Translational Bioscience

Bioscience: Translational Assay Platforms for Smarter Drug Discovery

We design and deliver robust, decision-ready biological assays, from target engagement to phenotypic models, giving you the clarity to move your programme forward with confidence.

Content Index

Overview
Bioscience: where we help
Capabilities & offerings
What you can achieve
Explore related services
In our own words
Dedicated bioscience technical platform
FAQs

Quick filter:

Drug discovery programmes often stall due to assays that fail to translate, inaccurate data, or slow iteration cycles create uncertainty, wasted funds, and missed opportunities.

Our bioscience team brings 80+ years of combined assay development experience across multiple target classes and therapeutic areas.

By integrating directly with chemistry, we generate rapid, robust, and actionable data that accelerates your hit-to-lead and lead optimisation decisions.

Talk to us about your bioscience needs

Bioscience: Where We Help

Discovery & Candidate Selection
Target Engagement
Translational Assays
Design-Make-Test-Select
Direct-to-Biology
Data Integration & Insight

Discovery & Candidate Selection

A suite of target-relevant cell-based assays and screening cascades designed to define efficacy, mechanism of action, and selectivity and establish proof of concept early on.

Target Engagement

Biochemical and live-cell assays confirm binding, mode of action, and on-target potency — translating molecular activity into biological understanding with precision.

Translational Assays

Physiologically relevant models, from 2D/3D cultures to iPSC and primary cell systems, to predict in vivo outcomes and generate data that de-risk development.

Design-Make-Test-Select

Integrated chemistry–biology workflows connecting synthesis, screening, and interpretation to speed up discovery through iterative learning and confident, data-driven decisions.

Direct-to-Biology

Our direct-to-biology approach bypasses purification bottlenecks to enable rapid testing of crude reaction products to speed up hit identification and structure–activity insight.

Data Integration & Insight

We transform raw assay outputs into clear, actionable insight. Through data visualisation, comparative analysis, and expert interpretation, we help you understand what your results mean and what to do next.

Robust biology doesn’t just generate data; it guides smarter, faster decisions.

Capabilities & Offerings

Design-Make-Test-Analyse

Iterative chemistry-biology cycle for efficient candidate optimisation and rapid data generation

Functional Cell-Based and Phenotypic Assays

Efficacy, mechanism of action (MoA), toxicity, and selectivity assays in disease relevant cells

Target Engagement

Real-time, quantitative assays to confirm binding & drive confident progression decisions using recombinant isolated proteins and in live cell systems

Primary Cell Access

Donor panel for normal human blood for inflammatory and immunology-based targets. Animal and human hepatocytes

Complex Modalities

Bespoke assay development for oligos, peptides, degraders, and conjugates

Translational Assays

3D spheroids, primary cells, iPSCs, immune assays, ex vivo biomarker analysis

What You Can Achieve

Shorter timelines

Rapid and iterative design-make-test cycles that keep chemistry moving

Scalable automation

Liquid handling and high throughput platforms to automate and accelerate your therapeutic screening programmes at scale

Robust Assays

Rapid, flexible execution of fit-for-purpose assay design

Smarter candidate selection

Robust screening cascades and integrated data from multiple assays drive confident decision making with conclusive and clear data at every stage

Tailored, Collaborative Solutions

Collaboration between our bioscience, chemistry, and purification teams ensures every programme bespoke, integrated, and designed entirely around your molecule

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Integrated Capabilities

Science That Connects Chemistry and Biology

Bioscience at CatSci doesn’t operate in isolation. It’s embedded within a fully connected ecosystem — linking chemistry, analytics, and process development to deliver translational insight that drives smarter, faster decisions.

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bioscience scientist looking into a microscope

Our integrated approach helps partners rapidly advance from concept to clinic. My focus is on delivering high-quality, robust, actionable data that enables faster decision-making.

Kathy Dodgson

Technical Director, Bioscience

Dedicated Bioscience Technical Platform

Real-Time Insight – Sartorius
Incucyte™ SX5

Live-cell imaging for kinetic, phenotypic, and mechanistic assays, delivering real-time data on cell behaviour and response.

Advanced Assay Platforms – Multimodal Plate Readers & CLARIOstar Plus

Multiplexed absorbance, fluorescence, and luminescence detection for TR-FRET, AlphaLISA, and NanoBRET assays in living cells.

Flow Cytometry – Attune™ NxT

High-throughput, multiparametric cell analysis in 96- or 384-well formats for detailed phenotypic and functional characterisation.

Protein Quantification – Protein Simple Jess™

Automated Western blot providing rapid, reproducible protein measurement in cell lysates and ex-vivo tissues.

Translational Models – 2D/3D Culture & iPSC Systems

Versatile mammalian cell, iPSC-derived, and co-culture models that replicate in-vivo conditions for translational relevance.

High-Throughput Capability – Liquid Handling Platforms

Automated Multidrop Pico 8, Integra Assist Plus, Viaflow 96 & 384 systems ensure precision, reproducibility, and speed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What translational bioscience services does CatSci offer?

CatSci provides translational bioscience services that connect chemistry and biology to drive smarter drug discovery. Our capabilities include target-engagement, functional, and phenotypic assays; 3D and primary-cell translational models; and Direct-to-Biology (D2B) screening. Each programme delivers validated, decision-ready data to accelerate hit-to-lead and lead optimisation.

How does CatSci’s Direct-to-Biology platform accelerate discovery?

CatSci’s Direct-to-Biology platform enables crude reaction products to be screened directly in biological assays without purification. This shortens hit-to-lead cycles, conserves materials, and provides earlier insight into activity and liability. Compatible with biochemical and cell-based assays, D2B dramatically increases efficiency and speeds up candidate identification, and provides early insight into targeted protein degradation.

How does CatSci ensure the quality and reproducibility of bioscience data?

Quality and reproducibility are built into every CatSci bioscience programme. We apply validated methods, statistical robustness, and stringent QC controls aligned with regulatory expectations. Our integrated chemistry-biology workflows, automated platforms, and audit-ready documentation ensure that all translational bioscience services deliver reliable, defensible results.

What is the Design-Make-Test-Select workflow?

CatSci’s DMTS workflow integrates chemistry, purification, and bioscience to bridge the gap between discovery and development. It’s a connected, iterative process that links molecule design, synthesis, testing, and data analysis — enabling faster learning and smarter decision-making. By combining synthetic chemistry with advanced biological assays, we generate translational data that predict real-world performance, de-risking candidate selection and accelerating progress toward IND readiness.