Establishment of a cell culture facility at Biogelx for the in-house validation and testing of Biogelx hydrogels
Lead Research Organisation:
Heriot-Watt University
Department Name: Sch of Engineering and Physical Science
Abstract
Biogelx develops and produces materials that mimic the internal environment of the body. These new materials support the growth of cells outside the body in a laboratory environment under more realistic conditions than traditional methods where cells are grown on plastic or glass. Using the Biogelx material allows researchers to study the cells response to test substances such as drugs or toxic agents under conditions that are more similar to the natural environment of the body which in certain circumstances can be used as a replacement to animal testing.
The Biogelx team is largely made up of scientists with a background in chemistry who specialize in the development of new materials. To improve their product and expand the services they offer to clients Biogelx need a laboratory facility suitable for growing cells. To set-up a laboratory to grow cells they require the knowledge of a scientist with a biology background who has expertise in this area. This will ensure tests carried out on cells grown on the Biogelx material in the new laboratory facility will meet the appropriate standards and generate reliable results.
The secondee, Dr Fiona Murphy, has over 10 years' experience working as a biologist and carrying out both animal testing and experiments on cells grown in laboratory conditions. She is passionate about developing new approaches to conducting research which will reduce the numbers of animals used in biomedical testing while still providing reliable results. The secondment with Biogelx provides Dr Murphy the opportunity to use her experience working as a biologist in a University laboratory to guide the establishment of the biology facility at Biogelx, giving her an insight into working in a commercial laboratory environment. In a series of test-runs of the new facility Dr Murphy will grow cells using the Biogelx platform to ensure the facility is operational up to the appropriate standards. These test experiments will also produce some preliminary results important for Dr Murphy's own research goals.
The partnership between Biogelx and Dr Murphy from Heriot-Watt University will help the company to expand and grow and also increase the future career mobility of Dr Murphy through experience gained working in a commercial lab environment.
The Biogelx team is largely made up of scientists with a background in chemistry who specialize in the development of new materials. To improve their product and expand the services they offer to clients Biogelx need a laboratory facility suitable for growing cells. To set-up a laboratory to grow cells they require the knowledge of a scientist with a biology background who has expertise in this area. This will ensure tests carried out on cells grown on the Biogelx material in the new laboratory facility will meet the appropriate standards and generate reliable results.
The secondee, Dr Fiona Murphy, has over 10 years' experience working as a biologist and carrying out both animal testing and experiments on cells grown in laboratory conditions. She is passionate about developing new approaches to conducting research which will reduce the numbers of animals used in biomedical testing while still providing reliable results. The secondment with Biogelx provides Dr Murphy the opportunity to use her experience working as a biologist in a University laboratory to guide the establishment of the biology facility at Biogelx, giving her an insight into working in a commercial laboratory environment. In a series of test-runs of the new facility Dr Murphy will grow cells using the Biogelx platform to ensure the facility is operational up to the appropriate standards. These test experiments will also produce some preliminary results important for Dr Murphy's own research goals.
The partnership between Biogelx and Dr Murphy from Heriot-Watt University will help the company to expand and grow and also increase the future career mobility of Dr Murphy through experience gained working in a commercial lab environment.
Technical Summary
Biogelx develops and produces 3D cell culture scaffolds, in the form of synthetic peptide hydrogels, which act as extracellular-matrix environments to support cell growth. Biogelx currently collaborate with researchers in industry and academia to provide bespoke hydrogels tailored to the client's specifications and driven by the user's specific research questions. A key future strategic goal for Biogelx is to establish an in-house tissue culture facility with the aim of generating proof-of-concept 3D models. This will greatly expand the applications of the Biogelx technology and increase the commercial impact of the company. Biogelx require the expertise of a biologist with a strong background in in vitro tissue culture to lead the establishment of the Biogelx tissue culture facility and train staff in standard tissue culture techniques.
The proposed secondee, Dr Fiona Murphy, is a postdoctoral research scientist with more than 10 years' experience in the use of tissue culture models for the hazard assessment of pathogenic and novel particles and the elucidation of the mechanisms underlying particle-related pulmonary disease. Dr Murphy's research goals have a strong focus on the development and adoption of alternative in vitro methods to reduce the burden of animal models used in biomedical research and applied toxicology testing.
The alignment of the strategic goal of Biogelx to develop in-house cell culture facilities with secondee's research aims to develop physiologically-relevant models of lung disease and in vitro alternatives for toxicology testing underpins the objectives of the secondment. Successful completion of the secondment will directly provide Biogelx with prototype validation of the tissue culture facilities and provide pilot data to support further funding applications by the secondee to establish biologically-relevant in vitro models to replicate pulmonary disease.
The proposed secondee, Dr Fiona Murphy, is a postdoctoral research scientist with more than 10 years' experience in the use of tissue culture models for the hazard assessment of pathogenic and novel particles and the elucidation of the mechanisms underlying particle-related pulmonary disease. Dr Murphy's research goals have a strong focus on the development and adoption of alternative in vitro methods to reduce the burden of animal models used in biomedical research and applied toxicology testing.
The alignment of the strategic goal of Biogelx to develop in-house cell culture facilities with secondee's research aims to develop physiologically-relevant models of lung disease and in vitro alternatives for toxicology testing underpins the objectives of the secondment. Successful completion of the secondment will directly provide Biogelx with prototype validation of the tissue culture facilities and provide pilot data to support further funding applications by the secondee to establish biologically-relevant in vitro models to replicate pulmonary disease.
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| Fiona Murphy (Principal Investigator) |