The Antibody Company gets investment for test using nanoparticles and antibodies

The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) awarded funding of £57,500 (€66k) to the microenterprise based at Biocity Scotland.

The Antibody Company and the University of Strathclyde will investigate a technique to model antibodies bound to gold nanoparticles.

Antibodies exist as a defence mechanism against infectious agents and they recognise and bind to specific molecular patterns, known as antigens.

Combining them with gold nanoparticles, which act as prominent markers, can make a detection tool for contaminants.

The technique would mean testing at the point of need in a few hours instead of sending samples to laboratories.

Eric Wagner, director of The Antibody Company, said: “This technique has the potential to reduce the time taken to detect contamination at all stages of the food production pipeline not just for specialists, but for stakeholders such as farmers, of all levels of expertise.”​

IBioIC’s Impact Accelerator Competition supports projects led by an industrial partner with at least one partnering Scottish higher education institution.

Ian Archer, technical director of IBioIC, said: “Our Impact Accelerator Competition investment here provides the tools and support for a Scottish microenterprise to enter a multi-million pound market – the funding to not only further the research but the expertise to accelerate the knowledge from it into a business reality.”​