National Institute for Biological Standards and Control

The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) is a global leader in the field of biological standardisation. It is a centre of the UK Health Protection Agency (HPA). It is responsible for developing and producing over 90% of the biological international standards in use around the world. The Institute is the UK's Official Medicines Control Laboratory (OMCL), responsible for testing of biological medicines within the framework of the European Union. It is also the UK's main research centre in the field of pandemic flu. It is situated just east of junction 23 of the M25. Half of the building is in Ridge, and the eastern half is in the parish of South Mimms.

History
The NIBSC began work in May 1972. The National Biological Standards Board was formed in 1975 at the NIMR in Mill Hill. A site was selected and the new £25m building opened in 1987, although it was officially opened in 1988. It has 4,500 square metres of laboratories. NIBSC employs around 300 staff, 200 of whom are scientists.

In February 2008, it featured in a thirty minute programme on BBC Radio 4 in the Secret Science two-part series (the other programme was about the Health Protection Agency's Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response at Porton Down).

In April 2009, NIBSC became centre of the UK Health Protection Agency (HPA)

Function
It produces over 90% of the WHO's International Standards for substances such as antibiotics, enzymes, antibodies and hormones, and methods such as blood transfusions. These standards form a vital part of global health efforts and pharmaceutical research, and over 10,000 standards a month are shipped worldwide. It is the UK's Official Medicines Control Laboratory.

Facilities
New buildings for the UK Stem Cell Bank (which has been on the site since May 19, 2004 and was Europe's first stem cell bank) and Influenza Resource Centre are to be built on the site in a £12m development by Morgan Ashurst, being opened in December 2009.

Video clips

 * BBC May 2009

News items

 * Genetic discovery in May 2009
 * Stem Cell Bank opens in May 2004
 * Stem Cell Bank announced in September 2002