Our Science department, along with our Year 10 and Year 12 pupils/students, were very fortunate to welcome Steve Byard, Principal Research Fellow at Arcinova (a Quotient Sciences company) in Alnwick, into school today.
Steve spent the morning with us delivering a fascinating talk about the comprehensive range of specialist services involved in early-stage drug development. His engaging session sparked discussion among pupils, particularly around the use and effectiveness of everyday non‑prescription medicines (including the group favourite… Calpol!).
Pupils also explored the idea of unmet medical needs, identifying a wide range of diseases and disorders where further scientific and medical advancements are urgently required. Steve guided them through the journey of how new drugs are developed, from contract research to development and manufacturing, giving pupils a real insight into how scientific innovation becomes real‑world solutions.
He also shared real-life examples from microbiology projects, demonstrating how theories backed with research can directly contribute to breakthroughs that make a measurable difference to society.
A huge thank you to Steve and the team at Arcinova for giving up their time to inspire us and well done to our pupils for their enthusiasm, curiosity, and thoughtful questions throughout the morning.
