The Story of a Nanoparticle Start-Up

In this exclusive interview, Fintan Walton talks to Tom Rademacher, President of Midatech, about the formation of the biotech, Professor Rademacher's fifth start-up company. Tom discusses Midatech's business model, and why a centralised group company structure with three fully owned subsidiaries suited the development of its technology. He also talks in depth about the science behind the company's nanoparticle technology, as well as its applications in therapeutics, diagnostics and surface coatings.

About Tom Rademacher

Tom Rademacher is President of Midatech and Professor of Molecular Medicine at University College London (UCL) Medical School. Professor Rademacher obtained a degree in Medicine in 1976 and a PhD in Biochemistry in 1980, both at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was co-founder and Clinical and Research Director of the Glycobiology Institute at the University of Oxford before moving to UCL in 1991. He is the author of over 150 research publications and holds 50 patents.

About Midatech

Midatech is a UK-based group of companies that designs, synthesises and manufactures biocompatible nanoparticles called nanocells. Nanocells are being used to create a wide variety of products with novel characteristics and functions, and applications in therapeutics, diagnostics and coatings for devices (including microchips). The company's vision is to harness the vast potential of nanocells to improve therapies for human diseases, including cancer and infectious disease. It seeks to apply and partner the technology in areas of unmet medical need, and to improve current drugs and vaccines. Midatech has three fully owned subsidiaries: Midatech Biogune (Manufacturing), Midatech Andalucía (Hysteresis Heating) and Cura Vaccines.