THERAPEUTIC TRANSLATION
The Translational Research Initiative Management Team (TRI MT) help researchers achieve maximum impact from their projects, which includes drug design and development, assisting in the translation of therapeutics into a commercial and clinical reality.
The following roadmap provides information on experimental considerations, business development advice and funding opportunities available within The University of Glasgow. The roadmap is broken down in project stages; from the earliest stage involving proof of concept data generation, to more mature phases including clinical trials of the developed therapeutics, market surveillance and product development.
Each stage corresponds with different "Technology Readiness Levels" (TRLs). This is a method for understanding the maturity of an innovation during its acquisition or experimental and testing phases. Each research project is evaluated against the parameters for each technology level and is then assigned a TRL rating based on the project's progress. There are nine technology readiness levels; TRL 1 is the lowest and TRL 9 is the highest.
For more information on the experimental, business development and funding resources of projects at each maturity stage, and for guidance on how to access them, please see the tiles below.
Key Contacts and Facilities
List of contacts and facilities to support the development of therapeutics at UofG.
Key Contacts
- Translational Research Initiative. The TRI team aims to create real world impact through identifying, championing and facilitating the translation of innovative research by providing funding support, training, information and guidance to ambitious research projects.
- IP & Commercialisation Team. The IP & Commercialisation team within Research and Innovation provide a University-wide service to help protect and exploit our intellectual property through licensing and spin-out company formation.
- Contracts Team. The Contracts Team provide a range of services to the University including drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts. They offer legal advice for University research and commercial contracts, both pre and post award, including guidance on Non Disclosure and Material transfer agreements (NDAs and MTAs).
- The Centre of Excellence for Trials Collaboration (CETC). CETC acts as a nexus for specialist multidisciplinary regulatory and methodological expertise to address important population health questions. Their strategic objectives include growing local research infrastructure and capacity to ensure that (i) all researchers are supported in securing research funding and progressing in their career and (ii) to drive increased funding success of Glasgow-led trials.
List of Facilities
A full list of the research facilities in the College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences can be found here.
The Digital Health Validation Lab |  |
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The Digital Health Validation Lab supports innovators across industry, academia and healthcare. The team can provide secure access to a full spectrum of resources from clinical experts, healthcare and clinical trial services through to regulatory advice and support with clinical adoption to accelerate the development, validation and route to market of digital health technologies.
Centre for Data Science & AI |
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The Centre for Data Science & AI supports world-changing, impactful, creative, collaborative, and ethical research in data science with a view to tackling grand challenges and building a better future for all.
Their core 6 programmes include:
- Data Science and AI for Arts and Humanities
- Data Science and AI for Economic and Social Sciences
- Data Science and AI for Engineering and Physical Sciences
- Data Science and AI for Impact and Innovation
- Data Science and AI for Medical Science
- Science of Data Science and AI
MVLS Structural Biology and Biophysical Characterisation Facility |  |
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The MVLS Structural Biology and Biophysical Characterisation Facility focusses on macromolecular structure and function characterisations offering a wide range of biophysical techniques and expertise:
- Analytical Ultracentrifugation (AUC)
- Circular Dichroism (CD)
- Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy (FTIR)
- Isothermal Calorimetry (ITC)
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR)
- X-Ray Crystallography
- Size Exclusion- Multi Angle Light Scattering (SEC-MALS)
- Microscale Thermophoresis (MST)
- Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS)
- Differential Scanning Fluorimetry (DSF)
- Helix Biosensor
Scottish Centre for Macromolecular Imaging (SCMI) |
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The Scottish Centre for Macromolecular Imaging (SCMI) is the Scottish national cryo-electron microscope facility. Equipped with a fully automated JEOL 300 CRYO ARM, and supported by a network of side-entry 200kV microscopes in Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, SCMI offers state-of-the-art equipment for both single particle analysis and cryo-electron tomography.
Protein Production Facility |
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The Protein Production Service supports projects across all aspects of the production and purification of recombinant proteins: planning and experimental design, training and assistance with the use of instruments, development of automated purification programs. The facility boasts top of the range ÄKTA purifiers and columns.
MVLS Shared Research Facilities |
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Shared Research Facilities bring together a collection of the College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences' world-leading biological research facilities and expert knowledge that is open to all academic institutions, industrial partners, students and researchers to use. Their services cover Molecular Analysis, Mass Spectrometry, Integrated Protein Analysis, Cellular Analysis, Whole Body Imaging, and Research Computing.
Centre for Virus Research Genomics (CVR Genomics) |
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CVR Genomics is a team of researchers exclusively dedicated to the development and implementation of high-throughput sequencing solutions applied to viruses. The facility supports CVR researchers, external collaborators and provide resources to the broader virology community. CVR Genomics houses an array of specialised equipment, covering different stages of the sequencing process.
Glasgow Precision Oncology Laboratory (GPOL) |
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GPOL supports researchers and industry with molecular tests and laboratory experiments to develop novel precision strategies in oncology. This includes tests for discovery work on patient tumours, including Next Generation Sequencing and RNASeq; and experiments to understand models of disease, through defining the genomic mutational landscape and then through providing molecular phenotypes for clinical trials development.
Spatial Transcriptome Facility |
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The facility encompasses high calibre instruments including: Nanostring GeoMx for profiling whole transcriptomes form a single FFPE; and 10x Genomics Visium next-generation molecular profiling solution for classifying tissue based on total mRNA.
The Metabolomics Facility (Beatson Institute) |
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The Metabolomics facility employs state-of-the-art mass spectrometry techniques to measure small molecule (metabolite) changes in cancer cells, to support cancer metabolism research projects within the Institute.
The Advanced Technology Proteomic Facility(Beatson Institute) |  |
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The Advanced Technology Proteomic Facility develops MS-based platforms and works together with researchers to provide a new level of understanding in tumour biology. We have developed pipelines for the analysis of a wide range of biological samples, from single proteins to the complete proteome of cells, organoids, and tissues.
Flow Cytometry Core Facility |
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The Flow Core Facility provides access to a range of Flow Cytometers. Techniques include multicolour immunophenotyping, cell cycle analysis, identification and isolation of fluorescent protein transfected cells, isolation of rare cell populations, analysis of bacteria and parasite populations, apoptosis assays, and functional assays.
Glasgow Tissue Research Facility (GTRF) |
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The Glasgow Tissue Research Facility (GTRF) provides researchers access to a wide variety of consented tissue including pathology archive samples, surplus diagnostic or surgical tissue, bespoke collections of tissue from NHS Scotland patients can be collected as part of cohort studies or clinical trials.
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde Biorepository |
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The NHSGGC Biorepository is an invaluable resource for clinical research, providing access to a wide range of human tissue samples including surplus materials from diagnostic and surgical procedures. We can also provide access, with appropriate governance in place, to pathology archive specimens.
Glasgow Imaging Facility |
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The facility incorporates imaging technologies that cover whole body imaging (resolution in mm), through conventional wide-field, confocal and multi-photon microscopy (resolution in µm), to high-resolution approaches breaking the resolution limit of light (resolution in nm).
Translational Molecular Imaging Centre (Beatson Institute) | |
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The state-of-the-art facilities and equipment include access to a GE cyclotron, dedicated research radiosynthesizers, a small-animal PET/MRI facility and two clinical GE Discovery Time-of-Flight PET/CT scanners. Within the TMI there is expertise in several key areas of imaging, which is further supported by a wide network of expert collaborators.
Imaging Centre of Excellence (ICE) |
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The facility hosts world leading imaging clinical research facilities which provide a nexus for academic, NHS and industrial expertise into brain imaging whilst further strengthening Glasgow’s position as a world leader in precision medicine. most notably, the building includes a 7 Tesla (7T) MRI scanner, an ultra-high resolution scanner which is the first of its kind fully integrated within a clinical site in the UK underpinned by world-leading clinical expertise in stroke, cardiovascular disease and brain imaging. The building accommodates a 3 Tesla MRI scanner and 320 slice/large detector CT.
Glasgow Experimental MRI Centre (GEMRIC) |
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Glasgow Experimental MRI Centre (GEMRIC) is a pre-clinical MRI centre situated within the Garscube Campus of Glasgow University. The centre is housed in a custom-designed building containing two Bruker 7 Tesla pre-clinical MRI scanners, along with a fully equipped surgical suite, animal holding rooms and a physics workshop.
Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging (CCNI) |
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The CCNi mission is to understand how the human brain gives rise to complex cognitive functions, in health and disease. The facility boasts expertise in multi-modal imaging and the fusion of different modalities (EEG-fMRI, TMS-EEG). The CCNi also has world-leading expertise in non-invasive brain stimulation, and we develop novel tools to enhance the precision of these stimulation methods.
CRUK RadNet Glasgow Centre |
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CRUK RadNet Glasgow supports both scientists and clinicians to undertake radiation related research and will build a translational research pipeline by integrating radiation biology into existing projects, obtaining funding for new projects and facilitating preliminary data collection to support new applications. Our multidisciplinary programme encompasses discovery science, preclinical research, imaging, biomarkers, clinical radiotherapy research and clinical trials.
CVR Bioinformatics |
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CVR Bioinformatics is a group of computer-based researchers embedded in the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR). The facility has expertise in novel analytical approaches, high-throughput sequencing, and data analyses. The facility works to support CVR researchers and external collaborators, perform independent research and provide resources to the wider virology community.
Bioinformatics Core (School of Infection and Immunity) |
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The facility supports bioinformatic projects across Sii and has expertise with omic data analysis, visualisation and communication, training, and assistance with methods, costing and grant writing.
Bioinformatics & Data Science (Beatson Institute) |
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The facility provides support to scientists at the Institute, covering a range of research projects that require large-scale exploratory data analysis, advanced statistics and mathematical modelling and provide insights that advance our understanding of cancer biology.
Robertson Centre for Biostatistics |
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The facility has expertise in the design, conduct, analysis and interpretation of clinical trials and epidemiological studies and in the development of novel informatics technologies to support their conduct in biostatistics, health informatics, data processing and management, software development, project management and project development.
Social and Public Health Sciences Unit |
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At MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, we conduct high quality research that has a real impact on health and wellbeing, and on reducing health inequalities – both at home and across the globe. The facility has key expertise is database development, data collection and analysis, project, and data management.
Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment (HEHTA) |
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The facility is dedicated to delivering research that has direct impact on clinical practice, population health and health policies, both nationally and internationally. Methodological expertise includes economic evaluation alongside trials, decision analytic modelling, evidence synthesis, population health economics, precision medicine, global HTA, medical statistics and qualitative evaluations.
Glasgow Clinical Trials Unit (GCTU) |
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The GCTU has expertise in the design, conduct, analysis and interpretation of clinical trials and epidemiological studies and in the development of novel informatics technologies to support their conduct in biostatistics, data processing and management, software development, project management and project development.
Drug Screening and Resistance Hub (CRUSH) |
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CRUSH strives to address pandemic preparedness providing access to the specialist knowledge and facilities of the CVR for partners in all sectors of industry and academia. CRUSH is a fully integrated hub with access to bespoke biocontainment facilities and the expertise to support small animal model studies of high consequence viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. Proximity to the CVR’s virology expertise, viral genomics and computational biology capabilities further strengthens the CRUSH offering.
Glasgow University Microbiome Initiative (GUMI) |
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GUMI is a collection of researchers and clinicians from across the University of Glasgow and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde with a passion for microbiome research. In bringing together experts with diverse skillsets and interests in microbiome research under this umbrella, we aim to facilitate collaboration and increase both discovery and translational microbiome research across human and animal health and the environment.
Stage 0: Discovery Research
The earliest stage of a research project. Fundamental discovery research takes place, and preliminary data is collected to establish the feasibility of an idea.
Experimental
Assessment and review of scientific findings (target identification and validation), characterising new technologies (TRL 1).
Business Development
- Opportunity Audits (hosted by the TRI MT) provide understanding of the opportunity landscape. These are helpful discussion-based sessions, where researchers can receive expert advice from experienced consultants on the development of their project and the next steps towards creating impact through their research.
- Enterprise Courses and Industry Events will be regularly available throughout the year.
- The Public Engagement team can help support engagement with the wider community with funding, training and resources.The MVLS Engagement with Research Fund is open to all MVLS staff and postgraduate research students. It offers flexible awards of up to £2,500 to support research-related public engagement activity and skills development.
- The ScotPEN Wellcome Engagement Award (SWEA) scheme offers funding of up to £100,000 for public engagement with Wellcome funded research.
Stages 0, 1 and 2 can typically take 3-5 years.
Discovery Research Grant Funding
- Wellcome: Supporting the advancement scientific discovery and take on the world’s most urgent issues on life, health, and wellbeing.
- MRC: MRC funds research at the forefront of science to prevent illness, develop therapies and improve human health.
- BBSRC: BBSRC funds projects with a biology basis, aiming to deliver a healthy, prosperous and sustainable future.
- CRUK: Cancer Research UK provide funding for innovative projects aiming to provide new targets and approaches for cancer prevention.
- BHF: The British Heart Foundation provides support for clinical and non-clinical cardiovascular researchers at all stages of their career. They also provide grants for short and long term research projects, essential infrastructure and strategic awards.
Stage 1: Ideas and Identification
Following successful preliminary data collection, further studies are conducted to solidify the research hypothesis, and identify target disease mechanisms or screen therapeutics.
Experimental
Studies carried out to help identify and validate disease target and screening of potential compounds. Identification of a series of compounds (TRL 2). Selection of compounds to further develop through in vitro efficacy and toxicity tests. Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) level Pharmacokinetic/toxicity tests of selected compounds in vivo and identify lead series (TRL 3).
Business Development
- Opportunity audits, Licensing/invention disclosures and Tech Transfer referrals (RIS).
- RIS: legal advice & IP (initial IP search for patentability and file provisional patent);
- TRI MT: information on Non-disclosure agreements and material transfer agreements.
- The Public Engagement Team can help support engagement with the wider community with funding, training and resources.The MVLS Engagement with Research Fund is open to all MVLS staff and postgraduate research students. It offers flexible awards of up to £2,500 to support research-related public engagement activity and skills development.
Stages 0, 1 and 2 can typically take 3-5 years.
Discovery Research Grant Funding
Internal Translational Research Funding:
Translational Funding Calls such as:
- BBSRC IAA: Impact Accelerator Account, early stage translational projects to take them on the next steps along the translational pathway. Facilitate impact agendas including forging and strengthening collaborators. 6 - 12 months, TRL 2 - 4.
- MRC IAA: Confidence in Concept, aims to accelerate the transition from discovery science to the early stages of therapeutic/biomarker development. 6 - 12 months, TRL 2 - 4.
- When assessing project potential, the TRI review panel look at a variety of different aspects of the project, please see the TRI Translational Research video.
External Translational Funding:
Stage 2: Early Concept Validation
At this stage, the project has identified target compounds and has obtained substantial evidence to support progression towards clinical trials.
Experimental
Compound library, DMPK/PKPD analysis in preparation for further clinical and non-clinical studies (TRL 4 - 5).
Research governance and ethics support: research governance office, ethics committee for non-clinical research involving human subjects, research involving humans, MHRA regulations: is your product a medicine or a medical device?
Business Development
- The TRI Management Team (TRI MT) and the IP and Commercialisation team, have published an informational video on Non-disclosure agreements and material transfer agreements.
- Projects can significantly benefit from potential collaborations between the PIs, NHS, ICE, nodes, CIZ, and industry partners.
- The TRI MT provide feedback & support, as well as Enterprise Bootcamps and Training.
- The Public Engagement team can help support engagement with the wider community with funding, training and resources.The MVLS Engagement with Research Fund is open to all MVLS staff and postgraduate research students. It offers flexible awards of up to £2,500 to support research-related public engagement activity and skills development.
- The ScotPEN Wellcome Engagement Award (SWEA) scheme offers funding of up to £100,000 for public engagement with Wellcome funded research. PIs must be Wellcome grantholders but collaborations are encouraged and ECRs can be named co-applicants.
Stages 0, 1 and 2 can typically take 3-5 years.
Translational Research Funding
Internal Translational Research Funding:
Translational Funding Calls such as:
- WT ECD: Early Concept Development, enhance the link between discovery science and innovation and promote the translation of scientific research to health impact. 3-4 months. TRL 1 - 3.
- BBSRC IAA: Impact Accelerator Account, early stage translational projects to take them on the next steps along the translational pathway. Facilitate impact agendas including forging and strengthening collaborators. 6 - 12 months, TRL 2 - 4.
- MRC CiC: Confidence in Concept, aims to accelerate the transition from discovery science to the early stages of therapeutic/biomarker development. 6 - 12 months, TRL 2 - 4.
- When assessing project potential, the TRI review panel look at a variety of different aspects of the project, please see the TRI Translational Research video.
External Translational Funding:
For External Translational Funding Opportunities, please visit the TRI Funding Calendar.
External funding can also be sourced from:
- MRC DPFS: The Developmental pathway funding scheme (DPFS) aims to drive fundamental discoveries stemming from MRC’s research boards and the wider academic community along the developmental pathway towards patient benefit and or commercialisation.
- BBSRC FoF: Follow on funding (FoF) to help bridge gaps between early-stage bioscience research and innovation and achieving wider commercial, economic and societal benefit.
- Innovate UK: Helps business-led innovations grow through the development and commercialisation of new products, processes, and services, supported by an agile, inclusive, and easy to navigate innovation ecosystem.
- NIHR i4i: The Invention for Innovation funding programme is a translational research funding scheme aimed at medical devices, in vitro diagnostic devices and digital health technologies addressing an existing or emerging health or social care need.
Stage 3: Concept Progression
At this stage, the project revolves around formulation and stability testing for product manufacturing, and the identification of routes of preclinical candidates.
Experimental
At this stage, appropriate formulation routes for administration are finalised and suitable preclinical candidates are identified. Stability and formulations testing begins, and focus is placed on the delivery of scalable and reproducible manufacturing. Projects are expected to demonstrate Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Elimination (ADME) and toxicity studies in lead candidates, and/or immune response in GLP animal studies (TRL 5 - 6).
Research governance and ethics support:
Business Development
Therapeutic and global market competition. legal advice & IP; information on Non-disclosure agreements and material transfer agreements (coming soon), business plan advice. Public Engagement.
Can typically take around 1-2 years.
Translational Research Funding
Internal Translational Research Funding:
Translational Funding Calls such as:
- BBSRC IAA: Impact Accelerator Account, early stage translational projects to take them on the next steps along the translational pathway. Facilitate impact agendas including forging and strengthening collaborators. 6 - 12 months, TRL 2 - 4.
- BBSRC EwI: Excellence with Impact, Projects aligned with ‘Understanding’, ‘Identifying and/or ‘Enabling’ themes underpinning the MVLS Impact Strategy and with BBSRC key strategic research priorities or enabling themes. TRL 5 - 8.
- When assessing project potential, the TRI review panel look at a variety of different aspects of the project, please see the TRI Translational Research video.
External Funding:
Opportunities and support:
- MRC DPFS: The Developmental pathway funding scheme (DPFS) aims to drive fundamental discoveries stemming from MRC’s research boards and the wider academic community along the developmental pathway towards patient benefit and or commercialisation.
- BBSRC FoF: Follow on funding (FoF) to help bridge gaps between early-stage bioscience research and innovation and achieving wider commercial, economic and societal benefit.
- Innovate UK: Helps business-led innovations grow through the development and commercialisation of new products, processes, and services, supported by an agile, inclusive, and easy to navigate innovation ecosystem.
- NIHR i4i: The Invention for Innovation funding programme is a translational research funding scheme aimed at medical devices, in vitro diagnostic devices and digital health technologies addressing an existing or emerging health or social care need.
For more opportunities, see our TRI Funding Calendar.
Investment Possibilities:
VC, Angel investment.
Stage 4: Scale-Up of Concept
After ensuring Good Manufacturing Practice of the therapeutics and receiving all necessary approvals, the product is ready for testing in preclinical and phase I clinical trials.
Experimental
Conduct preclinical and phase I clinical trials to determine safety and pharmacokinetics with manufacture of GMP-compliant therapeutics. Continue to phase II trials and determine dosing and treatment population in preparation for phase III (TRL 7 - 8).
Research governance and ethics support:
- research governance office,
- ethics committee for non-clinical research involving human subjects,
- Center of Excellence for Trials Collaboration (CETC)
- research involving humans.
If your research involves human participants, please find more information on the Research Innovation, Engagement & Support webpage.
Pre-clinical trials, Phase I clinical trials, and above, will be require more complex management and trial set up in collaboration with the NHS and other regulatory authorities. Please contact the Research Regulation & Compliance team for further information and advice. More information can be found on the College Ethics Cmmittee webpage.
If you are developing a medical technology or device that requires human users testing to demonstrate its effectiveness, this would be likely classified as a clinical trial. In this case, CETC would be able to advise on the methodological content of your grant application. Upon a successful outcome, CETC could support the initial set up of the trial.
Translational Research Funding
Internal Translational Research Funding:
Translational Funding Calls such as:
- BBSRC EwI: Excellence with Impact, Projects aligned with ‘Understanding’, ‘Identifying and/or ‘Enabling’ themes underpinning the MVLS Impact Strategy and with BBSRC key strategic research priorities or enabling themes. TRL 5 - 8.
- When assessing project potential, the TRI review panel look at a variety of different aspects of the project, please see the TRI Translational Research video.
External funding:
- MRC DPFS: The Developmental pathway funding scheme (DPFS) aims to drive fundamental discoveries stemming from MRC’s research boards and the wider academic community along the developmental pathway towards patient benefit and or commercialisation
- BBSRC FoF: Follow on funding (FoF) to help bridge gaps between early-stage bioscience research and innovation and achieving wider commercial, economic and societal benefit
- Innovate UK: Helps business-led innovations grow through the development and commercialisation of new products, processes, and services, supported by an agile, inclusive, and easy to navigate innovation ecosystem
- NIHR i4i: The Invention for Innovation funding programme is a translational research funding scheme aimed at medical devices, in vitro diagnostic devices and digital health technologies addressing an existing or emerging health or social care need.
- Scottish Enterprise SMART:Scotland Grants: Research and development (R&D) grants aiming to support high-risk, highly ambitious projects. They cover conducting feasibility studies and are only available to small and medium enterprises based in Scotland to support activities that have a commercial endpoint.
- Advisors/consultants, industry engagement.
For more opportunities, see the TRI Funding Calendar.
Investment Possibilities:
VC, Angel investment. This stage can typically take 5 - 6 years.
Stage 5: End Goal/Exit
The product is now ready to be registered, clinical trials are completed and post-market testing is conducted.
Experimental
Drug registration and scale-up. Finalise GMP manufacturing, complete clinical efficacy trials and post-market testing (TRL 8 - 9).
Business Development
Spin out/start-up company or exit: sold in entirety for one-off deal to a company.
Licences: drug released/ NHS.
Can typically take around 1-2 years.
Funding Opportunities
- Scottish Enterprise SMART:Scotland Grants: Research and development (R&D) grants aiming to support high-risk, highly ambitious projects. They cover conducting feasibility studies and are only available to small and medium enterprises based in Scotland to support activities that have a commercial endpoint.
- Investment VC.
- Angel investment.
Translational Research Projects
Many projects have been successfully translated with the help and support of the TRI; some of which are described in our case studies.
Previously funded translational projects can be found below each of our funding opportunities.
For further advice, please see our Applying for Translational Research Funding Video.