(Press-News.org) The LMS is pleased to announce today during London Life Sciences Week that it has received a £1m award from the MRC Business Engagement Fund to strengthen and expand its industry partnerships. The funding will be matched by significant industry support and will enable eight new collaborations over 18 months between LMS and Imperial College London research teams and a broad range of commercial companies, from local White City Innovation District-based spinouts to global pharmaceutical leaders. Importantly, this investment is designed not just to fund individual projects, but to act as a catalyst for long-term, sustainable collaboration between academia and industry.
At a time when several life science companies have expressed concerns over government support for innovation, this investment highlights a positive and proactive approach. It underscores the MRC’s ongoing commitment to supporting translational research and fostering an environment where partnerships can thrive — ensuring the UK remains a competitive hub for life sciences innovation.
The eight partnerships are:
Dr Alexis Barr is collaborating with Broken String Biosciences to investigate DNA damage and repair in dormant (quiescent) cells using INDUCE-seq® technology. They aim to understand how cells prevent harmful mutations, ensuring genome integrity before they replicate, which could lead to new ways to target cancer cell quiescence and replication.
Professor Petter Brodin is collaborating with Pixelgen Technologies AB to resolve the spatial distribution of proteins in immune cells, allowing precise identification of disease-driving cells, which could help develop targeted therapies for inflammatory diseases with fewer immunodeficiency effects.
Dr Carl Jenkinson is collaborating with MedChemExpress to synthesize metabolites of vitamin D to enhance analytical methods that can track how vitamin D is processed in the body, helping us to understand vitamin D deficiencies better and create more accurate diagnostic tests.
Dr Helena Cochemé is collaborating with Vivan Therapeutics on research that will use high-throughput drug screening in fruit flies to identify personalised treatments against metabolic disorders in cancer patients.
Professors David Rueda, Amanda Fisher (University of Oxford) and LUMICKS are investigating how small chemical (epigenetic) modifications on DNA affect chromosomes, helping to reveal how our genetic material is organised inside cells. This could shed light on genetic disorders and diseases such as cancer to guide the development of future treatments.
Professor Petra Hajkova is collaborating with New England Biolabs, Inc. to refine ultra-sensitive methods to study molecular changes associated with the egg ageing process. Understanding of the underlying mechanisms will guide new interventions to extend women’s reproductive years.
Professor Jesús Gil is collaborating with Agenus Bio Inc. & MiNK Therapeutics Ltd. to investigate how a therapy, called iNKT cell therapy – which harnesses the power of our own immune system, can clear zombie-like (senescent) cells from the body to improve immune function and combat age-related diseases.
Professor David Carling is collaborating with AstraZeneca to further the understanding of targeting specific forms of AMPK, a protein that controls energy use in muscles, to help treat metabolic diseases like diabetes or obesity.
In addition to the MRC Business Engagement Fund, two further industry partnerships are also being announced today:
Professor Wiebke Arlt is working with Bayer to develop obafistat, a potential treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with an agreement to commence a Phase 1b study in 2026.
Dr Alex Sardini is working in partnership with Metsera, based nearby in White City, to study the nature of weight loss to support Metsera’s novel approach to obesity management.
These new partnerships strengthen the growing White City ecosystem of collaboration which underpins the institute’s translational mission. By fostering deeper connections between researchers and industry, the LMS and its colleagues at Imperial can turn ideas into innovations that can transform health.
Dr David Kennard, Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence at the LMS, said: “These collaborations represent a vital step forward in strengthening the translation of discovery science and experimental medicine at the LMS into impactful applications that enhance lives. They have been selected based on the synergy between partnering companies and our institute’s world-leading research expertise and potential for continuing the relationship moving forward.”
Dr Glenn Wells, Deputy Executive Chair at the Medical Research Council (MRC), said: "This new investment by the MRC through its Business Engagement Fund supports cutting edge medical research with our partners in the commercial sector and reinforces our commitment to enabling collaborations that promote the translation of discoveries into innovations and interventions, addressing unmet medical needs and promoting growth. Being able to support these collaborations is recognition of the strength of the world leading science at LMS and its drive to improve outcomes for patients."
The MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS) is a world-leading biomedical research institute working towards understanding the fundamental mechanisms that underlie human health and multimorbidity over our lifetimes. Through its Team Science-powered and entrepreneurial approach, the institute aims to improve the diagnosis and treatment of diverse conditions such as obesity, heart disease and cancer. The LMS is core-funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), which is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and is embedded within the Imperial College London Hammersmith Hospital Campus in West London.
END
MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS) awarded £1 million to boost life science partnerships in White City
2025-11-19
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