cancer therapy 
Organisation AstraZeneca
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution The aim of this agreement is to develop and use assays for kinase activity to screen an optimised kinase-focused compound collection provided through the AZ Open Innovation Scheme. Depending on the hit matter generated, the plan is to scale-up the established primary and secondary in vitro assays to screen additional targeted AZ compound sets and generate lead compounds, as well as establish cell lines to validate the hit compounds and undertake additional screens.
Collaborator Contribution AZ provides access through their Open Innovation scheme to ~50,000 pre-selected compounds. A more restricted kinase inhibitor set (KIL-set) of ~1,000 compounds will be provided to screen for inhibitors of the kinases studied and understand potential mechanisms of action of these inhibitors in cancer cells. AZ will evaluate hits identified from these screens to determine whether they are appropriate for further investment through computational biology and/or medicinal chemistry, or for limited testing in cell line panels.
Impact The project has used P2D funds (MC_PC_17194) to visit AZ to further screen AZ proprietary compounds using AZ in house high throughput systems. Project update February 2020: Industry-standard, activity-based biochemical screens have been completed. The SAR analysis of the hits has been discussed with AZ. Further collaboration with AZ for oncology drug development is postponed, awaiting for evidences for a link between NEK inhibitors and DNA damage response. Currently, a manuscript is in preparation to publish data package. The targeting of NEK8 is being de-prioritised (lack off suitable molecules and structural biology insights) the tool compounds and data produced to date will be used to write a publication for a high impact journals (within the next 6-8 months). Updated Feb 2020.
Start Year 2017
 
Description Patient-Derived Xenografts to enable personalised medicine 
Organisation GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
Country Global 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Working with individuals from Ono we have been using our access to a unique catalog of lymphoid cell lines to model resistance to enzyme inhibition. Support has also been supplied for the development of PDX models of DLBCL.
Collaborator Contribution A member of Ono staff has been working with in Leicester to develop and assay models of resistance to enzyme inhibition. The Ernest and Helen Scott Haematological Research Institute have supported further salary costs.
Impact Outputs include - development of resistant lines, with full genetic analysis, the development of PDX models of lymphoid disease. Models are continuing to be produced - supported by The Ernest and Helen Scott Haematological Research Institute Models have being used by GSK DPAc project (funding counted elsewhere so not double logged here) to develop novel therapeutics for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Projects supported by this resource have been followed to their natural conclusions with named partners and there is no new activity or follow on updates. Reviewed Feb 2021
Start Year 2016
 
Description Patient-Derived Xenografts to enable personalised medicine 
Organisation Ono Pharmaceutical
Country Japan 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Working with individuals from Ono we have been using our access to a unique catalog of lymphoid cell lines to model resistance to enzyme inhibition. Support has also been supplied for the development of PDX models of DLBCL.
Collaborator Contribution A member of Ono staff has been working with in Leicester to develop and assay models of resistance to enzyme inhibition. The Ernest and Helen Scott Haematological Research Institute have supported further salary costs.
Impact Outputs include - development of resistant lines, with full genetic analysis, the development of PDX models of lymphoid disease. Models are continuing to be produced - supported by The Ernest and Helen Scott Haematological Research Institute Models have being used by GSK DPAc project (funding counted elsewhere so not double logged here) to develop novel therapeutics for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Projects supported by this resource have been followed to their natural conclusions with named partners and there is no new activity or follow on updates. Reviewed Feb 2021
Start Year 2016
 
Description Patient-Derived Xenografts to enable personalised medicine 
Organisation University of Leicester
Department The Ernest and Helen Scott Haematological Research Institute
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Working with individuals from Ono we have been using our access to a unique catalog of lymphoid cell lines to model resistance to enzyme inhibition. Support has also been supplied for the development of PDX models of DLBCL.
Collaborator Contribution A member of Ono staff has been working with in Leicester to develop and assay models of resistance to enzyme inhibition. The Ernest and Helen Scott Haematological Research Institute have supported further salary costs.
Impact Outputs include - development of resistant lines, with full genetic analysis, the development of PDX models of lymphoid disease. Models are continuing to be produced - supported by The Ernest and Helen Scott Haematological Research Institute Models have being used by GSK DPAc project (funding counted elsewhere so not double logged here) to develop novel therapeutics for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Projects supported by this resource have been followed to their natural conclusions with named partners and there is no new activity or follow on updates. Reviewed Feb 2021
Start Year 2016
 
Description Phage Diagnostics for Lyme Diease 
Organisation Phelix Research & Development
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Expertise with the identification of bacteriophages PCR development skills towards developing a sensitive test using bacteria specific phages as a marker of Lyme disease.
Collaborator Contribution Phelix was set up with the aim of researching diagnostic techniques, prevention methods and, ultimately, treatment plans for chronic infectious diseases thought to be responsible for some of the main neurodegenerative and neurobehavioural conditions. Focus on supporting research surrounding bacteriophage viruses and their potential uses in chronic infection Access to Lyme Diease patient samples http://phelix.info/en/about/what-is-phelix/ RED Laboratoris (Belgium) - https://redlabs.be/ R.E.D. Laboratories is a private Belgian company, focused on developing and performing specialty research and diagnostic tests for chronic immune disorders, intestinal dysfunctions, tick-borne diseases (Lyme disease) and multifactorial disorders like autism and CFS. R.E.D laboratories provided expertise in the development of molecular diagnostic tests.
Impact Contracts in place, shared IP protection (patients in progress) and diagnostic methodology well developed. The validation of the test has been taken over by the R.E.D laboratories (Belgium). A licensing agreement was signed between Phelix and R.E.D Laboratories (2019). A commercial trial started on July 1st, 2019. The University team used P2D fund (MC_PC_17194) to go and visit R.E.D Laboratories in 2019. The University team gained valuable expertise in the development of molecular diagnostic tests. The visit marked also the start of a long-term collaboration between R.E.D and Leicester. Updated in Feb2020.
Start Year 2016
 
Description Phage Diagnostics for Lyme Diease 
Organisation R.E.D Laboratories
Country Belgium 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Expertise with the identification of bacteriophages PCR development skills towards developing a sensitive test using bacteria specific phages as a marker of Lyme disease.
Collaborator Contribution Phelix was set up with the aim of researching diagnostic techniques, prevention methods and, ultimately, treatment plans for chronic infectious diseases thought to be responsible for some of the main neurodegenerative and neurobehavioural conditions. Focus on supporting research surrounding bacteriophage viruses and their potential uses in chronic infection Access to Lyme Diease patient samples http://phelix.info/en/about/what-is-phelix/ RED Laboratoris (Belgium) - https://redlabs.be/ R.E.D. Laboratories is a private Belgian company, focused on developing and performing specialty research and diagnostic tests for chronic immune disorders, intestinal dysfunctions, tick-borne diseases (Lyme disease) and multifactorial disorders like autism and CFS. R.E.D laboratories provided expertise in the development of molecular diagnostic tests.
Impact Contracts in place, shared IP protection (patients in progress) and diagnostic methodology well developed. The validation of the test has been taken over by the R.E.D laboratories (Belgium). A licensing agreement was signed between Phelix and R.E.D Laboratories (2019). A commercial trial started on July 1st, 2019. The University team used P2D fund (MC_PC_17194) to go and visit R.E.D Laboratories in 2019. The University team gained valuable expertise in the development of molecular diagnostic tests. The visit marked also the start of a long-term collaboration between R.E.D and Leicester. Updated in Feb2020.
Start Year 2016
 
Description Structural Biology of the COP9 Signalosome 
Organisation Domainex
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Expertise in molecular activity/ binding assay, crystallography and fragment screening.
Collaborator Contribution Domainex for a STAR award (awarded in July 2015 ~ value £10,000) funding contingent of follow on funding from UoL to support the screening of molecules at UoL site. This award has led to an in silico screen of the Domainex LeadBuilder library of 1.2 million collated 'lead-like' molecules.
Impact The 2014/15 and follow on funding award was used to optimise novel in-house assays to detect the catalytic activity of the COP9 complex. These data enabled the Leicester team to win a competitive award from Domainex (the STAR Award for in silico screening). Validation of the fragment hits that resulted from the Domainex in-silico screening has been performed by the Leicester team. 2016/17 award finished the screen, from the in silico screen, however the most promising molecules showed no evidence of binding. A follow on crystallography based fragment screen performed in Leicester and at the EMBL in Grenoble - France (Oct 2018 - April 2019). 3 fragment hits identified that show concentration dependent activation activity. Further investigation needed. Partnership with Domainex ended in 2018. There will be no further follow-up due to the principal investigator leaving the University of Leicester. Update Feb2020.
Start Year 2015
 
Description Structural Biology of the COP9 Signalosome 
Organisation Medivir
Country Sweden 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Expertise in molecular activity/ binding assay, crystallography and fragment screening.
Collaborator Contribution Domainex for a STAR award (awarded in July 2015 ~ value £10,000) funding contingent of follow on funding from UoL to support the screening of molecules at UoL site. This award has led to an in silico screen of the Domainex LeadBuilder library of 1.2 million collated 'lead-like' molecules.
Impact The 2014/15 and follow on funding award was used to optimise novel in-house assays to detect the catalytic activity of the COP9 complex. These data enabled the Leicester team to win a competitive award from Domainex (the STAR Award for in silico screening). Validation of the fragment hits that resulted from the Domainex in-silico screening has been performed by the Leicester team. 2016/17 award finished the screen, from the in silico screen, however the most promising molecules showed no evidence of binding. A follow on crystallography based fragment screen performed in Leicester and at the EMBL in Grenoble - France (Oct 2018 - April 2019). 3 fragment hits identified that show concentration dependent activation activity. Further investigation needed. Partnership with Domainex ended in 2018. There will be no further follow-up due to the principal investigator leaving the University of Leicester. Update Feb2020.
Start Year 2015
 
Description Target nutrient sensing to treat tuberculosis 
Organisation MRC-Technology
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution A thermal shift assay was performed using a small fragment library provided by LifeArc (formerly know as MRCT) to screen for compounds that bind to the protein target. Outputs from this screen and in silico screening will be used to identify further compounds for testing and crystallography.
Collaborator Contribution Lifearc supplied a focused small fragment library that was used to perform a thermal shift assay screen on the target protein. They then provided chemo-informatic and molecular modelling approaches to rationalise the observed data and identify further compounds for testing. Lifearc also performed an in silico screen to identify further compounds.
Impact The output from the thermal shift fragment screen against the target has been analysed by Lifearc to rationalise the observed data and identify further compounds for testing. Together with additional hits from the in silico screen, which was performed by Lifearc, these hits are being further validated by secondary assays on our site. Follow on work has been unable to identify any specific high affinity molecules and the work was published in 2018 in DOI: 10.1128/mBio.00931-18. The work is ongoing as PhD research project. Updated March 2019.
Start Year 2016
 
Description Validation of the efficacy of novel anticancer compounds in primary tumour tissue explants 
Organisation Cancer Research UK
Department CRUK Centre for Cancer Therapeutics
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Development of a clinically relevant patient-derived tumour tissues primary 3D culture system (Patient-Derived Explant (PDE) technology) to evaluate novel anti-cancer drugs, to assess patient responses to current standard of care treatments. Follow on data show that the model has a strong predictive power in prediction patient responses to therapy and survival.
Collaborator Contribution MCR Toxicology (Leicester) and the University of Leicester have worked in collaboration to develop the model to its current format (since 2007). The collaboration with CRT began in 2015 (with CiC funding from previous award) and encompasses access to individuals and facilities at CRT-DL (Cambridge) and work to trial a number of their novel compounds. CRT will continue the collaboration under the name of Cancer Research UK Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories and the MRCT will continue the collaboration under the name of LifeArc.
Impact The pre-clinical model is now used with a wide variety of tumor types from lung to breast cancer, melanoma, colorectal cancer and endometrial cancer. A number of publications have used this methodology (prior to MRC funding) from this source. This project has now produced 3 publications, in addition to several poster presentations with published abstracts, alongside further collaborations with other tech transfer companies. The partnership with LifeArc and CR-UK Discovery Labs to test a range of novel anti-cancer drugs is continuing (for a total of £735,000 until 2021) and has attracted considerable attention from the pharmaceutical industry. Boehringer Ingelheim, Pierre Fabre and Ono Pharmaceuticals are interested in the PDE platform for preclinical drug testing. This project has received 3 rounds of follow on CiC funding, generating >19-fold return on MRC CiC investment to date (Total £1.7M). Update Feb2020.
Start Year 2016
 
Description Validation of the efficacy of novel anticancer compounds in primary tumour tissue explants 
Organisation LifeArc
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Development of a clinically relevant patient-derived tumour tissues primary 3D culture system (Patient-Derived Explant (PDE) technology) to evaluate novel anti-cancer drugs, to assess patient responses to current standard of care treatments. Follow on data show that the model has a strong predictive power in prediction patient responses to therapy and survival.
Collaborator Contribution MCR Toxicology (Leicester) and the University of Leicester have worked in collaboration to develop the model to its current format (since 2007). The collaboration with CRT began in 2015 (with CiC funding from previous award) and encompasses access to individuals and facilities at CRT-DL (Cambridge) and work to trial a number of their novel compounds. CRT will continue the collaboration under the name of Cancer Research UK Therapeutic Discovery Laboratories and the MRCT will continue the collaboration under the name of LifeArc.
Impact The pre-clinical model is now used with a wide variety of tumor types from lung to breast cancer, melanoma, colorectal cancer and endometrial cancer. A number of publications have used this methodology (prior to MRC funding) from this source. This project has now produced 3 publications, in addition to several poster presentations with published abstracts, alongside further collaborations with other tech transfer companies. The partnership with LifeArc and CR-UK Discovery Labs to test a range of novel anti-cancer drugs is continuing (for a total of £735,000 until 2021) and has attracted considerable attention from the pharmaceutical industry. Boehringer Ingelheim, Pierre Fabre and Ono Pharmaceuticals are interested in the PDE platform for preclinical drug testing. This project has received 3 rounds of follow on CiC funding, generating >19-fold return on MRC CiC investment to date (Total £1.7M). Update Feb2020.
Start Year 2016
 
Title PHAGE-BASED DETECTION OF BORRELIOSIS AND MEANS THEREFOR 
Description This invention relates to methods of detecting Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato or for detecting Borrelia associated with Relapsing Fever (RF), kits for carrying out such methods, and methods of treating Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato or RF infections in a subject. Uses of phage specific for Borrelia are also provided. 
IP Reference WO2018083491 
Protection Patent granted
Year Protection Granted 2018
Licensed Commercial In Confidence
Impact Described else where - see Collaborations section for details
 
Title SENESCENCE 
Description The invention provides an inhibitor of a Tec family tyrosine kinase and uses thereof. The invention also extends to methods of treating, ameliorating or preventing senescence or an age-related disorder or a solid tumour in a subject. The invention also extends to Tec family tyrosine kinase gene-silencing molecules, pharmaceutical compositions, methods of making the compositions and compound screening assays. 
IP Reference WO2016128744 
Protection Patent application published
Year Protection Granted 2016
Licensed Commercial In Confidence
Impact Another patent application has been granted: GB2015/051480
 
Description Bacteriophages as diagnostic markers and therapeutic agents for predicting and treating Lyme disease - Invitation to give a talk 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Dr J.S who received two rounds of LD3/ MRC CiC awards (MC_PC_15045 and MC_PC_17171) to develop a PCR-based test to diagnose Lyme disease got invited to give a talk at the international Crypto-Infection Conference, Dublin, Ireland, on June 2019 . Presentation title: "Bacteriophages as diagnostic markers and therapeutic agents for predicting and treating Lyme disease".
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description BioHomecoming 2016 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact http://www2.le.ac.uk/news/blog/2016-archive/october/industry-and-academia-build-links-in-precision-medicine-and-drug-discovery

The University of Leicester hosted an event bringing together industry and academic in fruitful discussions on drug discovery and precision medicine.
It was hosted at the Leicester Tigers Conference Centre and attended by over 300 delegates, 170 of which were industry delegates from the Pharma and Biotechnology sectors, including alumni, regional contacts and current collaborators of the University of Leicester.

Dr Ismael Tejero, Business Development Manager for the College of Medicine and main organiser of the event, said: "We managed to advertise our expertise and scientific offer, including our two new Research Institutes of Precision Medicine and Structural and Chemical Biology, to a broad range of delegates in the biomedical industry.

"The environment created during the Bio-Homecoming event really encouraged our academics to successfully establish and develop relationships with industrial peers across the country but also from Ireland and Switzerland. With more than 25 exhibitors and 600 scheduled one-to-one meetings, this event has started big and there is already a lot of interest and expectation to see the agenda for the Bio-homecoming 2017."

Feedback from the event was very positive, with many commenting on the networking value of the one-to-one sessions.

Professor Philip Baker (pictured left), Dean of Medicine at the University of Leicester, said: "The interaction of clinicians and scientists from our College - with industry partners, generated a tremendous buzz. We are absolutely serious about strengthening and enhancing the synergies between academia and industry - in order to ensure that our research discoveries translate to public and patient benefit."

Ian Cox from Idaco Consulting said: "I attend a lot of partnering events and this one was extremely well organised and run. The venue was ideal (even though I support Northampton Saints.), a good blend of talks and exhibitors, and the partnering meetings worked really well. Catering facilities were excellent. All in all a very enjoyable day. It was great to finally see what Leicester has to offer and I hope this event becomes an annual event because it will certainly increase and improve the University's visibility."
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016
URL http://www.biohomecoming.com/
 
Description CR UK Outreach 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Engagement with activities organised as part of the Cancer Research UK Leicester Centre. Typically bi-annual events are put on to engage with the general public with hands on activities, talks, films and discussions (inc Q&A sessions).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2015,2016
 
Description Drug Target Review workshop - LD3 staff (KB) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Karen Bowman attended a workshop on Cell-based assays for screening in Hamburg, Germany to gain insight into the key parameters to be considered when developing cell-based assays and performing small molecule screening campaigns, associated data analysis, validation of Hits and their annotation using a variety of cell health/toxicity/liability assays. There was also the opportunity to network and engage with other professionals in the field to build up new relationships that might be mutually beneficial for future assay development.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016
 
Description Girlguiding 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Multiple events within Girlguiding Leicestershire - 1) age appropriate hands on activities performed with girls from 4-17 to make science fun and engaging - with the purpose of promoting Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM) activities to young women (small groups - individual meetings and also to division/county events including camps and activity days) 2) training sessions for leaders in Girlguiding to enable/encourage them to undertake STEM activities within thier units 3) to promote Women In Science and Engineering (WISE) 4) provide positive female role models
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2015,2016,2017,2018
 
Description Interreg grant - Engagement with SME companies in the region 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact As part of the Interreg grant that was awarded to the University of Leicester, engagement with SME companies in the region is ongoing to improve and grow their chances to develop diagnostic tests and healthcare products. Facilitated the contact between SMEs and key opinion leaders within healthcare and politics to get the right clinical input, such as facilitate access to the relevant clinical samples or clinical trials to develop their products further.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016,2017,2018
 
Description MCB Open Day 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact Open day to school children from across the region for widening participation purposes. Hands on activities explaining 'precision medicine' were undertaken
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016,2017
 
Description Participation at the EACR Goodbye Flat Biology conference by LD3 staff (SEE, ASM, EK) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact LD3 staff participated at this conference in Berlin, Germany to learn about new techniques and applications of 3D culture at the cancer biology interface. New insight was gained and new contacts were made with businesses, which has benefited the Explant project conducted at the University of Leicester.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016
 
Description Participation at the conference SelectBio Academic Drug Discovery by LD3 staff (SEE) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Dr Sian Evans participated a this conference in Cambridge to gain new insights into drug discovery workflows and explore the challenges and opportunities faced in academic drug discovery.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016
 
Description Patient Group Talks 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Patients, carers and/or patient groups
Results and Impact Talks about advances in drug discovery research at the University (special emphasis on lung/thoracic and haematological diseases). Typically 'after dinner style' talks with Q&A sessions.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2015,2016,2017,2018
 
Description School visits 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact Talks given on malaria research - typically to a year group (60-80 students) - discussions, Q&A sessions to follow and careers advice given. Typically 3-4 such events are undertaken annually.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016,2017,2018
 
Description School visits to UoL 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact Participation in Dynamic DNA and Richard III open days - which open up the University to children and members of the general public. Typically a mixture of hands on activities (covering science subjects and other activities of note for the University e.g. archeology). The positive effects are increased engagement with the local (and wider community) and in widening participation (making a University education more approachable for all).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2015,2016,2017,2018