More than a hundred new jobs could be created following the opening of a unique research laboratory in Reading.

Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL), which is a food and pharmaceutical contract research organisation, has announced the opening of its laboratory and analytics testing facility.

The organisation, which conducts research for clients in the food, healthcare, life science and consumer goods sectors is taking over The Knight building in the Whiteknights Campus.

RSSL has announced that to accompany the opening of the facility, it will be increasing its workforce from 350 to more than 500 over the next five years, which will double the number of scientists on its team.

Celebrating the announcement, Jacinta George, the managing director of RSSL said: “Our clients are at the forefront of innovation within their industries, working on projects ranging from sustainable food solutions to next-generation therapeutics.

“With this exciting new expansion, we will be able to continue supporting them to develop high-quality, safe products that meet complex regulatory requirements and consumer needs.

“By expanding RSSL’s capacity and capabilities, the addition of this new facility reinforces our commitment to science, innovation and collaboration and will enable us to meet evolving industry needs and drive vital progress across a diverse range of sectors.”

The Knight building which RSSL now occupies provides it with 26,000 square foot of working laboratory space with new technical capabilities to complement its existing activities.

Reading Chronicle: The exterior of the RSSL lab at the University of Reading. Credit: RSSLThe exterior of the RSSL lab at the University of Reading. Credit: RSSL

The organisation boasts that it has over 3,000 clients across 60 countries all over the world.

Professor Parveen Yaqoob OBE, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, and pro-vice-chancellor for Research and Innovation, said: “For cutting-edge science to thrive, we need skilled people, world-class facilities, and a spirit of collaboration and discovery.

“These shared values are helping both the University of Reading and RSSL to grow from our shared Whiteknights campus, and we look forward to continuing our successful partnership into the future.”

The facility was opened on Tuesday, November 28.

The classes held by the university which were previously used for teaching in The Knight Building have been relocated to other locations on the Whiteknights Campus.