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Neuroscience









Accelerating translational innovation with Neuroscience research

From neurobiology to neurodegeneration, tackling complex neuroscience challenges demands a multi-disciplinary, tech-enabled approach. Our team supports every stage of the journey, and helps you to explore disease mechanisms, validate drug targets and optimise your therapeutic strategies.

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s, as well as mental health conditions like depression, anxiety and schizophrenia, are growing globally. Despite this, treatment options remain limited and therapeutic development faces high attrition rates due to poor translation of preclinical models, biological complexities and limited biomarker support.

There is a clear unmet need in drug discovery and the development of effective treatments. From hypothesis generation to clinical translation, we provide the tools to innovate faster and smarter.

From early hypothesis generation to clinical translation, we offer a comprehensive suite of tools, spanning human-relevant cell models, disease-relevant behavioural assays, advanced microscopy, and non-invasive imaging.

Our goal is to help innovators move faster, deliver meaningful data and provide greater biological relevance at every step of their neuroscience program.


Fireworks in a dish: Fluorescently–labelled human iPSC-neurons

























What we do in Neuroscience

We support discovery and development across neurological, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric conditions. Whether you are developing small molecules, biologics, or complex medicines, our integrated neuroscience platform gives you the tools to design more predictive experiments and generate translationally meaningful data.

We enable you to:

  • Model Central Nervous System (CNS) diseases using iPSC-derived neurons, astrocytes, and microglia.
  • Explore neuroinflammation using lentiviral pathway reporters and inflammasome-specific assays.
  • Validate complex medicines with cutting-edge high-resolution microscopy.
  • Analyse CNS drug distribution and pharmacodynamics with advanced in vivo imaging.
  • Profile transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic signatures using multi-omics platforms.



How can we support your Neuroscience project

Developing effective treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders requires more than just good science, it demands the right models, data and collaborators.

We offer a unique combination of scientific expertise, advanced technologies and translational insight tailored specifically to the complexities of neuroscience drug discovery.

Our team leverages deep neuroscience expertise with world-class integrated technologies to accelerate therapeutic development in CNS disorders.

Whether you are tackling neurodegeneration, psychiatric illness, or neuroinflammation, we can help you to develop bespoke projects designed to de-risk and propel your pipeline forward.







“We develop innovative neuroscience drug discovery methods by identifying service gaps and adapting complex models to your needs. Our bespoke, question-driven approach gives clients clarity and confidence in a challenging field.”

Sara Imarisio, Strategy Leader

A photo of Sara Imarisio, a neuroscientist in a laboratory at Medicines Discovery Catapult












See how we have helped innovators


CPSA is an ingenious extension of the target engagement toolbox. It is easier to upscale and control in high throughput screening applications than currently available methods. With exemplary support from MDC we have smoothly incorporated it into our Drug Discovery pipeline.

Selvita

MDC’s R&D consulting has been transformative, refining our HT8457S strategy with scientific rigour, identifying and mitigating risks, and strengthening our business model, significantly enhancing Haiku’s credibility.

Haiku Therapeutics

The partnership with MDC has allowed us to secure multiple Innovate UK grants and utilise capabilities such as state-of-the-art PET, which aren’t available elsewhere.

Alchemab Therapeutics

For the first time, we have been able to generate a map of lung fibrosis in 3D at the tissue scale. Collaborating with MDC has been key to its success. Their expertise has supported the successful integration of state-of-the-art technologies, establishing a valuable new resource for the lung fibrosis community.

University of Southampton

Working with MDC allowed us to visualise drug distribution in the brain with a level of clarity we hadn’t achieved before. Their expertise in DESI-MS and willingness to design a project that met our demands provided powerful insights into diffusion patterns, giving us confidence in our compound’s delivery.

TargTex

We worked with the Mass Spectrometry team at MDC to help set up and run a complex biochemical assay. The project was technically demanding, but the deep expertise, knowledge and collaborative approach allowed the team to troubleshoot the many challenges and successfully deliver a viable approach.

Oppilotech

The team at MDC shares our passion for bringing forward innovative medicines, pioneering new technologies, and operating with data-driven flexibility. They have been integral to our project success and possess unique capabilities to support later-stage candidate selection. A truly valued collaborator and dependable partner.

Artbio

Elasmogen was impressed by the quality and rapid delivery timelines for our radiopharmaceutical dosimetry data. There was good interactivity in this project, and we are happy to recommend this service.

Elasmogen

Our collaboration with Medicines Discovery Catapult will not only enable us to engage with the wider scientific community but will also allow us to unlock the potential of Acoustic Mass Spectrometry within drug discovery.

Innovative Medicines and Early Development (IMED) Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca

It’s been absolutely amazing working with MDC and the team.

LUNAC Therapeutics

MDC supported us in developing a therapeutic for Huntington’s Disease through antibody characterisation, iPSC model development, biodistribution studies, imaging and neurodegenerative expertise.

Alchemab Therapeutics

We worked together with MDC on a very challenging and demanding project. The MDC team’s expertise in MSI, commitment and flexibility were key to a successful collaboration and reaching our objectives.

TargTex

MDC are as involved in our project as the founding team, going above and beyond what I expected. I recommend them to new ventures starting out; even if you don’t know exactly what you need, the team can work with you to achieve some phenomenal results.

KLAS Therapeutics

Working with MDC has provided expertise and intellectual input. It has also enabled access to a wider network of companies providing specialist services.

N4 Pharma

By tapping into MDC’s unique drug development expertise and facilities, we are confident we will accelerate the preclinical development of our drug delivery system and its commercialisation.

Sixfold Bioscience

It has been a pleasure working with MDC as their scientists are pleasant and have a broad range of talents.
Importantly for projects like ours, they openly and professionally exchange ideas with SMi’s scientific team and keep us abreast of their research developments.

SMi Systems

It has been great to access the Artificial Intelligence expertise at Medicines Discovery Catapult.
The team has taken an innovative approach that adds value to our product and will benefit our customers.

BioAscent

As an SME, working with MDC allows us access to scientific know-how and in vivo imaging techniques that would be impossible through any other route. The closeness, timeliness and flexibility of the collaboration significantly accelerated our ability to develop the product.

Xerion Healthcare

We have collaborated with MDC for three years, and it continues to provide valuable and high-quality data on our molecules. MDC’s input has directly impacted operational and strategic decisions for our projects and allowed us to move forward with our clinical studies.

Revolo Biotherapeutics

For early-stage SMEs in this space, I thoroughly recommend engaging with MDC, who have the end-to-end knowledge in complex medicines, can support your in-house team and provide access to key equipment that start-ups may not have.

pHion Therapeutics








Ready to enhance your neuroscience strategy?

If you are looking to advance your neuroscience research with deeper biological insight and translational relevance, we are here to help.

Whether you need a single assay or an integrated project partner, our team is ready to collaborate.

Speak with our team today to explore how we can support your research.







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