GLASGOW-based technology business DeepMatter has been chosen to work with English universities on a project it is hoped could help speed the development of new vaccines and of anti-cancer drugs.
The digital chemistry specialist will supply technology that will make it easier for scientists and for machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) applications to access and share data regarding experiments.
This is expected to have a big impact on the production of nanoparticles, which DeepMatter said are important components in ensuring the safe and effective drug delivery of new-generation (mRNA) vaccines and certain anti-cancer drugs.
mRNA vaccines work by stimulating the production of ‘spike’proteins that trigger an immune response to a virus. Examples include the Pfizer/BioNtech and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines.
READ MORE: New coronavirus cases rise to their highest daily total for six months
Other vaccines use a modified form of another virus.
DeepMatter has signed a collaboration agreement with the University of Leeds under which it will supply its DigitalGlassware and DeviceX sensor technology. This will be used in a programme that Leeds is conducting with Sheffield university and pharmaceutical companies such as Somaserve.
DigitalGlassware can be used to make information on chemical processes available on the cloud as they happen. DeepMatter said DeviceX provides a new perspective on chemical reaction data.
Dr Nicholas Warren, Associate Professor at the University of Leeds, said: “The data captured by DigitalGlassware in real-time allows us to use ML and AI directed decisions contributing to self-optimising reactions helping us to build up an understanding of the processes and fine-tune reaction conditions leading to a scaled-up, commercially viable production of advanced nanoparticle products.”
Aim market-listed DeepMatter employs 17 people in Glasgow. It was spun out of the University of Glasgow by Lee Cronin in 2014.
The social distancing measures introduced in response to the coronavirus crisis may have helped to boost interest in DeepMatter’s products.
The company grew sales by eight per cent in 2020, to £1.3 million, from £1.2m in the preceding year. It cut losses to £2.4m compared with £3m last time.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here