{"id":2180699,"date":"2026-10-13T13:44:28","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T12:44:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/northwest\/?p=2180699"},"modified":"2026-10-13T13:44:28","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T12:44:28","slug":"university-research-teams-win-funding-to-develop-technologies-further","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/northwest\/news\/2180699-university-research-teams-win-funding-to-develop-technologies-further","title":{"rendered":"University research teams win funding to develop technologies further"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two North West research teams have won proof-of-concept funding of around \u00a350,000 each, as well as<\/span> further technical and commercial support from the Satellite Applications Catapult, to develop their technologies further.<\/span><\/p>\n

The teams will<\/span> test whether microgravity can speed up skin-ageing research, and make metal recovery more sustainable, respectively.<\/span><\/p>\n

The awards come through the IBIC x Catapult Microgravity Biopharma Accelerator.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Satellite Applications Catapult and the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Catalyst (IBIC) run the programme together, bringing biotechnology businesses, academics and space sector specialists into the same teams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The two projects are SPACE AGE, led by the University of Liverpool in partnership with biotech company GMP Manufacturing and microgravity specialist Space Cargo Unlimited, and Co-Crystals: Microgravity Enhanced Crystallisation of Metalloproteins for Bio-mining, led by the University of Salford in partnership with biotech company LanthaGen Bio and microgravity specialist Kayser Space.<\/span><\/p>\n

SPACE AGE draws on evidence that microgravity triggers changes in human cells resembling ageing, but over weeks rather than decades. If those changes hold for skin, researchers could test treatments in a fraction of the usual time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Experiments have taken place on the International Space Station (ISS).<\/p>\n

Co-Crystals studies metalloproteins, which bind metals and could be used to recover them from ores and waste with less energy and fewer harsh chemicals than conventional extraction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Crystals grown in microgravity are often larger and better ordered, giving researchers a clearer view of how these proteins capture metals and how to design better ones.<\/span><\/p>\n

The projects began at a one-day matchmaking workshop in Manchester in April this year which launched the accelerator.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Academics from North West England, biotechnology businesses and UK microgravity specialists formed teams around credible research and commercial challenges. The winning teams then went through IBIC\u2019s proof-of-concept funding process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The accelerator aims to close the gap between early scientific interest in microgravity and projects that are technically credible, commercially relevant and ready for investment.<\/span><\/p>\n

IBIC provides the funding and manages the awards.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Satellite Applications Catapult designs the accelerator programme, assesses each project and supports teams on technical feasibility, commercialisation, partnerships and investment readiness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The programme treats microgravity as a research tool, not a destination. It aims to help life sciences organisations find where a change in gravity gives a measurable scientific or commercial advantage, and to build a repeatable model for linking the UK\u2019s regional biotechnology strengths with its space sector.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nasreen Dhanji, Beyond Earth Mission lead at the Satellite Applications Catapult, said: \u201cThe strongest microgravity projects start with a clear challenge on Earth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis accelerator has brought together the scientific, commercial and space expertise needed to turn promising ideas into practical proof-of-concept projects.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSPACE AGE and Co-Crystals show the breadth of the opportunity, from health and treatment development to more sustainable approaches for biomining.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prof Aline Miller, director of the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Catalyst (IBIC), said: \u201cNorth West England has deep strengths in industrial biotechnology, and part of IBIC\u2019s job is to help those researchers and businesses reach new markets.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMicrogravity gives our community a research setting that few have been able to use, and proof-of-concept funding lets teams find out quickly whether it gives them a real advantage.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She added: \u201cSPACE AGE and Co-Crystals show what can happen when biotechnology and space specialists work on the same problem from the start.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Salford and Liverpool projects awarded proof-of-concept funding of around \u00a350,000 each<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":217725,"featured_media":2180700,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[120903],"coauthors":[46761],"class_list":["post-2180699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-universities-and-business","tag-featured-story","tag-greater-manchester","tag-liverpool-city-region"],"yoast_head":"\nUniversity research teams win funding to develop technologies further<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Salford and Liverpool projects awarded proof-of-concept funding of around \u00a350,000 each\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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