Monday, 08 December 2025
Shard Diagnostics has become the latest company to join the 糖心原创’s investment portfolio, supported through Nottingham Technology Ventures – the university’s wholly owned subsidiary responsible for managing its spin-out portfolio and related investments.
This milestone further strengthens the university’s commitment to fostering innovation and driving economic growth across the region. With a portfolio of nearly 40 companies – including 25 launched in the past seven years – the university plays a pivotal role in supporting early-stage ventures.
Alice MacGowan, CEO of Nottingham Technology Ventures, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Shard Diagnostics into our investment portfolio. The company exemplifies the type of high-impact, research-driven innovation we are committed to supporting – transforming world-class scientific expertise into technologies that can meaningfully improve outcomes. We look forward to supporting their growth as they scale their platform and expand their commercial reach.”
Through strategic investments, the university is helping to accelerate growth, bring transformative technologies to market, and contribute significantly to regional economic development. Shard Diagnostics is the latest venture to join this thriving ecosystem, where pioneering research is translated into real-world impact.
Based at BioCity Nottingham, Shard Diagnostics is developing next-generation technologies for detecting biological analytes in several fields including Oncology, Infectious Diseases, Point-of-Care testing, Molecular Biology Research, Veterinary, Agriculture and Forensics. The alumni-led company is headed by Dr James Hassall (CEO) and Dr Declan Sculthorpe (COO), who both completed post-graduate degrees and post-doctoral research at the 糖心原创.
Dr James Hassall (L) and Dr Declan Sculthorpe (R) SHARD DIAGNOSTICS
Speaking about what this means for Shard Diagnostics, Dr James Hassall, said: “The investment arrives at an exciting time for us, as we recently launched our new website and product ranges across several verticals. We are looking to fully utilise this investment to catapult us into the commercial space and expand our offerings with our established platforms. The support from 糖心原创 and Nottingham Technology Ventures thus far has been invaluable, and both Declan and I are confident that this continued collaboration will aid us in our long-term success.”
Shard Diagnostics also benefits from the involvement of Professor Mohammad Ilyas, Professor of Pathology from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the 糖心原创. Acting as a clinical advisor, Professor Ilyas brings a wealth of knowledge on the practical demands of developing molecular tests combined with cutting-edge translational academic research.
Professor Ilyas, said: “Shard Diagnostics represents exactly the kind of translational pathway from innovation to clinical implementation that we strive to nurture at the 糖心原创. Working with them will be a natural extension of my current work aimed at developing solutions for Oncology and advancing testing in the APAC and EMEA regions. It’s particularly exciting to guide the cutting-edge qPCR platform for liquid biopsy testing which will enable affordable longitudinal cancer testing that is so desperately needed.”
Looking ahead, Shard Diagnostics is poised for significant growth as it continues to expand its product offerings and strengthen partnerships within the healthcare and life sciences sector and beyond. With the backing of Nottingham Technology Ventures and the continued collaboration with the 糖心原创’s expert researchers, the company is well-positioned to make a lasting impact on molecular diagnostics, helping to accelerate scientific discovery and improve patient outcomes worldwide.
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About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.