Resources

Last week was a big one for UK life sciences, from the BIA Committee Summit shaping our sector’s future to major leadership changes at UKRI and NHS England. In this week’s update, I explore what these developments mean for our industry, alongside breakthroughs in AI, investment, and accessibility in healthcare.

As 2024 comes to a close, we’re proud to reflect on a year of championing the life sciences sector, from driving impactful policy changes to fostering connections across the UK and beyond. Dive into our key achievements, events, and milestones that shaped the year and set the stage for an exciting 2025.

Imperial, the leading global science university, is achieving a major step up in its life sciences capacity at its White City Deep Tech Campus through a major new joint venture with Bruntwood SciTech.

Read today's blog to learn about our latest reports, upcoming events and our CEO's thoughts on the upcoming budget.

In this blog, Izzy Webb outlines why the UK has published voluntary guidance to promote DNA synthesis and who the guidance is intended for.

Steve Bates OBE, CEO of the BIA, responded to the announcement of a new Regulatory Innovation Office.

The BIA’s policy and public affairs team attended the conferences of the three major UK parties this year. This is a key point in the political calendar and allows us to highlight the sector through fringe events, meet policymakers, and get a sense of the political environment.

Financing led by Ahren, OMX Ventures and Paladin Capital Group represents one of the largest UK biotech Series A rounds in recent years.

The UK Bioindustry Association (BIA) has today joined the European Biosolutions Coalition, adding UK representation to this influential group. The European Biosolutions Coalition is an initiative established by several industry organisations to elevate the prominence of biosolutions on the European agenda.

Last week saw the key parties launch their general election manifestoes. This week sees a set piece hosting debate with the core parties talking about their approach to science and innovation at a live hustings at the Royal Society.

Featured in BIA's Deep Biotech report, Epoch Biodesign aims to revolutionize plastic waste management by creating tailor-made enzymes that efficiently depolymerize a wide range of plastics into recyclable materials, offering a circular solution to tackle plastic pollution and promote sustainability.

Solena Materials is a pioneering biotech company spun out from Imperial College London, specialising in the development of computationally designed synthetic protein materials, originally featured in BIA's Deep Biotech report on disruptive innovation for global sustainability.

A spin-out from Oxford University, Moa Technology is developing next-generation herbicides to tackle a growing crisis in agriculture. Read more in BIA's Deep Biotech report on disruptive innovation for global sustainability.

Professor Paul Freemont, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Disease at Imperial College shares insights from his speech at the 10 Downing Street reception. Discover the dynamic landscape of UK engineering biology, where innovation meets sustainability, and explore the vibrant ecosystem of pioneering companies poised to revolutionize industries worldwide.

Evonetix is developing a new tool that lets researchers build the building blocks of life – genes – faster and easier than ever before. This could lead to breakthroughs in medicine and agriculture. Read more in BIA's Deep Biotech report on disruptive innovation for global sustainability.