HighRes® Selected by Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine to Power Groundbreaking £20 Million Robotic AI Laboratories for Infection Innovation
April 28, 2025 – Beverly, MA – HighRes® Biosolutions, the global leader in lab automation, is proud to announce its selection as the automation partner for the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and the Infection Innovation Consortium: iiCON in the development of a major new research facility designed to transform infection R&D.
Transforming Infectious Disease Research
The new £20 million robotic and AI-driven laboratories—a strategic project supported by £10m from the Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Investment Zone—will house state-of-the-art containment and research capabilities to tackle some of the world’s most pressing infectious diseases.
Equipped with high-containment category three labs and best-in-class robotic systems, the facility will enable iiCON to expand its:
- Pioneering Organoids Platform
- Bio-Actives Library
Research will focus on growing human organoids from respiratory and lung tissues, studying infection dynamics, and accelerating discovery of new antimicrobial therapies.
Supporting Global Innovation
This facility will boost industry-led innovation, enabling faster product development and making advanced infection R&D capabilities more accessible to companies globally.
Organoid-based research offers novel ways to shape treatments and address complex infectious diseases. The Bio-Actives Library supports discovery for organizations of all sizes, driving the next generation of novel therapies.
HighRes: The Automation Partner of Choice
HighRes was selected through a competitive tender for its ability to deliver scalable automation for complex biological workflows. Their expertise includes:
- 3D cell culture
- High-content imaging
- Flow cytometry
- RNA/DNA extraction
- qPCR assays
“We are honored to partner with LSTM and iiCON on this visionary project,” said Ira Hoffman, CEO of HighRes Biosolutions. “Their global health impact is profound. HighRes is committed to enabling the rapid development of infection models, drug discovery, and health innovations.”
Empowering a Global Health Mission
LSTM’s research mission spans maternal health, TB, malaria, HIV, and other infections. The new labs will accelerate development of therapeutics, vaccines, and diagnostics for a wide range of diseases.
iiCON is led by LSTM in collaboration with:
- LifeArc
- Unilever
- Evotec
- Liverpool University Hospitals Foundation Trust
- University of Liverpool
- Infex Therapeutics
Launched in 2020, iiCON has worked with over 800 companies and helped bring more than 36 products to market.
A Regional and Global Catalyst
HighRes’ automation will enable high-throughput pathogen assays and advanced infection modeling. This boosts commercialization efforts and supports a broader industry base.
The initiative aligns with the Liverpool City Region’s goal to lead in health and life sciences. Supported by the Life Sciences Investment Zone, the project aims to create 8,000 jobs and attract £800 million in investment. Additional support comes from UKRI’s Expanding Excellence in England (E3) fund and the Wolfson Foundation.
Looking Ahead
The labs are expected to open within two years, providing state-of-the-art capabilities to researchers and organizations around the world. HighRes will deliver modular automation systems designed to evolve with research needs.
About HighRes® Biosolutions
HighRes Biosolutions® builds robotic systems and laboratory devices used by pharma, biotech, and synthetic biology labs worldwide. Its modular automation enables rapid scaling, flexibility, and innovation. Learn more at highresbio.com.
Press Contact
HighRes Biosolutions
Thomas Rawlins, VP, Marketing
+1 (508) 212-4881
trawlins@highresbio.com