Dr Michele Barbour, Senior Lecturer in Biomaterials at the dental school, has recently launched a new spin-out company with the support of the University’s Research and Enterprise Development (RED) Division. The company, Pertinax Pharma Ltd, will focus on the commercial applications of a sustained release chlorhexidine material that was developed in Michele’s group. The company were recently awarded a grant of £489000 by InnovateUK, the UK’s innovation agency. Michele said: “We believe this technology has a huge range of potential applications, but oral and dental applications are among our first priorities. We are looking forward to getting started with this InnovateUK grant, and will be recruiting our first full time staff members over the coming months”.