The biosciences and healthcare industries are evolving rapidly, demanding innovative solutions and skilled professionals. Professor Vikki Rand, Director of Teesside University’s National Horizons Centre, believes strong collaborations between academia and industry are key to meeting these challenges.
“At the National Horizons Centre (NHC), we focus on delivering real-world impact through collaboration with industry professionals,” Rand explains. “Our goal across our five areas of expertise – biodiscovery, digital health, medicine manufacturing, sustainable futures and bioeconomy – is to turn groundbreaking ideas into practical solutions that benefit patients, businesses, and the wider community.”
Pioneering research with industry impact
The NHC is at the forefront of bioscience research, tackling pressing challenges from biomarker discovery through to the development of novel therapies and sustainable medicine manufacturing.
Professor Rand’s research into aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma has uncovered critical insights into how TP53 gene mutations affect survival rates in children. “These findings can help clinicians tailor treatments and improve outcomes,” she says. “We are studying other aggressive cancers through the Tees Valley Oncology ResearCH (TORCH) in partnership with the University Hospitals Tees”.
The centre is also advancing gene therapy research. Professor Linda Popplewell has developed promising therapies for rare diseases like Neurofibromatosis Type 1 and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. “The NHC provides the perfect environment for translational research, bringing together experts to drive innovation,” Popplewell shares.
Working in partnership with Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies and CPI, Professor Safwan Akram is developing novel technologies for efficient manufacturing of viral vectors for gene therapies. He explains, “Our team is tackling the big challenges of scaling up early stage gene therapies that will enable efficient manufacturing of these important therapies for patients”.
A recent milestone is the launch of VecTUs, a research-grade BioVector production service. Created by NHC academics, VecTUs supports gene therapy development by producing high-quality viral vectors used to deliver genetic material into cells.
“Launching VecTUs highlights our expertise and offers an affordable solution for early-stage gene therapy development,” says Rand.
Building skills through CPD and doctoral training
Teesside University is committed to developing the talent pipeline essential for biosciences growth. The NHC offers CPD courses and PhD programmes tailored to industry needs.
“Our CPD programmes are co-designed with industry partners, ensuring professionals gain skills directly applicable to their roles,” Rand explains. “Whether it’s advanced biomanufacturing or digital health, our courses equip the workforce to drive innovation.”
The NHC is a national training centre which delivered hands-on training during the pandemic to manufacturing vaccines as part of ATSTN and is a proud partner of the RESILIENCE UK Medicines Manufacturing Skills Centre of Excellence delivering training and outreach for industry and education providers.
Doctoral training at the NHC combines rigorous academic research with industry collaboration. PhD candidates access state-of-the-art facilities and mentorship from leading experts, ensuring their research has real-world impact.
Industry partnerships that drive success
Collaboration is central to the NHC’s success. Businesses like Hexis Lab have thrived by leveraging the centre’s world-class facilities and expertise. Dr Olusola Idowu, Founder and CEO of Hexis Lab, shares, “Being based at the NHC has been pivotal. It’s enabled us to access funding, collaborate with researchers, and accelerate product development.”
The NHC offers bioscience businesses opportunities to hire lab space, co-create solutions, secure funding, and develop new products in an innovative environment.
Looking ahead: Shaping the future of biosciences
Since opening in 2019, the National Horizons Centre has become a catalyst for growth. Its mission—Discover. Develop. Deliver.—guides its efforts in advancing biosciences and healthcare.
“We’re proud of what we’ve achieved in such a short time, but even more excited about the future,” Rand concludes. “Through collaboration, research, and skills development, we’re helping shape a healthier, more sustainable, innovative world.”
