A new research agreement involving an Aberdeen biopharmaceutical company aims to accelerate the development of new therapeutics, underlining the strengths within North East Scotland’s life sciences cluster.

Elasmogen Ltd, a University of Aberdeen spin-out focused on the development of next generation biologics, and Feldan Therapeutics, focused on intracellular delivery of proteins, today (9 May 2017) announced a research collaboration with Amgen, to develop and deliver novel intracellular biologics. The collaboration combines the unique capabilities of Feldan’s Shuttle platform and Elasmogen’s soloMER™ technology to develop the delivery system and binding domains to two undisclosed intracellular targets for Amgen, one of the world’s leading independent biotechnology companies.

Food, drink and primary processing businesses in North East Scotland will have a unique opportunity to hear from and engage with key organisations that can support their growth ambitions at a workshop next week.

The wide range of local and national business support available to enterprises in the sector will be the focus for a North East Food & Drink Network event in Aberdeenshire on 10 May, organised by Opportunity North East (ONE) and Aberdeenshire Council.

The workshop will introduce businesses within the strategically important sector to more than 16 organisations that can support their growth and will feature short presentations alongside one to one meetings to discuss their own plans and needs.

More than 90 representatives from North East businesses explored opportunities to develop food tourism within the region and increase the use of local produce in its foodservice sector at a dinner on Monday night (24 April).

The North East Food & Drink Network Dining Event at Meldrum House Hotel, organised by Opportunity North East (ONE) and Aberdeenshire Council, saw a menu of local produce served up to attendees from almost 60 businesses and organisations. Brian Grigor, Head Chef at the Michelin-starred Number One restaurant at The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, was the guest speaker.

Realising the growth potential of food and drink tourism for the region is a key theme for ONE as part of its agenda to drive business growth across the food, drink and agriculture sector. Guests at the dinner identified existing examples of successful food tourism offerings in the region and looked at opportunities to develop visitor spend driven by its high-quality and world renowned produce from the land and sea.

Friday 28 April 2017, 1200 – 1400, at Opportunity North East, 11 Queen’s Gardens, Aberdeen, AB15 4YD

The future success of North East Scotland is dependent upon achieving the economic renaissance to deliver a broad and robust business base that offers high quality employment opportunities.

This free event, part of North East Business Week 2017, will engage young business people and students from the region’s universities and college in a facilitated discussion on mega trends in business and society and how these will impact on the major industry sectors in the North East of Scotland.

Opportunities to increase the use of local produce in North East Scotland’s hospitality sector and develop the potential of food tourism across the region will be explored at an event in Aberdeenshire next week.

More than 60 delegates from 40 different businesses have already registered to attend the latest North East Food & Drink Network Dining Event at Meldrum House Hotel on Monday (24 April) night, organised by Opportunity North East (ONE) and Aberdeenshire Council.

The guest speaker at the dinner will be Brian Grigor, head chef at the Michelin-starred and 4 AA Rosette Number One restaurant at The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh. Brian comes from a family of gamekeepers and grew up surrounded by Scotland’s natural larder. His passion for regional produce saw him named game chef of the year in 2012.

Private sector economic development body Opportunity North East (ONE) will invest up to £5 million plus matched funding in the next year in projects to strengthen and diversify the economy of north east Scotland.

ONE reported on its first full year of operation and set out its priorities for the year ahead at its inaugural annual event – Towards Economic Renaissance – in Aberdeen last night, attended by more than 120 senior representatives from the region’s business community and public sector bodies.

Over the past 12 months, ONE has secured significant funds to support innovation across the region’s key industries, including the £180m funding for the Oil & Gas Technology Centre, and delivered projects with industry to support business growth through new market opportunities, innovation and diversification that will secure high value jobs for the medium to long term.

With The Oil & Gas Technology Centre fully established as a standalone entity, ONE’s Oil & Gas Sector Board is now seeking to identify further internationalisation and supply chain growth opportunities in the region’s oil and gas industry. Decommissioning and learning and training are two particular areas of focus, alongside potential diversification opportunities into adjacent sectors.

Over the last 40 years, our universities and college have built up close links with the oil and gas industry. During this time, these links have helped to supply the UKCS, and other basins around the world, with some of the most highly valued people you will find anywhere in the global oil and gas industry.

As the closing date for entries approaches (Monday 30 January), the North East Scotland Food & Drink Awards urge businesses to sign up to the region’s most prestigious awards that celebrate excellence and innovation in the industry.

Delivered in partnership by Opportunity North East (ONE) and Aberdeenshire Council, the awards are free to enter, and are open to all food and drink producers based in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray.

The project to develop the new, world-class Oil & Gas Technology Centre (OGTC) in Aberdeen has set the benchmark for the pace that can be achieved in moving from a concept through testing with industry and business case development to the formation of a standalone entity in less than a year.

ONE led the project to establish Aberdeen as a global centre for innovation and technology development and deployment for the oil and gas industry. The OGTC, now established as an independent and industry-led body, is the flagship innovation project within the Aberdeen City Region Deal. Working with industry and the Oil & Gas Authority, Scottish Enterprise and the University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University, ONE developed the final business case for the OGTC, which has secured up £180m of funding over 10 years from the City Region Deal.

ONE is developing the detailed business model and supporting funding case for the development of a Bio-therapeutic Hub for Innovation in Aberdeen, as part of the Aberdeen City Region Deal. This project aims to capitalise on opportunities to grow the region’s life sciences sector and is being developed with industry, the city’s universities and research institutes, Scottish Enterprise and NHS Grampian.

The life sciences sector is an important part of the region’s economy with more than 2,500 people employed within its companies and research base, making an annual contribution of £160m GVA. The north east accounts for more than one fifth of employment in Scottish life sciences research and development and Aberdeen has one of the highest concentrations of life scientists in the UK outside of Cambridge.