Dundee Biotech PhaSER Wins $2.7M Gates Foundation Grant
Scottish firm secures funding to advance infectious disease drug discovery using humanized mouse models.
1Grant for Infectious Diseases
Scottish biotech firm PhaSER Biomedical has secured a $2.7 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This two-year funding aims to accelerate the discovery of new treatments for global health challenges, specifically targeting diseases like tuberculosis and malaria. The award marks a significant continuation of their ongoing research partnership.
2Global Health Discovery Collaboratory
The grant renews PhaSER’s participation in the Gates Foundation’s Global Health Discovery Collaboratory. This program provides scientists worldwide with shared access to specialized laboratory tools and expertise. By leveraging PhaSER’s proprietary mouse models and deep knowledge of drug metabolism, the collaboration seeks to streamline the early stages of pharmaceutical development.
3Advancing the 8HUM Model
PhaSER utilizes the 8HUM mouse model, which carries human genes responsible for breaking down drugs. Standard mice often clear medications too quickly, leading to inaccurate test results. Research published in PNAS confirms that drugs behave in 8HUM mice much more similarly to how they function within the human patient population.
4History of Foundation Support
This new award follows a previous $2.3 million grant announced in 2024. During that initial period, researchers successfully applied the 8HUM model to studies involving tuberculosis, malaria, schistosomiasis, and Chagas disease. The consistent financial backing highlights the foundation's confidence in the utility of PhaSER’s humanized biological models for drug discovery.
5AI Tool Development Project
Beyond mouse models, PhaSER is developing HERALD, an AI-driven tool designed to predict harmful side effects in patients taking multiple medications simultaneously. This project involves collaboration with the University of Dundee and the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. In October 2025, the regulator confirmed government funding of £859,650.
6Strategic Leadership and Growth
PhaSER is actively expanding its team by hiring experts in artificial intelligence and computer modeling. The company recently appointed Richard Bickerton, a co-founder of the AI-focused drug discovery firm Exscientia, to its board of directors. These moves signal a strategic pivot toward integrating advanced computational methods with their biological testing platforms.
7Benefits for Drug Development
Founder Professor Roland Wolf emphasizes that humanized models provide relevant data that can rescue promising compounds and de-risk candidates. By identifying potential issues earlier in the development cycle, the company aims to save valuable time. CEO Chris Wardhaugh notes this evidence allows for better decision-making regarding which medicines to advance.
8Future Market Outlook
Founded in October 2022 by Professor Roland Wolf, PhaSER is currently in discussions with potential investors to support its continued growth. As the company scales its operations and refines its AI-driven HERALD tool, it remains focused on providing the pharmaceutical industry with more accurate, human-relevant data for future drug development.
Original article: The Next Web — Dundee Biotech PhaSER Wins $2.7M Gates Foundation Grant