Some of our research is undertaken solely for the Department of Health but much is in collaboration, or under contract, with partner Governments academia and industry.

Programme areas include :

• The development and testing of new public health vaccines
• Exploitation of the natural pharmacological properties of molecules to generate novel medicines
• Prion pathogens (BSE & CJD)
• Biosafety and biodefence research & testing
• Evaluation of diagnostic kits
• External Quality Assessment services
• Molecular identification and bioinformation services

Applied Research

Developing and Testing Vaccines

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The Agency's Centre at Porton Down is the only European manufacturer of anthrax vaccine. The licensed vaccine has been supplied for occupational health and strategic purposes for many years and is supported by an active research programme. More recently the Agency has been successful in attracting US Government and commercial funding in order to progress development and assessment of the next generation of biodefence vaccines.

The search for an effective vaccine against meningitis B is a significant area of research for HPA scientists who work with colleagues throughout academia and industry. Some of our patents in this area have already been licensed and a candidate vaccine is due to enter phase one clinical trials in the autumn of 2005.

Research to develop a more effective tuberculosis vaccine is another major programme of research, including significant collaborations across the European Union and beyond.

Coupled with our research programmes we also have the capability to assess vaccines for efficacy and other parameters using immunological and in-vivo assays and models within our accredited facilities.

Decontamination of Surgical Instruments

Current research at the Agency has developed an enzymatic process compatible with surgical and dental instruments that is able to give the levels of prion inactivation needed to ensure that this potential route for vCJD transmission can be effectively blocked.

We have chosen to collaborate with a major industrial enzyme manufacturer, Genencor International, to guarantee that the enzyme developed can be mass produced in the quantities required. This scale-up has now been achieved and a new specifically engineered protease, tentatively called "prionzyme" will be available for field testing later in 2005.

Testing Services

Biosafety

The Agency's Centre at Porton Down has over five decades of experience in biocontainment and biosafety testing. Aerobiology is the study of the behaviour of microorganisms in the air, whilst bio-containment is the control of these organisms within the laboratory. Independent commercial testing of equipment such as microbiological safety cabinets and centrifuges, plus a wide range of microbiological air filters and air disinfection systems throughout industry is provided by our Biosafety Unit.

Biosafety is part of the novel and dangeous pathogens group which also offers training and diagnostic capabilities for pathogenic organisms.

Evaluation, Standards and Quality Laboratories

At the Agency's Centre for Infections we, in partnership with recognised bodies such as the MHRA & WHO, are able to undertake the evaluation of diagnostic kits for infectious diseases, as well as supplying clinical laboratories with CE marked quality control reagents.

In addition, we also provide External Quality Assessment (EQA) schemes for various food and water laboratories to enable our customers to improve and harmonise the quality of their microbiological testing.

Molecular Identification & Bioinformatics

A service for the identification of atypical or rarely isolated bacteria is provided by our Molecular Identification Services Unit which is actively involved in the research and development of high throughput genomic and proteomic systems and equipment.

These capabilities, combined with our bioinformatics and computer modelling groups which are developing tools for both public health and broader applications, means that the Agency is able to offer a comprehensive range of services.

Wessex Environmental Microbiology Services

Wessex Environmental Microbiology Services (WEMS) is a diagnostic microbiology laboratory for the examination of food, water and environmental samples. The laboratory provides accredited services for commercial customers as well as the public health service.