In this episode of Enterprise Sessions from the University of Bristol, Professor Michele Barbour sits down with Professor Ash Toye and Professor Jan Frayne, two leading biochemists whose long‑standing research partnership has evolved into one of the UK’s most exciting biotechnology spin‑outs: Scarlet Therapeutics.

Together, Ash and Jan share the remarkable journey from academic collaboration to scientific breakthrough — and ultimately to founding a company built on the promise of lab‑grown and engineered red blood cells. What began as a quest to understand red blood cell development became a platform capable of producing universal donor cells, modelling rare diseases, and creating “blood as medicine” through engineered therapeutics.

This episode goes far beyond the science. Ash and Jan discuss the reality of spinning out a wet‑lab biotech, the commercial challenges, the importance of the right CEO, and the dynamics of co‑founding a company with a long‑term academic collaborator. They also speak candidly about funding frustrations, scientific obsession, conflict‑of‑interest tightropes, and the excitement of helping their postdocs become industry scientists.

🔍 In the episode:

Bristol as the UK’s “red blood cell corner”
Making red blood cells in the lab: from stem cells to clinical trials
The origins of Scarlet Therapeutics — and why the first idea “wasn’t enough”
Immortalised red blood cell lines and the role of CRISPR
Therapeutic blood: treating metabolic disorders using engineered cells
How to pick a CEO — and why neither founder wanted to be one
What happens when a US company beats you to your idea
The emotional rollercoaster of fundraising and venture capital
Navigating dual identities as academics and directors
The power of co‑founding: creativity, challenge and complementary personalities
What lab‑grown blood means for rare donor groups and transfusion medicine
How spin‑out life feeds inspiration back into academic research
Advice for researchers considering commercialisation or co‑founding

🌐 About the Enterprise Sessions

The Enterprise Sessions bring together a diverse mix of company founders and researchers who talk openly about their personal experiences of forming spinouts and start-ups, raising capital, academic-industry partnerships and the joys of translating research discoveries into real-world impact. The series aims to inform, inspire and challenge myths and stereotypes about research commercialisation and how businesses and universities can work together to tackle society’s biggest challenges.

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https://www.bristol.ac.uk/enterprise-sessions

Engineering Blood Cells | The Enterprise Sessions with Profs Ash Toye and Jan Frayne

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