Cell and Gene Therapy at Cambridge Consultants
The cell and gene therapy team here at CC has a comprehensive breadth of relevant expertise. Our unique blend of capabilities – at the exciting intersection of biology, engineering and computation – allows us to deliver complex devices, services and technologies from concept to creation.
We collaborate with cell and gene therapy development organisations and tool providers to advance their ambitions in the space. Our role is to help revolutionise drug discovery, cell and gene manufacturing processes and equipment – as we strive to enable these life-changing therapies for patients around the world.
We collaborate with cell and gene therapy development organisations and tool providers to advance their ambitions in the space. Our role is to help revolutionise drug discovery, cell and gene manufacturing processes and equipment – as we strive to enable these life-changing therapies for patients around the world.
Talk to us about your challenge
We work with many ambitious clients
We work with both therapy developers who need custom platforms to enable their biology, and tool providers seeking to bring solutions to market that will fit the needs of this exciting and dynamic sector.
Solving the problem of microbial contamination – using new sensors and AI for real-time detection
Cell and gene therapy and regenerative medicine are regarded as the future – but manufacturing can be hindered by slow, laborious and expensive sterility testing. This whitepaper goes behind the scenes of a significant breakthrough for contamination detection during cell and gene therapy manufacturing. It tells the story of PureSentry, a prototype device for on-line, real-time detection of potential contamination in the manufacturing process for advanced therapies.
The future of process analytics in cell and gene therapy manufacture
The CGT Catapult – established by the UK government’s Innovate UK agency – has formed a consortium to accelerate process analytic technology development and reduce costs in cell and gene therapy manufacturing. The CC cell and gene therapy team is playing a role in helping to ensure that therapies can be developed for use in health services throughout the world.
Understanding the life of a therapeutic cell
Understanding the behaviour of cell therapies once they’ve been administered is crucial to improving patient benefit. We developed a system as a multidisciplinary project between our microfluidics and digital imaging and AI teams to demonstrate our capabilities in EWOD, optics and machine vision. This system allows single cells to be propagated and analysed over the course of days, and analysis of both the cells and also excreted metabolites and cytokines.
Gene therapy delivery to the eye: it’s time to focus on the cutting-edge candidates
The number of effective cell and gene therapies is growing rapidly, especially for treating ocular diseases. However, much less attention has been focused on the critical issue of delivery to the eye. Accurate delivery of advanced therapies to the specific tissue within the eye offers the prospect of better therapeutic outcomes with fewer side effects.
Tech, tools & facilities
Cell culture labs
Our life science and synthetic biology facilities are complemented by our recently established cell culture labs. They support our clients in the advanced therapies and pharmaceuticals field to deliver the most advanced drugs on the planet. We’ve equipped them with tools to monitor, grow and store cells which are relevant to cell and gene therapy process development.
Molecular Biology labs
Our microbiology lab enables us to genetically modify micro-organisms and characterise them. Our facilities are containment level 2 rated for handling pathogenic strains and our in-house libraries allow rapid modular DNA construct design and assembly. We are particularly interested in building organisms that are biological sensors for healthcare and industrial biotech applications.
Life science labs
Our suite of restricted Class II laboratories is specifically designed for handling and experimentation of pharmaceuticals, licensed substances, biological hazards and human samples in a controlled and regulated environment. Our instrumentation rooms are equipped with metrology, microscopy and product test equipment for rigorous verification and quality assurance of prototypes and products.
Prototyping workshops
Our electronic and mechanical prototyping workshops allow us to produce technically credible prototypes that bring ideas to life and offer a powerful demonstration of their value. All while maintaining extremely high standards of quality that conform to ISO 9001, ISO 13485 and ISO 14001 regulations. Using the latest CNC and milling machines, lathes, welding gear and wire harness and cable assembly tools, we are able to produce parts very quickly and assemble full-scale working prototypes for testing and consumer trials.
Engineering workshops
Using hand and machine tools, laser cutters and 3D printers, this is where we create custom parts, build test jigs and fixtures and modify existing components. This means that our engineers can make changes to test pieces and prototypes whenever they need to, 24 hours a day.
Computer-aided design & engineering
Using the latest CAD and CAE systems, we design 3D parts for single tests pieces through to complete production assemblies with thousands of individual components. In addition to maintaining the most up-to-date software, we invest in developing proprietary tools and processes. Meanwhile, data management and version control systems allow us to work anywhere securely and efficiently.
Optics labs
Our suite optics of labs enables us to build complex and high-precision optical layouts, typically for testing prototype designs and novel techniques prior to deployment. Featuring six high-spec optical benches with configurable interlocked controlled areas for high-power (class 4) laser work and specialist facilities for interferometry, spectroscopy, low-noise fluorescence imaging and photon counting. This space can be split into separate laser-controlled areas, allowing multiple experiments to run simultaneously, giving our optical engineers the capability to develop creative solutions without instrumentation restrictions.
Microfluidics lab
Our microfluidics lab is equipped to rapidly prototype Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic devices in a clean environment. We optically inspect functioning test cartridges with state-of-the-art microscopy, and measure particle size distributions with a Spraytec laser diffraction system.
Meet our cell & gene therapy experts
Providing unique solutions that take advantage of the breadth and depth of our collective knowledge is immensely fulfilling. Our Boston-based biology team includes multiple offerings in cell biology, positioning us to meet the diverse challenges our clients face where biological needs intersect with the computational and engineering arenas.
Karen Weisinger
It has been exciting to work with therapy developers and instrument vendors working at the cutting edge of cell and gene therapy, and to be able to bring CC’s engineering, computing and biology capabilities to help get our clients closer to market. Knowing that our work is ultimately helping patients is immensly satisfying.
James Hallinan
Over the last decade, I’ve been inspired and encouraged witnessing the transition from early clinical trials through to commercialisation for CGT developers. To scale and democratise these therapies to meet patient demand, we need new technologies such as automation and novel sensing, and Cambridge Consultants is able to help these come to life.
Rob Collison
Making the changes we need to see in this industry – increased accessibility, reliability and throughput – requires so many different types of people. I love working across disciplines and helping bridge the gap between them to create truly life-changing therapeutics for society.
Ellen Simmons
It is fascinating to see how different companies working in the cell and gene therapy space utilize biology in innovative ways. I love being able to showcase our broad range of skills to help companies face their challenges head on, helping companies develop their technology so others can benefit from these ground-breaking innovations.
Lindsay Tomczak
