BEST PRACTICE CASE STUDY
CHEMBIOTECH LTD
About INDEX
INDEX (Innovation Delivers Expansion) is a unique demand-led innovation voucher scheme led that invites Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to apply for a voucher to purchase academic support from one of the 13 Higher Education Institutions in the West Midlands. The project is funded by Advantage West Midlands (AWM), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Innovation Vouchers allow SMEs to purchase academic expertise knowledge to develop their innovation and enhance their business.
The Innovation Voucher scheme aims to build links between Universities and SMEs to create a demand led approach to innovation.ABOUT THE BUSINESS: Chembiotech Ltd
Chembiotech Ltd
33 Parkside Way
Rubery
Birmingham
B31 5ES
Main Contact: Charles Knill
Chembiotech Limited has its roots in the scientific consultancy work undertaken by Professor Kennedy since the early 1970's, both in his own name and under the trading name of Biotechnics.
This practice continued until 1987 when Chembiotech Limited was incorporated to take over the expanding consultancy business, which at the same time, moved into new premises on the Birmingham Research Park adjacent to the University of Birmingham.
The name Chembiotech was carefully chosen to reflect the company's skill and experience in chemistry, biochemistry, biology and biotechnology. It is a name that served the company well and only two years later Chembiotech Limited doubled its floor space to accommodate greatly increased levels of business.
The company's facilities now include new offices with a conference room, a library, and four specialist laboratories with a laboratory office. Considerable investment in capital equipment has also been made, not only on laboratory equipment, but also a powerful computer network and telephone system.
With these new resources, our high quality staff and close research links with the University of Birmingham, Chembiotech is better placed than ever to manage and deliver contracted research and development for our clients.
INNOVATION
Innovation (2) Advanced Materials
THE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Elucidation of biomacromolecular distribution in novel composite wound dressing fibres:
Chembiotech had been actively involved in the development, production and characterisation of novel biomacromolecular carbohydrate-based fibres with excellent physicochemical characteristics (in terms of dry and wet strength, fluid absorption, wet adhesion load, gelling capacity, release of bioactives, etc) making them suitable for the production of wound dressings (by carding, air layering, needle punching etc).
Examples of the carbohydrate biomacromolecules used for the production of such fibres include alginate (from seaweed), branan ferulate (extracted from maize bran), and chitosans (produced from waste crustacean materials, e.g. crab and shrimp shells). Substrate materials are in some cases mixed prior to fibre formation (giving a composite fibre), or used to coagulate fibres (potentially giving a composite fibre, or a coated fibre, or something in-between), whilst others are adsorbed onto / absorbed into existing fibres during a second processing stage (giving a partial composite or a core-sheath fibre). They were therefore interested in characterising these fibres to determine the location of specific carbohydrate biomacromolecules within the fibre structure, which greatly assisted in the subsequent design of new fibre production processes to maximise specific physicochemical characteristics.
They therefore required academic assistance in developing an analytical technique for distinguishing between carbohydrate polymer substrates in a range of produced fibres. Having performed an initial literature investigation they envisage that this would initially involve the use of individual carbohydrate polymer selective staining techniques, followed by fibre cutting, and examination of surfaces and exposed cross-sections by particular microscopic techniques. As this was not their area of expertise the INDEX voucher allowed them to gain access to the necessary academic assistance.
WORK UNDERTAKEN
A maximum of 30 hours to cover sample preparation including slicing SEM of samples as per client requirements
4 Days conducted at the HEI
QUOTE
“The INDEX scheme has allowed us to access the experience of University staff and facilities to rapidly solve our analytical requirements. This has proved to be a valuable part of our research into novel fibre technology and has given us a greater understanding of how the fibre components coagulate in the production process. We are always seeking to develop our links with Universities and the INDEX scheme has assisted us in doing so.”
ABOUT THE HEI: University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
ABOUT THE ACADEMIC
Paul Stanley, Centre for Electron Microscopy
In 1984 Paul started in the Department of Zoology at the University of Birmingham taking responsibility for the Electron Microscopy Unit in the department as well as the analytical instrumentation area. After a merger with Biochemistry Paul worked in the combined electron microscopy unit until 1990.
Paul then moved to the Department of Physiology to take responsibility for the electron microscopy facilities in the University of Birmingham Medical School. Paul stayed here until 1999 when the facilities were moved into the Biomedical EM Group in the Centre for Electron Microscopy.
In 2000 Paul took on the responsibility of the SEM area in Metallurgy
Pauls range of experience covers TEM, SEM and STEM as well as a wide range of preparative techniques including ultrathin sectioning, cryo sectioning and gold labelling.
Paul has many years experience with micro-analytical techniques including EDS, WDS and EBSD.