Aberdeen’s reputation as an important centre for drug research and development (R&D) will take another major leap forward when the £40 million BioHub opens next week.
The Granite City is already home to a raft of companies doing exciting work on treatments and potential cures for a wide range of illnesses and other health problems.
One BioHub, on the hospital campus at Foresterhill, is expected to take life sciences in the north-east to another level.
It will provide support and infrastructure to help grow businesses, nurture commercialisation opportunities, and connect academics and health researchers to industry.
‘Milestone marker’
Jennifer Craw is chief executive of one of the funding partners behind it, Opportunity North East (One).
She told The Press and Journal the new building is a “milestone marker” for investment in the region’s economy.
Local economic priorities have changed since One launched in late 2015.
Ms Craw added: “The one thread that’s continued is diversification of the regional economy, so strengthening new, high-value jobs.”
The region’s life sciences sector is a key part of this, with a “rich stream” of research and innovation as well as university expertise helping to build future economic prosperity, she said.
She hailed the new 69,000sq ft BioHub, which has its official opening on Monday, as a “major milestone”.
One’s CEO continued: “The investment has created a physical presence, a beacon of ambition for the future.
“This is the kind of stamp, an embodiment of that ambition to to grow “north-east life sciences) to the next phase and stage.”
One is on a mission to double the number of companies in the region’s life sciences cluster by 2027.
Leading the way is the economic development partnership’s life sciences sector board chairwoman, Deborah O’Neil.
BioHub will make a big difference, attract investors and put north-east firms on a global stage, Ms O’Neil said.
She added: “The sector is already thriving. Individual companies have been recognised globally but not the cluster as a whole.
“The piece that’s always been missing, which brings that all together, is now here. BioHub is a kind of physical centre-point.”
Ms O’Neil, who is also chief executive and scientific officer of Aberdeen biotechnology company Novabiotics, said she expected the sector to “accelerate from this point on”.
She added: “Bio entrepreneurs of the future can actually see a destination.
“They know what the pathway is, beyond the building, through everything that Opportunity North East life sciences is offering for the cluster in terms of networking, training and bringing in resources.”
The economic potential is, of course, important but it goes beyond that.
Bio entrepreneurs of the future can actually see a destination.”
Deborah O’Neil, Opportunity North East/Novabiotics
Ms O’Neill said: “If you look at the areas that we are developing solutions for, either in therapies or medtech, it’s not just pills and injections.
“It’s cancer, it’s inflammation, dementia and microbiome.
“We’re delivering on those kind of massive global health problems.
“But these health problems are absolutely relevant to the local population as well.
‘Fantastic-looking’ building
“It’s important for people to know that, here in this fantastic-looking building, research is going on.
“And not just early-stage, nice research that will generate papers, but by companies who are determined to actually see those products through, and to get to patients and deliver benefits as well as being a commercial success.
‘We’re not just doing science in a bubble’
“This is why the location of this is key, because we’re on the health campus. We’re not just doing science in a bubble.”
Pointing towards the nearby hospital, she said: “There’s some fantastic stuff going on over there.
“This is about the companies that can turn those ideas into solutions that impact your health.”
Other BioHub partners include Aberdeen University, NHS Grampian, and the Aberdeen City Region Deal.
The project secured £20m of capital funding from the UK and Scottish governments through the city region deal, a partnership between both governments, Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council and One.
One has committed up to £5.6m to deliver its ambitions and Scottish Enterprise is contributing £2m.
Project delays
BioHub was built on a fixed price contract but the construction project, led by Robertson Group, suffered delays due to Covid, supply chain issues and two subcontractors going bust.
Ms Craw added: “They were they were part of the challenges but, in terms of cost, we came in on budget.”
North-east life sciences firms, including the likes of Novabiotics, Elasmogen, EnteroBiotix and TauRx, employ about 2,500 people.
Conversation