Cambridge Enterprise partners with Ximbio to make life science research tools more widely available

Cambridge Enterprise has partnered with Ximbio, the research tools business unit of Cancer Research Technology; itself the commercialisation division of Cancer Research UK, to make the University’s life science research tools more widely available to the worldwide scientific community.

Ximbio, an online portal for the life science community to exchange knowledge and trade reagents, works to broaden the range of tools available to scientists to support and advance life science research. By partnering with Cambridge Enterprise, the University can add research tools to the Ximbio platform and therefore aid scientists looking for specific reagents for use in their research.

Ximbio offers a searchable database, extensive datasheets, supplier options, and in future will also feature peer reviews of listed products. Each reagent record can be linked to the originating inventor, enabling scientists and institutions to be credited for their work. Ximbio will operate as a business unit of Cancer Research Technology (CRT), and will focus on all areas of biology.

Melanie Hardman, Head of Ximbio said: “We have created Ximbio to be a place where scientists can share their research, and reagent companies can source new products, in a streamlined process that saves both time and resource. We hope to accelerate life science research.”

Chris Arnot, who manages the Research Tool portfolio for Cambridge Enterprise, added: “This is an exciting option, both for Cambridge Enterprise and academics who have created reagents as part of their research. It provides us with a wider platform for trading and supplying, as well as the option to outsource the production of these materials.”