CPI opens centre to support development of medtech products

The CPI has opened The National Healthcare Photonics Centre focused upon the development of next generation light-based healthcare treatments.

The Centre will support the scale-up and commercialisation of medtech products, acting as a hub for businesses and academic partners to work on innovative methods of diagnosing disease, imaging systems and light-based treatments.

Healthcare photonics technologies can have applications in the early diagnosis and monitoring of chronic diseases such as diabetes or acute diseases such as cancer or brain injury. Lasers are now widely used in the treatment of various eye conditions and in surgical procedures.

Nigel Perry, CPI chief executive, said: “We are tremendously proud to be opening our new National Healthcare Photonics Centre, which is a clear indication of our commitment to supporting next generation manufacturing.

“As a member of the Government’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult, this investment emphasises our crucial position in the innovation continuum, with our state-of-the-art facilities and outstanding expertise helping partners progress on their journey to commercialisation.”

Providing space for work across two floors, the aim of the facility is to reduce the barriers that are preventing promising research and early-stage inventions from moving beyond the laboratory and into innovative healthcare solutions for patients. The new centre includes a suite of specialist laboratories capable of carrying out optical system development and testing, laser system applications development, microscopy and imaging of bio-materials, diagnostic test development, new materials characterisation, ionising radiation imaging and testing, additive manufacturing, electronics development and pilot manufacturing work.

As well as commissioning work or participating in collaborative development projects, companies will be able to locate onsite and work alongside CPI’s highly-skilled team. CPI also offers partners specialist support across device design and development, validation, testing and pilot production, as well as business support to link into networks and connections within the healthcare and medtech markets.

Dr Tom Harvey, healthcare photonics lead at CPI, said: “Bringing together photonics experts, equipment and facilities in this new centre will enable companies to develop the latest cutting-edge medtech products.

“This facility will benefit patients, as well as the local and national economy.”