There are many ways to apply cell models and cellular assays in drug discovery:
- Cellular target validation and target engagement
- Evaluation of mechanism of action
- Phenotypic and functional responses
- Evaluation of cellular biomarkers enabling translation to human disease and drug efficacy
We have focussed on using human primary and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derived cells, in complex multi-cell cultures, where appropriate, with the aim to more closely resemble the cell interactions in human tissue.
We can couple complex cellular assays with molecular tools such as gene editing and disease reporters with high throughput analysis pipelines to maximise the data generated from each experiment.
Our Cellular Sciences team offers SMEs, Biotechs, industry, academics and the drug developer community targeted and bespoke solutions. With our disease, technology and industry-experienced scientists, we can offer multiple and integrated ways to answer your questions. Whatever your challenge, we will work with you to develop a bespoke solution.
Did You Know?
The ‘translational success rate’ of preclinical animal model data to the clinic varies from 0-100%, indicating that translational success is unpredictable.
This lack of predictability is a key factor in clinical trial failure.
Leenaars, C.H.C., Kouwenaar, C., Stafleu, F.R. et al. Animal to human translation: a systematic scoping review of reported concordance rates. J Transl Med 17, 223 (2019).
Cellular Sciences Team
The Cellular Sciences Team has a wide range of experience and expertise, and we can work with partners to develop bespoke solutions to a wide range of drug discovery problems.
Focus Areas
Within our team, we have a disease focus on neurobiology, using human induced pluripotent stem (iPSC) cell-derived astrocytes, microglia and neurons. In addition, with access to healthy and patient blood, we can model aspects of the innate and adaptive immune response depending on the disease question.
We have also established a complex human model of cardiac tissue, utilising organ-on-a-chip technology, with cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells and fibroblasts forming a beating organoid, to evaluate novel therapeutics for cardiotoxicity. Furthermore, we have a wide range of expertise we can apply to other disease areas.
Our disease focus is underpinned by expertise in the use of molecular tools and complex models with multiple assay readouts, allowing characterisation of phenotype and cellular function with advanced microscopy, flow cytometry and multi-omic analyses.
In addition, we have developed a pipeline of assays to characterise a wide variety of complex medicines and therapeutic delivery devices. Using these pipelines, we can demonstrate cellular uptake and target engagement, and downstream efficacy using our established pipeline using expertise in advanced microscopy and molecular sciences.
Our Technologies
Using our state-of-the-art technologies available in our laboratories, we can approach partners’ questions in different ways that may give insight into biological processes.
Together with our bioinformatics colleagues, we can correlate in vitro data with existing clinical datasets to add context to the experimental results. Furthermore, we can help build translational evidence by working with our Translational Imaging Team and follow biomarkers through in vitro, preclinical models and to the clinic.
Our technologies include a wide range of advanced microscopy, multi-omic analyses such as mass spectrometry and transcriptomic profiling, and liquid/media/supernatant analysis such as Luminex and Simoa.
In Cellular Sciences, we aim to use the right cells, the right model and technology to help build translational evidence for novel therapeutic development.
We do this by offering bespoke solutions to specific questions. Our team have a broad range of disease, technology and industry expertise which we can apply to each project’s particular needs.
Dr Emily Offer
Head of Cellular SciencesCollaborate with our Experts
We can support you with a wide range of in vitro science projects to:
Questions we can answer
Our work in complex cell models will allow you to:
Reshaping Medicines Discovery...
It's ambitious, it's achievable
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Working with MDC has provided expertise and intellectual input. It has also enabled access to a wider network of companies providing specialist services.
Dr David Templeton
Technical Director, N4 Pharma
Our Experts
Dr Emily Offer
Head of Cellular Sciences
Dr Emily Offer
Head of Cellular Sciences
Emily has 20 years’ experience in cell and molecular biology applied to drug discovery.
Emily’s academic research involved the development and validation of stem cell derived models of disease and has subsequently led teams in large global pharma and biotech companies, developing cellular assays for both screening and phenotypic analysis of large and small molecule drugs, from target identification and validation through to candidate drug selection.
Emily is currently working at Medicines Discovery Catapult as Head of Cellular Sciences, supporting SMEs, academics and drug discovery researchers to evaluate their drug or technology. Her team applies cell and molecular biology expertise in vitro using cellular models coupled with advanced technologies to evaluate cellular response. From target engagement to phenotypic response, the team aims to build translational evidence for a partners asset aligned to their key goals.
Dr Lorna Fitzpatrick
Lead Scientist
Dr Lorna Fitzpatrick
Lead Scientist
Lorna is a Lead scientist with over ten years’ of experience in molecular biology and genetic engineering in primary, stem and cancer cells. Lorna has a PhD from St. George’s University of London and carried out post-doctoral research at Manchester Metropolitan University before joining Medicines Discovery Catapult.
In her current role, Lorna develops reporter models of disease pathways for both in vitro and in vivo readouts. She also has developed expertise in establishing capabilities to characterise intracellular delivery of complex medicines.
Dr Malcolm Haddrick
Lead Scientist
Dr Malcolm Haddrick
Lead Scientist
Malcolm is a Lead Scientist at MDC with 20+ years of experience in diverse Drug Discovery projects for efficacy and safety targets working at Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
Malcolm has a PhD from the University of Leicester, followed by a postdoctoral position at the NIH in the USA studying HIV-1 pathogenesis. At MDC, his current role is the development of more predictive cell models by exploiting multi-cellular cultures, organ-on-a-chip technologies and leading-edge detection techniques.
Dr Emma Jones
Lead Scientist
Dr Emma Jones
Lead Scientist
Emma is a lead scientist with more than 15 years of experience investigating neuronal and glial cell function in the developing and diseased CNS across academic and industrial settings.
Emma has a PhD from the University of Manchester and carried out postdoctoral research at McGill University (Montreal, Canada). In her role at Medicines Discovery Catapult, Emma is responsible for developing innovative complex CNS cell models and cell behaviour assays for drug discovery projects.
John Vincent
Senior Scientist
John Vincent
Senior Scientist
John is a senior scientist with more than 25 years of experience in drug discovery roles, developing biochemical and cellular assays in a range of technologies and formats, utilising an array of laboratory equipment and automation.
John has a degree from the University of Nottingham and previously worked for 23 years at AstraZeneca in roles spanning microbiology, oncology and high-throughput screening. In his role at the Medicines Discovery Catapult, John is responsible for the development and validation of robust cellular and biochemical in vitro assays to monitor target engagement and modulation and provides expertise in the areas of drug discovery, screening and automation.
Dr Adam Rolt
Senior Scientist
Dr Adam Rolt
Senior Scientist
Adam is a senior scientist within the complex medicines group at MDC. Following a PhD in Chemistry, he carried out postdoctoral positions at the NIH and the University of Oxford, where he was awarded a fellowship and transitioned into a molecular biology role.
At MDC, Adam is responsible for the development of novel phenotypic assay systems for drug discovery, working across several different areas of biology. Adam’s personal research interests lie in translational science, human ageing and the understanding of drug action.
Dr Phil Auckland
Lead Scientist
Dr Phil Auckland
Lead Scientist
A chromosome biologist by training, Phil has spent 12 years utilising fluorescence microscopy to visualise molecular processes at the single-cell level.
Phil completed his PhD and early postdoctoral studies at Warwick University, where he developed imaging methods to understand the force-generating mechanisms that move chromosomes during cell division. He then moved to Rice University as a Fellow to work on cell-fate decision making during early human development. In 2021, he established an independent research group at the Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics at King’s College London. He joined Medicines Discovery Catapult to lead the Advanced Microscopy team in 2023.
In his current role, Phil develops bespoke microscopy assays for the mechanistic characterisation of disease phenotypes and novel medicines. He also leads the establishment of novel imaging technologies to ensure that the MDC is at the forefront of microscopy-based drug discovery.
Catherine Eagle
Lead Scientist
Catherine Eagle
Lead Scientist
Catherine has over 10 years of experience in the biotech industry, primarily in drug discovery with a focus on immuno-oncology and translational science. Catherine has an MSc by Research in cancer cell biology from the University of Bristol. She has expertise in establishing methods to assess drug mechanism, target engagement and PD biomarkers in both pre-clinical and clinical studies.
As lead scientist, Catherine develops complex primary immune cell assays, utilising the innovative analysis capabilities available at Medicines Discovery Catapult to support immunology drug discovery projects.
Our Capabilities and Technologies
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We can help support you with your next drug discovery project.