Wales: bioinformatic location of choice

When Current Biodata started looking for a new office to base its growing interests in the scientific sector, International Business Wales’ offer of dedicated talent, research facilities and funding was an opportunity too good to miss.

	Current BioData’s riverside offices at Ethos, Swansea.

In the search for a cost-effective and talent-rich base for expansion, scientific publishers Current BioData looked beyond its New York, Geneva and London offices to consider Wales, India and Singapore. The combination of outstanding local bioscience talent, purpose-built property, neighbouring university resources, and an £850,000 grant – all made accessible by International Business Wales (IBW) – meant Wales was the winning choice.

Current BioData has developed the Targeted Proteins database (TPdb) through the combination of the unique internal expertise of Swiss-Prot and the Investigational Drugs database (IDdb) for data collection, validation and evaluation, with the external expertise of an extensive network of global opinion leaders and subject specialists. The TPdb focuses on protein systems that are of critical interest to clients in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. It is a daily updated service, assessing the impact of new protein research on drug R&D. Information is consolidated and organised into multiple scientific and commercial dimensions, making it useful for researchers and business strategists involved in drug development. New data is analysed to find recent disclosures of interest to drug R&D. Relevant information is highlighted for immediate use.

Quality requirements
Current BioData had specific requirements for its new base. With offices in New York, London and Geneva, the location had to make sense economically – so competitive rents in specialist accommodation and lower overall operating costs were essential. The company relies on highly qualified scientists, so it also needed access to a large pool of local, high-calibre graduates.

‘We were growing so rapidly that we wanted to double our existing staff and looked worldwide for a suitable location,’ says Ian Tarr, CEO, Current BioData.

Several locations were considered, including Singapore and India, but Wales was closer to the company's European offices and to potential customers in the US – and IBW offered an irresistible package of support for relocation. Tarr had kept abreast of Wales’ burgeoning bioscience industry, and knew the country represented a compelling business proposition. IBW arranged temporary accommodation for Current BioData in the new £52 million Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) at Swansea University before the move to permanent offices at Ethos in the Swansea Waterfront complex.

Dedicated powerhouse
The ILS is a partnership between the Welsh Assembly Government, the European Union and IBM, and is home to IBM’s Blue C – the most powerful supercomputer dedicated to life science research in Europe. Blue C supports large clinical databases and, as part of a wide-ranging bioscience infrastructure, this facility is accessible to Current BioData.

‘The recent investment in biosciences in Wales, the proactive support of the Welsh Assembly Government, quality of life for staff and several other factors ensured Wales was our preferred choice,’ explains Tarr. ‘It is pleasing to see the progress that has been made in Wales, enabling us to invest there with confidence.’

IBW has also offered Current BioData funding to implement a training programme for new recruits that has been drawn up by a dedicated Welsh Assembly Government training advisor.

Current BioData’s move to Swansea demonstrates how Wales can support top performance in the global bioscience sector, and represents a more cost-effective, supportive and progressive base for growth. The high quality of life factors is essential in attracting and retaining the highest calibre of scientific recruits.