It is with great pleasure that we can announce the successful conclusion of our Microscope for Lydia appeal.
The new microscope has been acquired thanks to the generosity of individual supporters, the Doris Field Charitable Trust and the University of Southampton Coronavirus Response Fund.
This new piece of equipment will greatly accelerate the productivity of the Glycoprotein Therapeutics Laboratory under the pressures of the pandemic.
We launched the appeal after Lydia found that COVID-19 working restrictions were severely limiting her access to a microscope.
A second year PhD student, Lydia’s work involves growing cell lines in differing conditions and analysing the results.
She checks how the cells look (their morphology) and ensures that their growth behaviour is normal. Cells are extremely sensitive and we need to ensure that they are behaving ‘normally’ before our research team, who are designing and testing Bi-Specific antibodies as part of an 11 year project to improve cancer cell targeting and destruction without damaging healthy cells can begin their work.
The pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to our researchers and we are humbled by all the support we have received. The new microscope is a huge practical help to all our researchers including those, like Lydia, focussed on breast cancer research.
Team Leader, Professor Max Crispin