University of Glasgow – a partner to the economy

The University of Glasgow’s Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Cambridge-based life sciences company Cell Guidance Systems exemplifies how partnerships between universities and the private sector can foster crucial innovations for the public good. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships are three-way partnerships between a business, an academic institution, and a KTP Associate, who is a recent graduate. Cell Guidance Systems specialises in biomanufacturing growth factors, which are crucial in life sciences due to their pivotal role in the cultivation of cell cultures necessary for the development of vaccines and therapeutic proteins.

One of Cell Guidance Systems’ products is a nano-crystal formulation called “PODS®” – microscopic crystals which encase growth factors in a protective protein lattice, thus shielding them from degradation and providing sustained delivery of proteins. This KTP aimed to help Cell Guidance Systems benefit from University of Glasgow researchers’ (Professor Manuel Salmeron-Sanches, Dr Michael Jones, Professor Matthew Dalby, and KTP Associate Dr Natasha Lewis) findings on cell know-how and the technical knowledge of hydrogel materials and hydrogel engineering The project focused on combining a synthetic hydrogel material with the existing PODS® technology to ensure it releases the biological molecules slowly to tell cells what to do. Dr Lewis worked with the company as a biomaterials scientist for the duration of the 24-month partnership before joining Cell Guidance Systems full-time as a Senior Research Scientist. All partners found the transfer of knowledge happened very fluidly. The company felt the partnership helped them to accelerate their capabilities and the KTP grading panel rated it “outstanding” for meeting its objectives.