Jason is the Manager of the CK Science Stevenage office, as well as a Senior Recruitment Consultant for the Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology and Food industries. To find out more, please watch his short video below:
As reported by Pharmiweb, current research suggests that Vitamin D supplements may have wide-ranging anti-ageing properties including the preservation of eyesight. The research is still at an early stage however research scientists believe it could have important implications for human health. Boosting the intake of vitamin D may have broad anti-ageing effects and in particular help prevent loss of vision and blindness in older people.
During the research study middle-aged mice treated with the vitamin for six weeks underwent changes in their eyes that led to improved vision. Levels of amyloid beta, a toxic protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease and known to be a hallmark of ageing, were also reduced in the animals’ eyes and blood vessels.
Lead scientist Professor Glen Jeffery, from the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London, said: “Finding that amyloid deposits were reduced in the blood vessels of mice that had been given vitamin D supplements suggests that vitamin D could be useful in helping to prevent a range of age-related health problems, from deteriorating vision to heart disease.”
As reported in This is Money.co.uk, the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is planning on building it’s first new UK factory in 30 years. This will create 1,000 jobs.
As Andrew Witty, CEO of GSK explains, the plan comes are a result of tax breaks on innovation introduced by Chancellor George Osbourne, ‘Because of changes in the UK tax regime, it will be our intention to bring more activity to Britain and take advantage of the situation here and increase our contribution to Britain. If it [corporation tax] is going to come down over the next few years, it will attract us to pay more tax here.’
The global pharma are considering Cumbria, County Durham and two locations in Scotland for their new factory. A decision is expected to be made in May.
Nominate CK Science for the National Online Recruitment Awards (NORA’s) 2011!
Nominations are currently being received for the awards, a prestigious honour created to recognise and reward excellence in the recruitment industry.
This is something we always strive for; we go to great lengths in order to help those in the science industry to find a job, particularly with our website, catered towards the internet savvy candidate of today. We have daily updates of all the latest jobs, industry updates and weekly video content, as well as expanding our presence on social networking sites, meaning that we can have constant communication and feedback from you, the candidate.
If you believe CK Science deserves to be recognised at the NORA’s; click here or the banner above, it will be greatly appreciated!
Fiercepharma.com has reported that Roche is set to post “massive increase” in profits, according to an unnamed source.
On Thursday 21st July, Roche is expected to post profits margin increases that follow on from the 4% increase from 2010 throughout the first half of 2011.
Roche has been having to streamline the business; like many pharmaceutical companies have, meaning costs have been cut and some jobs have been lost, but the predicted increase should mean that Roche can balance out the costs and possibly be able to fill those jobs that have been lost in the next few years.
A science park in Runcorn is bidding to win Enterprise status and create thousands of jobs, reports runcornandwidnesworld.co.uk.
If the Daresbury Science and Innovation Park is granted this status, then it could generate up to 10,000 skilled jobs and lead to £150 million investment. Holton Council leader Clr Rob Polhill has said the status would “take Daresbury to the next level.”
Around 100 companies have offices, workshops and laboratories on the site, and the massive investment would mean that even more specialist office, lab and technical spaces would be developed. The site opened in 2006 and is a world class centre for cutting edge sciences and high-tech businesses.
Environmental chemists are much needed in most jobs, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry, reports ibnlive.com.
All industries need environmental officers to assess the effect the business has on the environment, and find ways to reduce that impact. The job essentially involves knowing the effects of chemicals (or whatever the business deals with) on the environment. For example, how can a pharmaceutical firm safely and effectively dispose of waste products or leftover stock?
Industries are taking a much more proactive role in environmental issues, so that the role of chemists is becoming prominent. Pharmaceutical, chemical and waste disposal industries all obviously need environmental chemists, but recently even IT firms are beginning to employ people to monitor their environmental impact. A solid grounding in chemistry is of great importance, and it is often recommended that those looking into such a role go on environmental courses.
Pharmaceutical companyPfizer’s decision to separate certain divisions could lead to a larger break up in order for further growth, including in employment, reports forbes.com.
The splitting of the animal health and baby formula businesses from the main company is the beginning of a process to unlock value within the company. Two other sectors will be kept in order to raise their value to $46 billion combined, though investors had hoped the company would split into five distinct divisions.
The two that have broken off were the obvious choices; the animal health business is worth nearly $4 billion so can stand on its own, and the nutrition side is the one that investors were most eager to see separate.
Though some investors may be disappointed that Pfizer hasn’t split all its divisions at once, it means that sectors that could not currently compete on their own have time to grow to the point where they can be world leaders in their own right, potentially creating a large number of jobs worldwide.
A £14 million deal has been agreed in which Lundbeck will sell their site, which they closed during the recession. TryggPharma’s vice president of engineering Peter Harper has said the company is “very impressed with the facility [as it has] easy to access from Norway, Europe and our customers around the world”.
The facility is expected to employ 25 people within 12 months and the company has said there is a “commitment to invest and expand into the future of Teeside”. The North East Process Industry Cluster chief executive Stan Higgins has said the re-opening of the site is “great news for Teeside and for the pharmaceutical sector in particular”.
Drugs giant Pfizer has announced it will retain 350 jobs in a pharmaceutical sciences operation, whilst still going forward with the planned reduction of the research and development facility in Sandwich, Kent, the Independent reports.
Pfizer hopes the retention of a presence on the site will encourage investors and support the current development of products, despite the loss of around 2,000 jobs at the site. The company will also be working in tandem with Kent County Council in order to encourage other businesses and investors to settle on the site.
Pfizer has a long relationship with Sandwich stretching over 50 years, with a variety of medical discoveries being made there, including that of Viagra.
