Healthcare and Life Sciences

National Biologics Manufacturing Centre

CPI is the UK’s national technology and innovation centre for the process manufacturing industries. Located in Darlington, CPI’s National Biologics Manufacturing Centre combines state-of-the-art facilities and technical expertise to support the growth and development of the UK biologics industry and supply chain. The National Biologics Manufacturing Centre collaborates with large corporations, SMEs, academia and charities to enable the delivery of innovative manufacturing solutions and to accelerate the cost effective, safe and high-quality manufacture of life-changing biologic therapies.

National Horizons Centre

Opened in spring 2019, Teesside University’s £22m National Horizons Centre is a research, teaching and training facility sitting at the heart of a cluster of excellence on Darlington’s Central Park alongside the National Biologics Manufacturing Centre and Teesside University’s Centre for Professional and Executive Development.  The National Horizons Centre has been established to address the growth needs of the bio-based industries including biologics, industrial biotechnology and bio-pharmaceuticals. Its creation facilitates closer linkages between industry and academia, to provide the sector with knowledge, skills, talent and facilities to support its development and growth.

State-of-the-Art Facilities

The National Horizons Centre facilitates growth through industry-led research and innovation, enabling users to undertake process development, process improvement and product characterisation.

It is one of the most well-equipped bioscience training facilities in the UK offering industry-leading facilities, equipment and resources for bioprocessing, biological imaging, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, biosynthesis and bioinformatics.

The National Horizons Centre is fulfilling a key national role in delivering UK based multi-disciplinary innovation and research using advancements in biologics, informatics and big data to promote new thinking in biologics, health and digital health technologies.

Teesside University

As well as leading the National Horizons Centre development, Teesside University has over 4,200 students studying programmes in the School of Health & Life Sciences with a further 3,700 students studying courses in computing, engineering and digital technologies and has an excellent record of employer engagement.

Clinical Trials

Tees Valley has four NHS trusts and a strong track record of delivering clinical trials, with around 7,250 patients recruited annually and the National Institute for Health Research has ranked the South Tees Trust in the top 11% of NHS trusts in the country for the number of participants recruited to trials. This clinical research is augmented by strong relationships between academic institutions, industry and the NHS and its supportive innovation network drives and helps to fund collaborative research and development for patient gain. The formation of the Durham and Tees Valley Research Alliance in 2019 will further enhance the sharing of resources, maximising the range and scope of the research collectively delivered by the participating Trusts.