Latest Lab Talk News in Brief: Oxford development, awards, partnerships, appointments
29 Mar 2026
The Crown Estate’s plans to transform the former Debenhams in Oxford city centre, located at 1-12 Magdalen Street, into a new 100,000 sq ft home for science, innovation and technology businesses has been approved, with work due to start in the first half of 2027 for completion in 2029.
The project is part of a partnership with science and innovation developer Pioneer Group, and venture builder, Oxford Science Enterprises (OSE). Alongside labs, the building will also feature dedicated conference and events space, including a ‘showcase lab’ in the heart of the development for OSE companies to make science and innovation more visible and accessible to younger audiences.
Harry Pickering, portfolio director and head of UK real estate at Pioneer Group, said: “Securing planning permission for 1–12 Magdalen Street is a significant milestone in transforming a prominent Oxford city centre site into a new home for science and innovation.”
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Acquisitions firm SDI Group reports a string of recent successes for several of its lab and specialist scientific and industrial firms: clean air solutions provider Monmouth Scientific has formed an exclusive partnership with IMeBIO to deliver mobile modular cleanrooms and biocontainment laboratories. The deal will allow mobile cleanrooms to be installed in five hours with simple utility connections, allowing organisations to respond quickly to urgent research or biocontainment needs, says SDI. Monmouth has also completed the design, manufacture and installation of a 1,700sq ft ISO Class 8 Modular Cleanroom for Parker Hannifin, supporting controlled manufacturing operations.
Additionally, LTE Scientific received an order for the delivery of 12 bespoke drying cabinets for a major client, while fume cupboard manufacturer Safelab continues a £1.3 million contract supplying the defence industry with more than 100 Airone XP4 fume cupboards. Alongside this, LTE Scientific won a contract to supply fume cupboards to HEB2 (Higher Education Bundle 2) in Ireland and recently launched its new Airone C700 recirculating fume cupboard designed for University laboratories, R&D facilities, pharmaceutical labs and ndustrial testing environments.
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Alexandra Knauer, managing director of lab instrument manufacturer KNAUER won the Pittcon Heritage Award 2026 at Pittcon Conference and Expo in San Antonio, Texas.
Knauer was unable to receive the prize in person as she had not received a US visa in time. Colleague Dr. Markus Fuchs accepted the award on her behalf. In his laudatory speech, David A. Cole, CEO and President of the Science History Institute based in Philadelphia, praised Alexandra Knauer in particular for her entrepreneurial vision, scientific innovation and socially responsible leadership. As a prize winner, she will also be inducted into the Pittcon Hall of Fame.
Knauer is the second generation to run the Berlin-based family business, transforming it from a traditional manufacturer of analytical measuring instruments into a diversified life science technology provider, in areas such as fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) and technologies for the production of lipid nanoparticles.
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Westminster Health Forum stages two key online conferences on AMR and women’s health respectively on 21 April and 15 May, with leading experts in attendance. For further details https://www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk/conference-diary
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The Royal Veterinary College’s (RVC) Harriet Syme, professor of small animal internal medicine, has been awarded the Dr Sheri J.Ross Award by the American College of Veterinary Nephrology and Urology (ACVNU) for her outstanding contribution to teaching and mentorship.
Syme, director of the RVC’s internal medicine residency programme who has supported the development of more than 50 medicine diplomates, said of Ross: “I have always had great admiration for her work. She was a very special individual who was taken from us far too soon.”
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Evotec SE announced that its partner Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) has initiated a Phase 1 clinical study evaluating CELMoD agent BMS-986506, a cereblon E3 ligase modulator, in clear cell renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer.
Initiation of the first?in?human study represents a significant advancement in the strategic protein degradation collaboration, bringing into the clinic a novel CELMoD or ‘molecular glue’ candidate jointly generated through Evotec’s powerful and fully integrated drug discovery platform. The platform combines high-performance multi-omics screening with AI-enabled data analytics and drug design capabilities, selectively prompting cancer cells to eliminate disease?driving proteins. As a result of theclinical progression, Evotec will receive a milestone payment of US$10 million.
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Analytik Jena, together with its subsidiary Biometra, is celebrating "four decades of technological excellence in molecular biology". Since its founding in 1985, its products enabled the efficient separation and analysis of DNA, RNA, and proteins. The introduction of early PCR thermocyclers in 1989 improved DNA amplification further. In the 2000s, Biometra strategically expanded its portfolio, adding solutions for DNA/RNA extraction and quantitative PCR (qPCR). In May 2009, it was acquired by Analytik Jena.
Head of product development at Biometra Eggert Appel commented: “Technologically advanced products, high user-friendliness, and seamless integration into automated processes will continue to guide our work.”
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Tree saplings planted with sustainable biochar charcoal added to the soil grow 50% more than saplings planted without biochar, according to new research from Aston University Energy and Bioplastics Research Institute.
EBRI worked with infrastructure services, construction and property developments group Kier. After one year, the trunk diameter of the saplings which had received biochar had an average increase of 2.2cm, while the trunk diameter of the control group had increased by 1.1cm. The team found that adding biochar improves the retention of key nutrients, particularly potassium.
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Endress+Hauser has again achieved 78 out of 100 points in the EcoVadis international sustainability rating 2026 and has been awarded the organisation’s silver medal, confirming high level sustainability in an international comparison. The Swiss specialist in measurement and automation technology ranks among the top six percent of the more than 100,000 companies surveyed worldwide. It was also able to further improve its position in the areas of environment, ethics and sustainable procurement. The topic of labour and human rights received a lower rating due to findings from an occupational safety inspection at a site in Suzhou, China, relating to two cases of use of personal protective equipment.
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UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) has closed the deadline on its latest compendium of Expressions of Interest, inviting bids on 11 critical projects designed to redefine the sector’s approach to climate change, emerging pollutants and infrastructure resilience.
“This programme cycle marks a shift from theory to scalable practice, bringing systems thinking to life through sector-wide insight,” said Mike Rose, chief executive, UKWIR. “The data and learning from these projects will provide the shared technical evidence needed to make effective, outcome-based decisions that benefit customers, communities the environment and support growth during a period of profound change.”
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Clean air and containment solutions business Envair Technology, has appointed Nick Davies as its sales director, based at its 63,000 sq ft manufacturing facility and headquarters in Heywood, Greater Manchester.
Davies joins Medicom, where he supported the rollout of a major NHS mask contract during the Covid-19 pandemic. Previously, he spent 10 years at PPE specialist, Arco, working as a director in both divisional and national roles.
Envair says it expects to exceed its £20million revenue target by 2030 and stated that orders across its clean air product range rose almost 20% over the last 12 months, with staff numbers up 15%.
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Pic (clockwise from top): Biometra, Alexandra Knauer, RVS’s Harriet Syme, Aston Uni biochar, Envair Technology’s Nick Davies
