An ambitious new project hopes to transform drug development - helping scientists to develop safer and more effective therapies for diseases that impact immune health.

Motherwell-based biotech company RoukenBio has joined forces with University of the West of Scotland (UWS) to solve key scientific challenges by supplying detailed data to support the development of new therapies, through Innovate UK’s Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) scheme.

RoukenBio, which specialises in immunology, uses advanced laboratory models to understand how immune cells behave in different disease conditions. Their goal is to help biopharmaceutical companies make informed decisions about new treatments by providing high-quality scientific data. The collaboration with UWS will focus on developing “translational assays” – special tests that help predict how new drugs might work in humans.

Andy Upsall, Managing Director of RoukenBio, expressed his excitement about the project, saying: 

This partnership is a key part of our innovation strategy, and we’re thrilled to work with UWS to bring new ideas and expertise into the company.
Andy Upsall, Managing Director of RoukenBio

RoukenBio’s services include tests to support the development of antibody-based drugs, looking at how well these drugs bind to their targets and measuring their effectiveness and safety. The company uses advanced tools, like the Quanteon flow cytometer, to closely study how immune cells behave. This allows them to give detailed insights into immune cell function, activation, and growth, which are all critical to understanding potential treatments.

Leading the project is Lead Academic, Gary Litherland and Knowledge Base Supervisor, Anne Crilly. Gary said: “Our ethos at UWS is to look outward, striving for positive impact in our communities. Working in partnership with RoukenBio to deliver this project is very exciting and a real pleasure.

“This is a unique opportunity to apply our translational biology knowledge, contributing to innovation in dynamic local enterprise whilst gaining fresh ideas to elevate our academic research.”

KTP Associate, Athanasios Koulis, joined the team in June 2024. Sharing his enthusiasm for the role, Athanasios said: 

I’ve been working on this project for three months, and it’s been an incredible opportunity to grow as a scientist and connect with experts in the field. The support from my project team has been fantastic, and I’m excited about the next two years of this work.
KTP Associate, Athanasios Koulis

This partnership contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being, by supporting the development of new therapies, and Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, by strengthening collaboration between academia and industry.

By merging industry expertise with academic innovation, this collaboration aims to transform immune health, bringing life-changing therapies closer to reality.

To learn more about Knowledge Transfer Partnerships at UWS, visit: https://www.uws.ac.uk/business/knowledge-expertise/knowledge-transfer-partnerships