13/02/06

Diabetes research in Oxford received a £1.2 million award granted to the Nuffield Department of Surgery to build a state-of-the-art facility for isolating human pancreatic islets.

The generous grant will provide the Oxford Islet Transplant Programme with one of the best islet isolation facilities in Europe. The facility, designed by Clean Room Construction’s Project Team will be used not only to isolate human islets for transplantation, but also to provide researchers in Oxford with human islets for basic research on the causes of diabetes and islet function.

The 230 m2 facility includes a store/sluice, preparation and culture rooms together with an isolation lab, change areas and offices was constructed using CRC’s CMP prefabricated modular partition system. The system has been specifically developed by CRC for the cleanroom market. The installed system provides a high level of sound insulation, has pre engineered services in the panels and is complete with an integrated door interlock system, vision and escape panels.
The floors are finished with non-slip welded vinyl sheet incorporating an attractive motif design. CRC fitted the furniture which included benching, work tops, pass through hatches, trolley hatches, lockers and change room fitments, shelving, shoe and step-over barriers.

A prestigious opening is planned for 19th of January 2006. Dr Jonathon Lakey, a pioneer in islet transplantation and Director of Human Islets from the University of Alberta will attend the ceremony with Dr Paul Johnson. Gary Mabbutt the famous footballer who was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 18 but went on to become a living legend and ambassador to British sport has been invited to attend.

CRC has earned a formidable reputation providing university research facilities. The ISLET suite is the first of three Clean Room Construction facilities under construction for the University of Oxford.