BioGrad acquires 43,000 sq ft at Wavertree Technology Park 

The medical research and development company has opened a 10,000 sq ft biobank and plans to launch a 33,000 sq ft innovation centre later this year. 

BioGrad’s biobank building opened yesterday and will be used to collect human cell samples to be used in medical research. 

The innovation hub, opening later in 2023, will provide space for city region-based, female-led science and tech SMEs. 

The hub will also house BioGrad Education, which provides laboratory-based learning courses. 

The Wavertree site is BioGrad’s fifth location in the Liverpool City Region, in addition to buildings at Liverpool Science Park, Bootle, Warrington, and Liverpool John Lennon Airport. 

BioGrad works in collaboration with the University of Leicester, Liverpool Women’s Hospital, and private research companies, providing access to its database of samples, which has been used for research into tackling diseases such as Covid-19.

Dr Natalie Kenny, chief executive of BioGrad, said: “Our incredible new headquarters, which will house the second largest biobank facility in the UK, represents an exciting new era for BioGrad as we move into stem cell and regenerative medicine research, alongside our continued education operations. 

“It also demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the levelling up agenda, by providing an open access biobank for the Liverpool City Region and North West, creating new jobs and opportunities in the sector, and in particular, supporting local, female-led businesses.” 

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said the combined authority is keen to harness the wealth of life sciences companies like BioGrad operating in Liverpool City Region. 

“The Liverpool City Region is home to some of the country’s leading clusters of innovation in life science and infectious disease control,” he said. 

“I believe that we have the capacity, the capability, and the creativity to put ourselves not only at the forefront of the UK, but global innovation. 

“To help make that happen, we’re putting our money where our mouth is. We’ll be investing 5% of our GVA in research and development over the next few years – that’s nearly double the government’s national targets.” 

Last week, Place North West reported that UK Biobank, a similar company to BioGrad, was eyeing a relocation to Manchester Science Park. was l