13//06//11
QMB Innovation Centre signs up second tenant iGene into the hub
Press Release 13 June 2011
QMB Innovation Centre
("QMB" or the "Innovation Centre")
QMB Innovation Centre signs up iGene into the hub London’s leading bio-innovation centre gains a new tenant
Queen Mary BioEnterprises (QMB) Innovation Centre, London’s newest high-specification incubator facilities for start-up and early stage life science businesses, is pleased to announce iGene London (“iGene”), a digital autopsy developer, has signed a three-year lease to take 990 square feet of office and laboratory space on the Innovation Centre’s first floor.
iGene, formed in March 2011, is a subsidiary of iGene Sdn Bhd under the umbrella of the INFOVALLEY group of companies. Its space at QMB will be used to investigate all aspects of the non-invasive autopsy also known as the Digital Autopsy.
The group at iGene is currently in discussion with the medical and technical staff of the Bradford Public and Forensic Mortuary in West Yorkshire. The purpose of the study will be to assess the value of a non-invasive approach to the examination of the human body when compared with the traditional autopsy.
Forensic Pathologists will conduct Digital Autopsies on a virtual model of the body, generated using high performance computing (e.g. MRI and CT scans) and a unique set of proprietary algorithms. The further development and validation the the digital autopsy as an important tool in forensic pathology investigation, will thus go a long way in addressing sensitivities associated with traditional autopsies and also enhance the findings of the traditional autopsy in homicide cases. Furthermore, the data, which is easily archived, can be accessed by courts of law, remote hospitals or forensic medical centres.
The training of medical, scientific and technical staff in the various aspects of the Digital Autopsy will be undertaken by the Academy of Forensic Medical Sciences both in London and other venues in the UK and abroad. Th Academy is a not for profit company which has been established to further the forensic educational needs of postgraduate students and forensic professionals.
Simone Reid, Business Development Director of QMB commented: “I am delighted that iGene has decided to move a key part of its operations into the QMB Innovation Centre. iGene is at a critical stage in its development and it is indicative of the offering of life science hub at QMB that the Company has chosen us as the springboard for its expansions and commercialisation aspirations. iGene is an ideal fit for QMB, as it is a new venture originating from East London, with international roots. iGene will also help to strengthen QMB’s position as the UK’s newest and premier bio-hub.”
Professor Peter Vanezis OBE, the Head of the Scientific Advisory Board of iGene, said: “The team has spent several years working in academic surroundings and we are extremely excited to move into the Innovation Centre. It marks a real milestone in terms of commercial development of the Company and QMB, being so close to the City and with such excellent facilities seemed the ideal choice for us. We have state of the art laboratories for our research as well as space for growth and support in developing the business – vital for early stage companies.
“I look forward to moving in and getting to know the other companies in the Innovation Centre – I’m confident it will be an important hub of biotechnology in London and we are excited to be a part of it.”
iGene is expected to move into the Innovation Centre at the end of July.
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For further information
Queen Mary BioEnterprises (QMB) Innovation Centre
Simone Reid
simone.reid@qmul.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 8950
Media Enquiries
Abchurch Communications
Adam Michael / Simone Elviss / Oliver Hibberd
QMB@abchurch-group.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 7398 7714
Notes to Editors
About Queen Mary Bioenterprises Limited (“QMB” or “the Innovation Centre”)
The QMB Innovation Centre provides state of the art, customisable laboratory and office space within minutes of The City of London.
QMB provides business incubation support for new ventures and aims to become a hub for science and technology entrepreneurs in London. It provides all its clients with access to the wide range of professional services required when spinning a company out of academia and supports them through the critical phases of their development. The Innovation Centre’s proximity to the City of London means that it is well placed for clients to meet with the UK investment community and other advisers.
The 39,000 square foot facility comprises three floors of high specification work space for start up science and technology businesses. Lab designs are based on varied write up / laboratory split, and have been designed with a sophisticated air filtration system to house both microbiological safety cabinets and chemistry fume cupboards. This makes QMB an ideal location for both very early stage start ups as well as more established companies looking to expand. The Innovation Centre has a 120 seat lecture theatre and regularly hosts seminars and conferences which aim to promote the growth of the biotechnology industry in the UK.
QMB’s keystone tenant is Retroscreen Virology Ltd, a virology contract research organisation, whose bespoke facilities in the Innovation Centre include laboratory space and capacity to run clinical trials. QMB has recently signed its second tenant, iGene which will be housed on the first floor. The QMB Innovation Centre has 39,000 square feet of building capacity.
The QMB Innovation Centre is a wholly owned company of Queen Mary, University of London. It is the culmination of a four-year capital investment partnership between Queen Mary and the London Development Agency.
About iGene
Through collaboration with Silicon Graphics Inc of USA, iGene™ has designed and developed the world’s first, forensic medicine-specific, end-to-end software solution application; aptly named Digital Autopsy.
Digital Autopsy is a new advancement in forensic medicine. The Classical Autopsy which is inhumane and non-complying to religious sensitivities can now be conducted using the power of Digital Technology. The Digital Autopsy procedure is conducted by competent Forensic Pathologists on a Virtual Body generated using High Performance Computing and unique set of proprietary algorithms to allow a