Join us in Manchester for the 13th BioProNET2 Annual Science Meeting
October 13th and 14th, 2026. Manchester Institute of Biotechnology.
REGISTER HERE
Next year will mark 30 years since FDA approval to the first antibody-drug, Rituximab (Rituxan), made by recombinant technology to be commercialised as a therapeutic. Three decades have passed marked by amazing application of biological knowledge, coupled with innovative technologies, to generate a plethora of previously unimagined medicines. Engineered molecules, engineered cells … imaginative design enables us to create therapeutics with potential to transform health, well-being, commerce and society. The challenges remain of the development of robust manufacturing processes that operate at the scale that allows for rapid and predictable generation of quality-assured products. These challenges for the focus of the BioProNET community and are addressed in this meeting programme as illustrated below.
The meeting has been designed to facilitate networking and as part of that we encourage you to present your work at the meeting, either as a short talk or poster. We are also planning an introductory session for early career researchers in both academia and industry.
BioProNET2 has yet again built an exciting research meeting programme with exceptional national and international industrial/academic speakers covering the entire spectrum of bioprocessing.
Session 1 – Novelty, manufacturability and regulatory acceptance: Innovation in Practice?
Session 2 – Do bioreactors dream of electric cells?
Session 3 – Cells: More than just a KEGG database
Session 4 – Upstream/ downstream: A tale of two cultures
Session 5 – What will we be talking about next year : All in the fine print.
Confirmed speakers include: full programme HERE
Ieva Berzanskyte (LMB), Francesca Ceroni (Imperial College), Marta Costa (IBET), Alan Costello (NIBRT), David Vincent (Exmoor Pharma), Stephen Goldrick (UCL), Laura Marie Helleckes (Imperial College), Koen Hellendoorn (Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies), Sarah Hudson (University of Limerick), Zahra Jawad (Creasallis), Zoltan Kis (University of Sheffield), Jan Maarten van Dijl (Groningen), Mark Owen (Sartorious), Shirley Peters (UCB), Claire Roddie (UCL), Alex Whale (LGC).
REGISTER HERE
BioProNET2 Steering Group: Paul Dalby (UCL), Alan Dickson (University of Manchester), Jo Flannelly (University of Manchester), Cleo Kontoravdi (Imperial College), Mark Smales (University of Kent).
The steering group includes representatives of AstraZeneca, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, GSK, Lonza Biologics, and UCB.
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| ESACT 2026, 7 – 10 June – Salzburg, Austria |
| Join the international ESACT community in the heart of Austria for an inspiring exchange on the latest advances in animal cell technology. The 29th ESACT Meeting will bring together scientists, industry experts, and innovators for cutting-edge science, lively discussion, and valuable networking — all set against the stunning backdrop of Salzburg. |
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12th BioProNET2 Annual Meeting
October 15/16 – Manchester Institute of Biotechnology.
Join us in Manchester for the 12th BioProNET2 Annual Meeting.
The annual science meeting has been designed to facilitate networking and as part of that we encourage you to present your work at the meeting, either as a short talk or poster. In addition, we have arranged an introductory session on personal skills development for early career researchers in both academia and industry immediately prior to the main scientific sessions in the morning of October 15th (contributed by the Innovate UK-funded RESILIENCE Leadership Accelerator Programme, delivered by Dr Tony Bradshaw).
DEADLINE for poster presentations and short talk submissions is SEPT 8th
Session 1 – Engineering Biology enables New Products and Processes?
Session 2 – Sustainability – Someone Else’s Problem?
Session 3 – Staying in (Process) Control – Will AI help
Session 4 – Making Downstream Even Better for New Modalities?
Session 5 – Really? Novel systems bring tomorrow closer.
Speakers include – Dan Bracewell (UCL), Bernadette Byrne (Imperial), Vincenzo di Cerbo (Cell & Gene Therapy Catapult), Matt Dale (Cocinnity), Simone Dimartino (University of Edinburgh), Jane Farrar (Trinity College Dublin), Simon Fischer (Boehringer Ingelheim, Biberach), Jeannette Gebel (Ningaloo, Cologne), David Gruber (Ipsen), Mark Howarth (University of Cambridge), Sakis Mantalaris (Trinity College Dublin), Diego Oyaruzun (University of Edinburgh), Nicki Panoskaltsis (Trinity College Dublin), Maria Papathanasiou (Imperial College London), Antonio Roldao (IBET, Lisbon), Jordan Turnbull (Fuse Vectors, Copenhagen).
FULL PROGRAMME with presentation titles.
Hotel and travel information can be found HERE or contact joanne.flannelly@manchester.ac.uk
REGISTER HERE
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Launch of CADDA – Shaping the Future of Diagnostics
We are pleased to announce the launch of the Centre for Advanced Diagnostic Development and Application (CADDA) — a national programme dedicated to advancing innovation in diagnostics led through a partnership between the University of Kent, The University of Manchester, and UCL. The CADDA management board is Mark Smales, Kathy Kotiadis, Alan Dickson and Jolene Skordis.
There are three similar launch events taking place –
Date: April 8, 2025 10.00 – 15.30
Location: Sibson Building, Canterbury CT2 7PE
Date: May 6, 2025 10.00 – 16:00
Location: Bentham House, UCL, London WC1H 0EG
Date: May 8, 2025 10.00 – 15.30
Location: Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester M1 7DN
These exciting events brings together diagnostic companies, healthcare professionals, and academics for interactive workshops and discussions. You’ll have the unique opportunity to influence CADDA’s priorities, connect with key stakeholders, and explore future funding opportunities and collaborations.
🔬 Why Attend?
✅ Network with leaders in the diagnostics ecosystem
✅ Engage in hands-on, workshop-based activities shaping CADDA’s future initiatives
✅ Find out about our collaborative funding opportunities and other ways we can help you
Join us as we kickstart this transformative journey—your insights and expertise will help drive real impact!
👉Click HERE to find out more about CADDA, become a member of the community and to register for any one or more of the events.
We look forward to welcoming you to this milestone event!
Best regards
Centre for Advanced Diagnostic Development and Application (CADDA) team
35th Annual Meeting ESACT-UK 2025
January 8 @ 11:00 am – January 9 @ 5:00 pm
The ESACT-UK 2024 Conference will be held in-person on the 8th and 9th January 2025 in Birmingham, UK. We will have Keynote speakers and multiple talks across sessions covering topics such as Advances in Immunotherapies, Big Data in Bioprocessing and Engineering Biology for Bioprocessing. We will also be showcasing the work of our early career researchers, followed by a panel session focussing on careers and skills. And of course, we will announce the winner of our annual CHRSA.
Further programme details and REGISTRATION
BioProNET2 – 11th Annual Science Meeting
GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage. October 8th-9th 2024
REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED !
We have a packed and exciting programme to bring the sector together to engage with recent advances in our capability to make biological medicines with five scientific sessions, early career event, two dedicated poster sessions plus a chance to interact with our technology-provider exhibitors.
Great speakers, fascinating topics, visions of developing research themes, opportunities for early-career talks and posters ..…… join us and participate, network and learn.
Link to poster titles and short talks
Confirmed speakers include –
Kevin Vela (Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult) | David James (University of Sheffield) | Vassilis Paraskevas (Orchard Therapeutics) | Sarah Dunn (AstraZeneca, UK) | Zahra Rattray (University of Strathclyde) | Christoph Herwig (University of Ghent) | Tom Ellis (Imperial College London) \ Katrien Claes (VIB, University of Ghent) \ Miguel Pupo (DataHow, Switzerland) \ Mark Cunningham (Nucleic Acid Therapy Accelerator (NATA) \ Rob Field (University of Manchester)R
FULL PROGRAMME
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Bioprocessing Entrepreneurial Skills Training (BEST) Programme
September 8th – 13th 2024, Durham.
Do you want to find out how your career might develop working for industry, the differences between industrial- and academic-driven research and how the industrial environment matches your career ambitions?
Are you interested? If you are (a) an Early Career Researcher (normally at year 3 or later of PhD training or on your first post-doctoral position in an academic environment but potentially in the early stages of an industrial career) and (b) working in the area of bioprocessing of biopharmaceuticals or novel biological therapeutics then this could be an ideal opportunity for you. It is likely that you are already working on a project that has an industrial collaborator but this is not essential.
The week-long residential programme is co-organised by BioProNET2 and E3B (a BBSRC Network in Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy, BBSRC NIBB) and is possible due to funding from the BBSRC. Participation will be limited to 18 attendees. Your accommodation, meals and all training activities will be provided to eligible applicants. Each participant will be asked to make a £150 non-returnable contribution for registration once their acceptance of a place is confirmed.
Formal REGISTRATION is now CLOSED and you can still make informal enquiries to Dr Jo Flannelly (joanne.flannelly@manchester.ac.uk).
Sessions form part of an integrated package that culminate in a Dragons Den-type pitch for establishment of a novel business concept:
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Talks on molecular design for development, manufacture and delivery of biological therapeutics and the societal/economic consideration of novel therapeutics
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Tutoring on the tools for self-awareness in working with others, career development and the entrepreneurial process
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Industrial site visits (CPI, FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, Iksuda Therapeutics) coupled with presentations from, and discussions with, industrial practitioners.
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Welcome to BioProNET2 – Academic – Industry Network
BioProNET has evolved and returned as BioProNET2, an academic-industry networking club with sponsorship through a group of industrial and commercial colleagues who together with a group of academics (see below) aim to maintain and develop the community that was brought together so successfully by BioProNET. Our general objectives are to:
- mobilise a collaborative UK scientific community to address the challenges around, and enhance, the manufacture of emerging novel biological modalities.
- capitalise on entrepreneurship and address fundamental scientific challenges to enable robust and economically viable manufacture.
- develop a forum to engage academics and early career researchers with the industrial sector and entrepreneurial practitioners to provide a framework to train and inspire the next generation.
As a starting point for the focus of BioProNET2 we will be running an annual scientific meeting and a series of subject-specific workshops throughout each year, which this year will have a virtual, on-line structure. You have previously been associated with, and/or attended, meetings organised by BioProNET and, at this stage, we wish to inform you of our general plans and ask you to indicate your interest in hearing about, and being involved in, future activities organised by BioProNET2. We hope that you will and would ask you to forward this communication to any colleagues who you would also think would be interested in being part of BioProNET2 activities.
We are currently updating our BioProNET2 website so please check HERE and our Twitter feed for further information or please contact Jo Flannelly
BioProNET2 Steering Group:
Paul Dalby (UCL), Alan Dickson (University of Manchester), Jo Flannelly (University of Manchester), Cleo Kontoravdi (Imperial College), Mark Smales (University of Kent).
Current industrialists include representatives of Allergan Biologics, AZ, Cell & Gene Therapy Catapult, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, GSK, Lonza Biologics, Pall Corporation.
Successes
Case studies of how our funding and events has brought together members from academia and industry to work on innovative research can be found here.
Read our interim achievement report
Member Profiles – read how BioProNET has helped members Charlie and Michael.
Newsletters & reports
Read our latest newsletter here.
Click here to read the BioProNET interim report – highlighting many of our achievements.
Photos from BioProNET’s 2017 Science Meeting, taken by Linas Tamosaitis
