Almac, a contract development and manufacturing organization, is collaborating with Bangor University in Wales and Hockley International, a manufacturer and exporter of environmental health and industrial chemical products, on a synthetic biology project to develop novel routes to chemicals. 

A grant of $1.6 million has been awarded to the research team by the Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council and Technology Strategy Board. The funding is specifically targeted at bringing a novel chemical produced via an enzymatic route from under-utilized natural oil to the market.

Almac currently is performing the R&D work at its Northern Ireland-based laboratories. The company is partnering with researchers from both the University’s College of Natural Sciences and Hockley to progress the project over a three year period.