Second mega lab for Covid-19 testing opens in Alderley Park

A second mega-lab at Alderley Park has started testing thousands of patient samples for Covid-19.

The second Lighthouse Lab, in Alderley Park, is part of what is intended to be the biggest network of diagnostic testing facilities in the UK. The lab aims to help rapidly increase the UK’s capacity to test for coronavirus to above 10,000 samples every day.

The Lighthouse Labs are situated in Milton Keynes, Alderley Park Cheshire, and Glasgow. They have been created through a partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, the Medicines Discovery Catapult with UK Biocentre, and the University of Glasgow.

Teams of qualified volunteers from industry and academia are supporting the Lighthouse Labs to help them rapidly set up facilities with high capacities to test patient samples. More so, new drive-through testing sites are being opened to help fill the testing capacity the Lighthouse Labs can provide.  

Testing minister Lord Bethell said: “Our target to reach 100,000 coronavirus tests a day requires a national effort. It is truly humbling to see remarkable experts from across the country use their skills to rapidly scale up testing capacity, with people from all sectors including industry and academia working tirelessly each day. Today is a milestone moment, as we applaud the staff at Alderley Park, the country’s second mega-lab.  

I had the privilege of speaking personally to some of the exceptional staff that made the Lighthouse Lab project possible, but I want to extend my thanks to every single person doing their bit to help the country get through the coronavirus pandemic.”

National testing co-ordinator professor John Newton said: “Every day we take important steps to provide the testing capability the country needs to respond to this pandemic, as Lighthouse Labs increase their capacity and new drive-through testing sites are set up.

The Lighthouse Labs will be the biggest network of diagnostic testing facilities in British history. In unprecedented times, remarkable people across the country are achieving unprecedented things. Alderley Park will help to rapidly scale up testing thanks to its team of highly skilled staff working tireless around the clock.”