Bionow is an organisation that has been set up as a cluster support group for the North West’s biotechnology, pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. Operationally, it sits within the Business Relations Group of the Enterprise, Innovation & Skills Directorate, which falls under the remit of the Northwest Development Agency.
The purpose of the organisation – and therefore its web site too – is to support NW biotechnology projects. To date, they have secured or assisted in securing £55m in funding for such projects – which range from the UK Biobank, to CTF (Core Technology Facility) or the NBC (National Biomanufacturing Centre), etc. The web site features some helpful business support features, including information on financing, properties, suppliers database and partnering opportunities.
The organisation itself actually produces an informative, monthly newsletters which are viewable online through an archive system or can be subscribed to through an online form. The newsletters themselves contain general information about the NW biotech industry, including articles on projects that are taking place; companies and their activities within the region; along with research that is being undertaken.
There is a link for jobs via the New Scientist web site, although this is after following an external link rather than through the Bionow site itself. The search facility on the site isn’t for jobs either and seems to only search the newsletters, although this is to be expected, as it’s where the majority of new content appears to be stored. Other than this, there is information on upcoming events within the region that are relevant to the sector.
Finally, there is a member’s area of the web site, which is “restricted to core biotech companies and NW base suppliers that can demonstrate a specific expertise and knowledge of the biotech industry”.
Generally, the site is well-structured, easy to access and provides relevant information against its stated objectives. It’s possibly a missed opportunity not to have their own jobs function, but it is certainly recommended that the newsletter be subscribed to if you’re working in, or would like to work in this region and/or sector.