News

Dr Damion Corrigan has been appointed as the new LGC Chair in Measurement Science for Health at the Centre for Advanced Measurement Research & Health Translation.

Based at the University of Strathclyde, the centre of excellence is a strategic partnership between the University and the National Measurement Laboratory at LGC - a world-leading institute for chemical and bio-measurement.

Reliability & safety

The Centre supports innovation in the medical, food and drink, and high-value manufacturing sectors. Embedding robust measurement principles to improve the reliability and safety of emerging technologies and products, and to help accelerate their translation to market, has been shown to lead to improved productivity and economic growth.

Dr Corrigan has been based at the University’s Biomedical Engineering Department for the past six years, where his research focused on the application of electrochemical systems to help address the diagnostic challenges of modern healthcare delivery.

His team has developed assay systems for targets such as COVID-19, drug resistant tuberculosis (TB) and chemokine ligand 17 (CCL17), which plays a complex role in cancer. 

Health improvements

His new role will see him move to Pure & Applied Chemistry and Dr Corrigan said: “I am excited by the opportunity to work with the NML at LGC. I have a long-standing interest in the application of measurement science to effective translation of developed technologies.

“I have founded two companies to convert technologies from the laboratory into real world systems which improve health through diagnostic technologies, better medicines and enhanced medical devices.

“An important element of my work with LGC will be to ensure the validation and robustness of new developing technologies.”

New role

Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal of the University of Strathclyde said: “I am delighted to welcome Damion into his new role as Chair at the Centre. With his impressive track record in basic research studies and their pull-through to developing diagnostic technologies, he is well placed to support innovation and lead collaborative research across several application areas of relevance to the strategic programme with our LGC partners."

Dr Julian Braybrook, Director of Measurement, National Measurement Laboratory at LGC said: “It is a great pleasure to welcome Damion as the new LGC Chair in Measurement Science for Health. His research at the cutting edge of diagnostics for health is entirely complementary to LGC’s vision of ‘Science for a Safer World’ and we look forward to working with him to embed metrology principles into new health technologies.’’

The Centre, based in the heart of Glasgow City Innovation District, brings together academia, the private sector and government to accelerate creation of new public health and well-being approaches.

Education & training

Launched in 2019, it also aims to provide Scotland with a more productive future workforce through the education and training of scientists and engineers, embedding the critical role of measurement science in the growth of Scotland’s health and life sciences innovation ecosystem.

Despite the challenges posed by the COVID pandemic, the Centre has continued to provide technology solutions to Scottish industry, from clinical diagnostics to innovative new food products.

The appointment of a new Chair bolsters the Centre’s activities at a time when measurement has never been so important in supporting public health. The Chair has been possible through contributions from the University of Strathclyde, the Community for Analytical Measurement Science (CAMS) and LGC.