New collaboration to develop greener, more affordable anti-cancer compounds
We’re proud to announce a new research partnership between Fluid Science and De Montfort University, supported by Innovate UK funding.
Together, we’re working to develop next-generation anti-cancer compounds using green chemistry methods that are safer for the environment and reduce costs, meaning potential treatments can reach more patients.
The project centres around DMU212, a compound developed by Dr Brucoli and Dr Ruparelia at DMU, which now forms the basis of this Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) worth more than £300,000.
Representing DMU are Dr Federico Brucoli, a Senior Lecturer in Medicinal Chemistry and green chemistry expert, Dr Ketan Ruparelia, Senior NMR Technicial Instructor. From Fluid Science are Chris Hogan, Business Manager, and Asdaq Hussain, Project and Product Manager.
Chris Hogan, Business Manager at Fluid Science, said: “This KTP submission represents a significant strategic step for Fluid Science. Working alongside De Montfort University allows us to combine our commercial capability with deep academic research to deliver meaningful innovation. We’re not just creating a product—we’re building a platform for sustainable, life-saving technologies.”
Asdaq Hussain, Project and Product Manager at Fluid Science, added: “This is a unique opportunity to lead a project that merges green chemistry principles with the development of critical healthcare solutions. It’s incredibly rewarding to help steer this toward real-world impact, especially when the outcome could offer more affordable treatment options globally.”
Dr Federico Brucoli, Senior Medicinal Chemist, said: “This as an exciting opportunity to jointly lead a project focussed on green chemistry applied to anticancer compounds development. The collaboration will benefit from our collective expertise of over 50 years in medicinal chemistry with deep understanding of drug development principles and strategies. The project could potentially provide more cost-effective treatment options on a global scale and result in a tangible real-world impact.”
Dr Ketan Ruparelia, Senior NMR Technician, said: “It’s inspiring to see that compounds originally developed at the university are now being leveraged for a healthcare innovation project, with the aim of enhancing the quality of healthcare services. This signifies a positive step towards progress, and we are thrilled to be part of this transformative journey towards better healthcare innovation.”
Funded through Innovate UK, the KTP framework enables businesses and universities to collaborate on high-impact projects, bridging the gap between academic innovation and commercial application.
