Virology Research Services' Michela Mazzon (left) and Chiara Mencarelli (right)

Virology Research Services chooses Discovery Park as it relocates London team

A leading virus-focused consultancy and experimental service provider working to accelerate vaccine and virus research efforts has relocated its laboratory and consultancy services to Discovery Park in Kent. 

Virology Research Services, founded in 2017 by Michela Mazzon and Chiara Mencarelli, provides high-level testing and analysis services to industry and academia. The business began with the founders providing testing services to small biotech and to the academic community and has grown from there to a team of seven.

Virology Research Services now provides a range of services to support the work of scientists in pharma, industry, and academia, supporting vaccine development and antiviral drug discovery.

The business selected Discovery Park as its new home thanks to access to high quality laboratories which meet its need for high-containment infrastructures for use with multiple viral systems.

It has attracted a significant number of new clients and a wider portfolio of experiments and services. It requires state-of-the-art facilities to enable it to carry out research for start-ups to multi-national companies. Virology Research Services has taken a CAT2 laboratory and is planning to open a specialist CAT3 facility to allow it to work with higher-risk biological agents and hazards.

Focusing on the what the future holds, Michela Mazzon, co-founder and Joint Managing Director, said: “The need for space and specialist facilities to grow the business made the move a necessity. We needed to be somewhere that could accommodate our future business plans.

“A real driver of our decision was being part of an ambitious and thriving life sciences community.”  

Chiara Mencarelli, Managing Director, added: “Discovery Park has a focus on collaboration. We are keen to work closely with other scientists and personnel involved in the life science ecosystem to share knowledge, expertise, and identify solutions to today’s most pressing problems.

“Discovery Park is an ideal fit for companies like us seeking collaboration, networking, and access to support services. We are keen to give our growing staff the opportunity to network and feel part of a wider science community in the UK.”    

Being based at Discovery Park gives the partners the opportunity to consider programmes to help support them to scale-up and develop their business model. The team can also take advantage of the recently announced Skills Hub at Discovery Park, which will support the growing team at Virology Research Services and encourage highly qualified candidates to enter the sector.

Mayer Schreiber, CEO at Discovery Park, said: “We have a thriving list of tenants creating a huge talent pool and opportunity for all the businesses that locate here. 

“The team at Virology Research Services is a welcome addition to our science community. We are confident they will go from strength to strength. They will be able to support their impressive list of clients and have the space to grow and strengthen their connections within the collaborative environment we provide. 

Discovery Park has witnessed a surge in demand for laboratory space due to the lack of available facilities in London and the Golden Triangle.