When Metrology Tackles the World’s Biggest Health Challenges

If you asked for an example of excellence in science and engineering that had a significant impact, the National Measurement Institute in the United Kingdom comes to mind. The NPL was founded in 1900 to “standardize and verify instruments, test materials and ensure physical constants”. It is one of the oldest standards laboratories in the world.

To learn more about this long-established institution, we asked Christian Saville, Product Manager Life Sciences and Health at NPL, a few questions about NPL.

About NPL, what is its mission?

At NPL, we use our background in metrology to tackle some of the world’s biggest health challenges, from reducing attrition rates in drug development to treating cancer and dementia, as well as creating new antibiotics. We work with manufacturers of diagnostic equipment and medical devices, government, researchers and pharmaceutical companies to measure, analyze, standardize and improve development, diagnosis and treatment techniques.One example of this is our world-leading range of mass spectrometry technologies, which set the standard for best practice. We are also developing and applying the latest machine learning techniques to visualize and interpret mass spectrometry data.

What services does the NPL offer?

Mass Spectrometry:

• ToF-SIMS
• NanoSIMS
• OrbiSIMS
• MALDI MSI (Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry imaging)
• DESI (Desorption Electrospray Ionisation) Mass Spectrometry Imaging
• Liquid extraction surface analysis (LESA)

Discover the full range of services offered by NPL on Scientist.

What sets your expertise apart from others?

As the UK’s center of excellence for Mass spectrometry imaging NPL provides:

• Unparalleled experience and knowhow; from sample preparation and imaging techniques to image processing and data analysis
• Exceptional laboratory capability through our wide range of imaging techniques all under one roof
• The knowhow to combine multiple imaging techniques and analyze complex samples with a multimodal approach
• World-leading cross-sector capability across the entire national laboratory, to resolve the most complex problems
• Data Excellence: Verification, assurance & expert analysis via best practice processes and creation of bespoke algorithms to accurately manage and analyze the large amount of data generated by imaging techniques

This allows our customers and partners to have greater confidence in results allowing:

• Label-free imaging of samples across multiple magnifications and techniques; from whole tissues, to individual cells, with the resolution to analyze individual molecules
• Targeted, reliable, techniques to quickly analyze and shortlist samples and candidates
• Decreasing the cost of drug discovery, by rapidly increasing understanding and reducing risk

What challenges are you willing to address in the near future?

• NPL’s world-leading bioimaging expertise, capability and analysis in life sciences and health to help our partners to:
• Minimize Drug attrition
• Understand compound efficacy at an earlier stage

What do you expect from Scientist?

A forum to communicate the unique capabilities of NPL to potential commercial and research partners.