Inverness Campus organisations help tackle COVID-19

At Solasta House, the purpose-built life sciences building, ODx Innovations is utilising its analytics equipment, processes and expert management in setting up clinical testing and diagnostics. Aseptium and 4c Engineering are working on producing various forms of personal protective equipment (PPE).

The University of the Highlands and Islands is supporting NHS services by offering scientific expertise, laboratory facilities and teaching equipment.

Lab staff at Scotland’s Rural College, at An Lòchran, have also offered their time and expertise for particular aspects of the national effort.

As part of the developing collaborative response, local academic and commercial laboratory capacity for future sample testing is being explored as a matter of urgency.

The work of these organisations is deemed key to the wider effort to tackle the COVID-19 spread, and any employees going into work are following all the strict guidelines for firms operating during the lockdown.

Inverness Campus is being developed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). James Cameron, head of life sciences at HIE, said:

“This is clearly a time of national crisis, and something none of us really anticipated. Since the outset of Inverness Campus development, the principle and ethos has always been about collaboration between commercial companies, research bodies and academic institutions. It’s impressive how this has manifested itself as we respond to the effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“We’re aware that some members of the public have expressed concern that people still appear to be working on Inverness Campus. It’s important to stress that anyone going into work on Inverness Campus at the moment is in some way involved in a key aspect of the national effort to tackle this terrible virus and they are all following the strict guidelines in place for employees at work during the lockdown.”

Giles Hamilton, CEO of ODx Innovations (ODx) said:

“Our staff and partners are working tirelessly to support the current and future needs of patients. We are grateful for the recent support and appreciation we have received from NHS staff and the community in Inverness and the Highlands in doing this.”