Tay Cities Region finalists named for Scotland’s Life Sciences Awards 2026 -
Innovation, collaboration and tech are a winning combination for life sciences
Researchers, projects and spinouts in Dundee and a company with strong links to St Andrews have been named as finalists for the 2026 Scotland’s Life Sciences Awards. The awards recognise outstanding leadership, innovation and achievement across Scotland’s life sciences sector. This year’s submissions reflected the continued growth, ambition and impact of life sciences organisations and leaders across the country.
The nominees also show the positive benefits of cross-sector collaboration and design-led and enabling digital and tech platforms. These help researchers reimagine complex health systems by shifting the focus from isolated interventions to scalable, systemic solutions. Through data-driven experimentation, human-centred modelling and innovative production processes, they translate complex scientific insight into practical tools, services and infrastructures that support better decision-making and improved outcomes. Whether accelerating the development of treatments for rare diseases, redesigning vaccine manufacturing for global access, improving the predictability of drug safety, or visualising healthcare systems through interactive digital tools, each example shows how creative thinking and technology can make invisible systems visible. Together, they also reflect the Design HOPES ethos: using design, data and digital innovation to turn complexity into clarity and deliver meaningful social and health impact.
Entries were assessed by an independent judging panel drawn from across industry, academia and investment, with four Dundee-linked finalists announced by the award organisers. These are:
Rising Stars: Extraordinary Talent
Dr Andrew Woodland, CEO of Dundee spinouts Tay Therapeutics & Hawkhill Therapeutics
Wobble Genomics has strong links to Fife due to investment by St Andrews based, Eos Advisory which invests in and commercialises, science & technology, from local seed-stage to global scale, with a focus on improving life.
Innovation: Animal Health, Agritech, and Aquaculture
RHAPSEDA™ Animal Health, a spinout formed by Professor Helge Dorfmueller.
Ace Aquatec led by Nathan Pyne-Cartner.
Innovative Collaboration Award
PhaSER Biomedical (Dundee spinout led by Professor Roland Wolf) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
Sustainability Award
DesignHOPES (a Dundee-instigated collaboration developing sustainable design-led innovation for a green transformation of health services)
Dr Paul Davies, Vice-Principal of the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University, said, “Dundee has an excellent record of success at Scotland’s Life Sciences Awards and I am delighted to see another strong showing with so many nominees linked to the University.
“Dundee is one of the UK’s leading centres for life sciences and our researchers, graduates and spinouts are making a massive contribution to the health and wealth of Scotland,”
The Scotland’s Life Sciences Awards will take place on 12 March 2026 in Glasgow, alongside the inaugural Scotland’s Life Sciences Conference, bringing together senior leaders, innovators and stakeholders from across the sector.
A full list of finalists can be found here.