News
UWE Scientists win SEED award for Himalayan oregano project
A research team from the University of the West of England, working in partnership with a laboratory in Delhi, a fair trade company, a community-based organisation and an environmental research institute in Himachal Pradesh in the Western Himalaya, have jointly been awarded a 2008 SEED award for their project investigating Himalayan oregano essential oil as an antibacterial agent for MRSA.
The research has shown that the essential oil of Himalayan oregano oil contains potent antibacterial properties and is very effective at killing the hospital superbug MRSA. These findings have presented a valuable opportunity to develop a range of antibacterial products that would provide a sustainable source of income to rural communities in the Himalaya, and at the same time introduce an environmentally friendly means of helping to prevent the spread of MRSA in hospitals in the UK.
| View full article on the UWE website | 28/10/08 |
UWE's Bio-Sensing Technology Institute expands US links
Researchers from the Institute of Bio-Sensing Technology (IBST) at the University of the West of England will take their expertise to the US for the 9th New Jersey Symposium on Biomaterials Science and Regenerative Medicine, October 29-31, 2008, in New Jersey, USA. http://www.njbiomaterials.org
The trip is part of an evolving relationship between New Jersey and the South West of England to develop world class technology and expertise in biotechnology and bio-medicine in the two regions. As well as collaborating on research and the latest technology, a student exchange programme started this summer with two students from Rutgers University in New Jersey, joining researchers at UWE over the summer period.
| View full article on the UWE website | 21/10/08 |
Become a member of IBST
Join IBST today and explore new opportunities for partnerships, investment and commercialisation in the field of bio-sensing technology. IBST provides an effective business network that brings together companies and research institutions with an interest in the development or application of bio-sensing technology. Becoming a member of IBST will help you to keep abreast of recent developments in the bio-sensing technology field, forge new business relationships and raise awareness of your company to potential partners and investors.
| Click here to find out more about joining IBST | 13/10/08 |
Raise the profile of your company with a FREE entry in the ‘Guide to UK Biosensor and Biosensing Companies’
In collaboration with IBST, the Sensors & Instrumentation KTN is compiling a guide containing details of UK companies involved in the research, design, development or manufacture of biosensors and biosensing devices and systems.
The purpose of this guide is to provide a convenient source of information for identifying UK companies with particular products, technologies, skills or capabilities in the biosensor/biosensing field, thereby helping UK companies to find customers and to facilitate activities such as exploitation of Intellectual property or finding partners for joint commercial ventures or technical collaborations.
The guide will be made freely available in electronic format and will be promoted nationally and internationally to raise the profile of the listed companies.
If you would like your organisation to be included in the guide, follow the link below to complete the online form. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt of your entry and in due course will be sent a link to the first issue of the guide.
Click here to raise the profile of your company with a FREE entry in this guide.
| 25/09/08 |
New Jersey Technology Council - Life Sciences Industry Forecast Survey
With the assistance of the Institute of Bio-Sensing Technology, the New Jersey Technology Council is conducting its annual Life Sciences Industry Forecast Survey. The aim of the survey is to gauge the current climate of the Life Sciences industry network in the mid-Atlantic region of the US and compare and contrast the results from life science companies in the UK.
Please take a few moments to complete the 17 questions as your participation will assist us in exploring additional collaboration between the UK and the US Life Sciences Industry. There is no cost to participate or receive the results which we will be emailed in early to mid November.
| Click here to complete the online survey. | 12/09/08 |
Janice Kiely - invited speaker at the IPEM Annual Scientific Meeting
Dr Janice Kiely will be speaking at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine on Wednesday 3rd September. Her talk is entitled 'Biology for sensors and sensors for biology' and will give an overview of the Institute of Bio-Sensing Technology as well as highlighting Professor Norman Ratcliffe and associates' work on volatile detection and her work with Professor Richard Luxton on magnetic detection technology.
| For more information about the meeting, please go to the IPEM website. | 04/08/08 |
IBST's first £1 million project
In collaboration with DePuy (a Johnson+Johnson company) and Gwent Electronic Materials, the Institute of Bio-sensing Technology has been successful in obtaining a £1.1M project grant from the Technology Strategy Board. The project aims to develop a new rapid, point-of-care diagnostic system for the measurement of metal ions after joint replacement. This will inform clinical decision making around the need for pre-emptive revision in case of high levels of metal wear.
| 18/07/08 |
BBSRC Industrial CASE Studentships
Applications are invited for BBSRC 4-year CASE studentships to start on 1 October 2009. BBSRC Industrial CASE studentships are awarded to partnerships between UK-based industrial companies and eligible UK universities or research institutes to support collaborative postgraduate research. The company can define the research project in an area relevant to their operations or to their future skills needs. Closing date for applications: 8 October 2008 Number of awards available: 88
Further information can be found at www.bbsrc.ac.uk/funding/training/calls.html
| 02/07/08 |
IBST trade mission to New Jersey
Last month, Dr Richard Luxton and Dr Janice Kiely travelled to New Jersey on a trade mission to showcase IBST and partner technologies and innovations. The focus of the visit was to consider what synergies can be developed in the general area of health and to explore possible collaboration, partnership and other opportunities. They met with Innovation New Jersey representatives including Rowan University, AlwaysReady (advanced power and sensing solutions) and Gabe Milton NJ Spinal Cord Research Commission, as well as representatives from Hackensack University Medical Center, Gallo Prostate Center, Montclair State University and Sokol Institute for Pharmaceutical Life Sciences.
| 02/07/08 |
IBST become affiliate members of the Sensors & Instrumentation KTN
The Institute of Bio-Sensing Technology has become an affiliate member of the Sensors & Instrumentation KTN. Affiliate membership will bring benefits to both organisations and offers us the opportunity to show a joined-up approach to the biosensing and instrumentation community. It will aid us in developing our links with industry and provide additional exposure for IBST and its members to the biosensing and instrumentation community.
As part of the Affiliate agreement, IBST and the Sensors & Instrumentation KTN will work on joint projects in support of the biosensing and instrumentation community, including input to government consultations, road-mapping exercises and development of action groups and initiatives. IBST and the Sensors & Instrumentation KTN will also work together to identify relevant companies operating in the biosensing field to understand their needs and to tailor relevant services.
| 03/06/08 |
Olena Doran - invited speaker at Pig Genome II
Olena Doran will be speaking at the 2nd European Conference on Pig Genomics “Pig Genome II” about genetic control and molecular mechanisms of meat quality traits in pigs. This conference is organized by COST European Network for Pig Genomics "PigNet" and is held 4-5 June in Ljubljana (Slovenia).
| For more information, please go to the Pig Genome II website. | 26/05/08 |
IBST receives funding for PhD studentship
The Institute of Bio-Sensing Technology has received funding (£162,400) from BBSRC, Genesis Faraday Partnership and Pfizer Ltd for a PhD studentship to study the genetic control of fat partitioning. This will be a collaborative project with Neil Avent from the Bristol Genomics Research Institute at UWE. The project will focus on studying physiological candidate genes controlling fat deposition and on identification of polymorphisms which could be used for the development of genetic tests.
| 26/05/08 |
Biosensors 2008 in Shanghai
In May, Richard Luxton travelled to China to join around 700 other delegates including representatives from UWE, GEM, AET and Uniscan Instruments to name just a few, at the 10th event in the biennial “Biosensors” World Congress series including. This international forum for academic researchers and industrialists to present and exchange their latest ideas was held over three days in the International Conference Centre in Shanghai’s Pudong district.
Six Plenary Lectures reviewed the latest developments in nucleic acid biosensors, holographic optical sensors, enzyme engineering, optical biochips, genetic fusion proteins and modern potentiometry. The main themes of the oral presentations ranged from nanoanalytical systems at one extreme of size to whole/single cell biosensors at the other. Various biosensing approaches were covered, from immunosensors, synthetic receptors and enzyme-based biosensors, through to new signal transduction technologies and DNA chips. Of particular interest at this meeting was an emphasis on the state-of-the-art and approaches to the commercialization of biosensor research.
| 20/05/08 |
New member of IBST - Dr Olena Doran
We would like to introduce the latest member to join IBST, Dr Olena Doran, who joined in May as Institute Coordinator. Her main role is to coordinate the research activities of the Institute, to develop national and international collaborations and research programmes. This involves identification of funding opportunities, developing research consortia, establishing and developing strategic, collaborative relationships with industry, high education institutions, governmental agencies and other relevant bodies.
| View Olena's biography | 05/05/08 |
Secretary of State visits IBST
The Secretary of State for Department of Innovation, University and Skills, John Denham visited the University of the West of England's new Institute of Bio-Sensing Technology, (IBST).
| View full article on the UWE website | 20/03/08 |
New Institute of Bio-Sensing Technology launched
The new Institute of Bio-Sensing Technology, (IBST), the first of its kind in the UK, will focus on the cutting edge of research into bio-sensing systems and their technological applications. Over 100 scientists are expected to attend the launch at the University of the West of England (UWE) on the 18 March 2008, including several from New Jersey in the USA, a key region for Biotechnology. Representatives from over 60 companies and institutions working in this field will also be attending.
| View full article on the UWE website | 17/03/08 |