First new lab occupier at the Wood Centre for Innovation

Biotech start-up, Samsara Therapeutics has become the first new lab occupier at The Oxford Trust’s Wood Centre for Innovation.

The trust, a charity promoting science and enterprise, is converting 3,300 sq ft of innovation centre space into R&D laboratories to support and incubate start-ups in the industry.

The £500,000 lab conversion project, of which £100,000 is funded via the Government’s Local Growth Fund secured by OxLEP, addresses the surge in demand for space over the last year throughout Oxford’s global health and life sciences district, one of the clusters leading such scientific development as the Covid-19 vaccine.

Samsara, backed by backed by Apollo Ventures, has operations in Oxford and Boston.

Steve Burgess, chief executive of The Oxford Trust, said: “A biotech start-up working on breakthrough research is exactly the type of company the trust continues to support and help on their journey to success.”

Samsara will join current occupiers Barclays Eagle Labs, Printpool, Spintex, Low Carbon Hub, SSEN, and Lurtis.

Lab fit out at the new centre has been designed by Thames Tap partner Bulb Laboratories. The first phase is due for completion in Spring and more could follow if it proves successful.

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