b'Fostering MedTech Innovation and Regional Collaboration in the East MidlandsCORE UNIVERSITY HIGHLIGHTSNBIC at the University of Nottingham played a central role in advancing biofilm science and innovation across the East Midlands. Through engagement with the life sciences and MedTech sectors, plus regional civic stakeholders, the Nottingham team forged critical connections between academic research, business opportunity, and translational infrastructure.In October 2024, NBIC exhibited at Medilink Midlands Innovation Day in Coventry. The event brought together key players from across the MedTech and life sciencesProfessor Hardie awarded the Freedom of the City of London.ecosystem to explore sector-wide developments and new collaborative potential. During the event, the NBIChub to support NBIC-related spin-outs and further team engaged with several businesses, including QAECdevelop the regions innovation infrastructure. Limited, SOE Health, and Taskeru, initiating discussionsProfessor Kim Hardie, opened the discussions with around future collaboration and innovation support. an overview of NBICs mission and activities, while Dr Carey Lambert provided a tour of Nottinghams This momentum continued into November withcutting-edge facilities, including its advanced NBIC Nottingham Co-Director, Professor Kim Hardie,microscopy capabilities and managed compound presenting a talk showcasing NBICs Nottingham-basedcollection, both central to its drug discovery pathway.research at Medilink Midlands: Innovations Against AMR 2024, and meeting with four further companies,Industry engagement remained strong throughout Ramanomics, Cytecom, Phytoceutical, and Oxfordthe year, with collaborative discussions involving SimCell, to explore project opportunities focused onorganisations such as Citrox Biosciences, Coca-antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The event also enabledCola, Hydrofinesse, Johnson & Johnson, NuTissu, NBIC to build connections with the ARREST AMR NetworkRBT, BBI Solutions, AGA Nanotech, Dr Wolff and academic researchers at the University of Oxford,Group, Mintech Bio, and Samworth Brothers.opening up new possibilities for academic collaboration.Professor Hardies longstanding commitment to That same month, now former NBIC Nottinghammicrobiology and outreach was recognised with her Co-Director, Professor Miguel Cmara, representedadmission by redemption to the Freedom of the NBIC at the British Society for AntimicrobialCity of London in October 2024. To continue her Chemotherapys meeting on Antimicrobial Resistancegoal to motivate young people,particularly girls, and Mechanisms in Birmingham. His talk, Interferingto consider careers in science and microbiology, with Bacterial Communication as a TherapeuticProfessor Hardie visited Queen Elizabeths Girls Approach, reinforced NBICs commitment toSchool in High Barnet in May 2025, to deliver tackling AMR through innovative biofilm science. a talk to Years 712 titled Using Science as a At a strategic level, NBIC contributed to regionalTicket to Travel the World and Make Friends.innovation planning through dialogue with East Midlands civic leaders, including representatives fromProfessor Kim Hardie the Mayoral Office, County Council, and NottinghamNBIC Nottingham Co-DirectorUniversity Hospitals Trust. These conversations centred on the creation of a dedicated translational 16'