Open innovation
The Living Systems Institute (LSI) seeks innovative and sustainable partnerships with industry, charities and public research organisations. We provide access to expert researchers including biologists, physicists, engineers and mathematicians, working with cutting-edge technologies to solve the most complex biological problems.
Interested in partnering with us? Please contact infolsi@exeter.ac.uk
LSI at BioTrinity 2026
A group of 13 representatives from the University of Exeter (UoE), the UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative and LSI attended the Biotrinity conference in London on 13–14 April, representing multiple departments across Health and Life Sciences. LSI representatives included Dr Ben Housden, Dr Carol Yang, Dr Felix Ciceron and Abi Howell, with our Business Engagement Partner, Aaron Frederick.
A key element of this was to showcase LSI expertise in the use of Zebrafish to model disease. The visit aimed to raise LSI and UoE’s profile, strengthen industry engagement skills, and develop new partnerships and commercial opportunities. Participation was extensive, including nine presentations, six posters, a dedicated stand, and around 60 meetings with industry and investors. Feedback highlighted increased confidence among less experienced academics and valuable new contacts for established researchers.
Since the conference, we have entered discussions with multiple companies, including one focused on modelling NF1 in zebrafish, we have recruited support from two large companies on a major MRC application led by Austin Smith and have received a request for a company visit to the LSI to discuss potential future partnerships.
We offer a unique, one stop shop platform, supporting our partners with a range of specialist capabilities and services:
- Access to state of the art equipment and facilities
- R&D collaboration projects
- Co designed grant applications
- Contract Research & Consultancy
- Knowledge Exchange Activities:
- Joint appointments and secondments
- Knowledge transfer partnership (KTP) projects
- Educational programmes
- PhDs Opportunities (Lighthouse programme)
- PhD by publication schemes
- Industrial Fellowships
- Specialised training
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
The LSI is a purpose-designed institute and houses specialist facilities and capabilities, available for use by external partners through collaboration with LSI academics or on a service basis.
- Quest Genetics – De-risking drug discovery
- Neuronostics – Clinical decision support tools
The University of Exeter is a scientific hub for the region and is open for collaboration, contract research, facilities access, trialling interventions, and consultancy. Whether examining genetic pathways, screening for novel drug-targets, creating diagnostic or digital tools, or undertaking clinical trials for drugs or medical devices, the University strives to develop strategic partnerships for specific projects, indications and technologies across a number of sectors.
Case Study - Partnership with MNDA
Dr Akshay Bhinge uses stem cells to develop models of the human nervous system, in order to understand motor neurone diseases. He has developed a unique model with the potential to discover new treatments for motor neurone diseases, by showing how ‘ spillout ‘ of TDP 43 a protein which leaves the nucleus in 97% of patients contributes to the condition.
His innovative research is supported by funding and collaboration from the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA), a charity focused on improving access to care and research for those affected by MND.
Case Study - Partnership with DSTL
Professor Stefano Pagliara, a researcher at the LSI, recently led a studentship to discover how phage viruses can counteract E.coli infections, making a breakthrough discovery. Antimicrobial resistance the process by which bacteria and viruses change and become resistant to treatments, such as antibiotics poses a significant threat to public health. But new research into bacteriophages (or phage) is paving the way for future treatment alternatives.
Through a recent studentship with Dstl and using technology at the Living Systems Institute, which allows researchers to look at individual bacteria cells, Stefano’s team discovered how individual E.coli bacteria respond differently when they come into contact with phage. This research was published in PLoS Biology and led to Dstl funding two further studentship projects with the LSI.