Waters Cambridge Biopharma Seminar 2026

Returning to Babraham Research Campus to bring together the Cambridge biopharma community

Following the success of previous Waters events at Babraham Research Campus, we are delighted to return to one of Europe's leading biotechnology hubs for a day of scientific discussion, innovation and networking.

This seminar will bring together scientists from biotech, pharmaceutical, CDMO, CRO and academic organisations across the Cambridge cluster to explore emerging analytical challenges and solutions for today's complex biotherapeutic pipelines. Through expert presentations, real-world case studies and opportunities to network with peers and Waters specialists, attendees will gain practical insights into the technologies shaping the future of biopharmaceutical development.

Place: 

• Babraham Hall
• Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom

Why Attend?

Join us to:

• Discover new approaches for the analysis and characterisation of complex biotherapeutics
• Learn how analytical strategies are evolving alongside bioconjugates and other emerging modalities
• Understand the latest thinking around particle characterisation and regulatory readiness
• Explore advanced technologies including MALS, DLS, LC-MS and modern bioseparation workflows
• See how the latest Empower™ software innovations can support analytical productivity and confidence
• Connect with fellow scientists from across the Cambridge life sciences ecosystem

This is not just a seminar, but an opportunity to engage with colleagues facing similar analytical challenges across development, manufacturing and quality organisations.

Supporting the Cambridge Biopharma Community

Cambridge is home to one of the world's most vibrant life science ecosystems, with leading biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical innovators, CDMOs and academic institutions driving advances in next-generation medicines.

By returning to Babraham Research Campus, Waters aims to provide a forum where scientists can share experiences, discuss emerging analytical challenges and build new connections across the local biopharmaceutical community.

Whether your focus is analytical development, formulation, process development, manufacturing or quality control, this event is designed to encourage conversation, collaboration and learning.

Agenda

09:00 GMT Registration open

09:30 GMT Welcome

09:40 GMT What's New in Biopharmaceutical Analytics: Emerging Technologies and Workflows from Waters

Biopharmaceutical pipelines continue to evolve towards increasingly complex molecules and modalities. This presentation highlights recent innovations across the Waters portfolio, showcasing new analytical capabilities that support characterization, development and manufacturing of next-generation therapeutics.

• Nick Pittman (Senior Principal, Global Biopharma Marketing, Waters Corporation)

10:15 GMT From Global Dynamics to Single-Residue Insight: Applications of HDX-MS and Collision-Induced Unfolding

• Melissa Coxhead (Senior Scientist, Analytics and Developability, AstraZeneca)

10:45 GMT Break

11:00 GMT Native SEC–ESI–QToF Workflows for Next-Generation Modalities

Traditional fragment identification workflows typically rely on multiple orthogonal assays with lengthy run times and extensive data processing, creating bottlenecks in discovery and development decision-making.

This talk introduces a universal SEC–Native–ESI–QToF–MS workflow that preserves native architecture, resolves size variants, and delivers high-quality spectra with improved signal-to-noise and reduced ionisation bias versus denatured LC–MS. In a single assay, the method identifies major fragment species — including  non-covalent complexes — profiles high-molecular-weight species, and enables relative quantification.

Case studies illustrate how consolidating multiple workflows into a single native MS platform provides near-physiological insight into activation and stability behaviour, expanding the analytical toolbox for characterising complex modern biotherapeutics.

• Isla Walker (Scientist BPD rotational programme, AstraZeneca)

11:30 GMT Preparing for the Future: Analytical Strategies for Emerging Regulatory Expectations in Particle Characterization

As regulatory expectations for subvisible particle characterization continue to evolve, analytical laboratories require tools that provide a deeper understanding of particle populations. This presentation explores emerging guidance, current industry challenges and how Backgrounded Membrane Imaging (BMI) can complement existing methods to deliver enhanced morphological insight. Attendees will learn how advanced particle characterization strategies can support product quality, comparability studies and regulatory readiness.

• Paul Dyer (Principal Market Applications Specialist, Waters Corporation) 

12:00 GMT Lunch

13:00 GMT Analytical Characterization of Bioconjugates: From ADCs to Oligonucleotide-Conjugated Therapeutics

Innovative bioconjugates such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates (AOCs) and peptide-oligonucleotide conjugates (POCs) are introducing new analytical challenges across development and manufacturing.

This presentation will discuss analytical approaches for assessing conjugation efficiency, heterogeneity, purity and stability using complementary chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques. Application examples will illustrate how integrated workflows can accelerate characterization and improve confidence in product quality.

• Nick Pittman (Senior Principal, Global Biopharma Marketing, Waters Corporation)

13:45 GMT Seeing Beyond Size: Light-Scattering Approaches for Advanced Biotherapeutic Characterization

Light-scattering technologies provide orthogonal information that complements traditional chromatographic analysis. Through selected biopharmaceutical case studies, this presentation will demonstrate how MALS and DLS can be used to assess molecular weight, aggregation and higher-order structure across a range of therapeutic modalities.

The session will highlight opportunities to improve confidence in critical development decisions through enhanced molecular characterization.

• Kevin Jackson (Principal Market Application Specialist, Waters Corporation)

14:15 GMT Break

14:30 GMT Advancing Biopharmaceutical Analysis with the Latest Innovations in Empower™ Software

This presentation highlights recent Empower™ software advancements including AI integration and new detector compatibility, that simplifies data processing, improves analytical confidence and supports complex characterization workflows.

• Ben Wilkes (Principal Biologics Market Development Manager, Waters Corporation)

15:00 GMT Modern Bioseparations for Emerging Biotherapeutic Modalities

Analytical separations remain at the heart of biotherapeutic characterization, but new modalities are creating increasingly complex analytical challenges. This presentation explores recent advances in biochromatography and column technology designed to improve resolution, robustness and information content across biologics workflows. Examples will demonstrate how modern separation strategies can enhance characterization from early development through quality control.

• James Stratta (Principal Chemistry Account Manager, Waters Corporation)

15:30 GMT Close