Lab testing group expands across North with £3m investment
Liverpool-based laboratory testing specialist, BioGrad, is expanding into Yorkshire as part of a £3m investment over three years.
It will establish a new research and teaching site in York, positioning BioGrad at the forefront of science and healthcare, regenerative medicine and clinical research, it says.
BioGrad said its move is driven by the city’s unique advantages, including the academic strengths and collaboration potential with local universities, the integration with NHS Trusts across Yorkshire, and the support from York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.
This strategic location will serve as a catalyst for innovative research and a nationwide clinical trial led by the York research team, anticipated to be announced early in 2025.
This BioGrad Group has already expanded services to four new locations between 2022-2024 including laboratories in Birmingham, Newcastle, London and a purpose-built clinical research facility and new company headquarters at Wavertree Technology Park in Liverpool.
Continuing its expansion throughout the UK, BioGrad has also announced one new appointment in York and is actively recruiting to expand the team, growing its total headcount to 150 across the BioGrad group.
BioGrad CEO, Dr Natalie Kenny, said: “Our expansion into York represents an exciting new era for BioGrad as we expand our reach across the UK.
“The help and support BioGrad has received from Sophie Hartley, sector development relationship manager at York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, and Christine Hogan, inward investment manager at City of York Council, and the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority – as well as the strengths of the region in terms of its world-class NHS Trust and universities – makes York our preferred choice for expanding our operations and their assistance has been vital in enabling us to bring BioGrad’s offering and research capabilities to the city.”
Dr Kenny, who won Company Leader (100+ employees) at TheBusinessDesk Northern Leadership Awards in March 2023, added: “We take immense pride in our UK-wide presence and eagerly anticipate furthering our efforts to create new jobs and opportunities across the region.”
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “This investment will enable BioGrad to open a new research and teaching site and create high quality, skilled jobs in a high growth sector.
“The demographic of our population, along with our excellent and growing number of research centres as well as our world-leading universities, we know we can be a major player in global healthcare and continue to go beyond expectation.”
