Cambridge, UK – 22 April 2021: Exonate, an early-stage biotechnology company, announces our new STEM ambassador’s first outreach project.
Exonate's new STEM ambassador, Dr James Daubney, is a research scientist in our MediCity lab. James has been a member of the Exonate team for 6 years and has recently taken on the responsibility of increasing Exonate’s STEM outreach. As James’ first outreach project he is taking part in the Lab_13 programme, created by BioCity in partnership with the education charity Ignite! as their ‘Scientist in Residence’.
Lab_13, started by Ignite! in 2009, is an initiative in which children manage their own investigations and scientific research, where their curiosity is given free expression. Guided by a Scientist in Residence, pupils choose the topics, pose the questions, and run their own experiments to test their hypotheses in a genuine research programme.
James Daubney, Exonate said, “I am really thrilled to start Lab_13 as my first STEM outreach activity. It will be great to help the students learn more about science by thinking of how to answer their own questions and aiding them to design experiments. We’ve got some exciting plans already in the works, it’ll be great fun and educational too!”
Exonate
Exonate are using the mRNA blueprint as a therapeutic formula to instruct cells in how to treat diseases. Leveraging our expertise in the alternative mRNA splicing of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) we have developed a pipeline of small molecule drugs for the treatment of patients with chronic diseases.
Exonate’s lead compound, formulated to be delivered topically with eye drops, is now in Phase 1 clinical trials for the treatment of centre-involved diabetic macular oedema. The clinical trial is in collaboration with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and built upon extensive pre-clinical work supported by previous investments. Having relocated to larger research labs at MediCity we are continuing our pre-clinical mRNA-targeting research focusing on ophthalmology and renal disease.
BioCity
Home to more than 200 companies, BioCity is a pioneering life science incubator and business collective. Where ideas become reality, investment flows and businesses succeed. Not the typical business incubator, BioCity takes a holistic approach to business support. Offering entrepreneur coaching, investment, flexible lab and office space and PAYG services within a UK-wide business collective.
Founded in 2002 by the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University, BioCity originated in a former BASF Pharma research facility in Nottingham city centre.
In 2012 BioCity acquired the MSD research facility in Newhouse near Glasgow to create Glasgow, BioCity. This was closely followed by a second site in Nottingham, MediCity, which is located on the Boots campus and is a collaboration with Walgreens Boots Alliance. In 2016 the Newhouse site was further expanded to create Glasgow, MediCity. BioCity also operates at Alderley Park, Cheshire, Aberdeen and Newcastle.
The company has made 30+ investments in early stage companies and has delivered a healthy growth in portfolio valuation. Funds are deployed from its own cash reserves and from a joint venture vehicle with AstraZeneca which BioCity manages.
In 2017, BioCity was identified as one of Europe’s fastest growing companies in the Financial Times’ FT 1000 report. The BioCity model of ‘support from inception to incorporation’ initially challenged the industry standard but quickly became the industry leader due to the unprecedented survival rates of BioCity based businesses.
For more information visit https://biocity.co.uk/about
Ignite! Futures
Ignite! is a Nottingham-based education charity that promotes creativity in learning and encourages children, young people and their families to express their curiosity about this rapidly changing world. Information is available at: https://www.ignitefutures.org.uk/ where a Lab_13 Handbook for schools is also available.