Testing labs in Manor Side

AltaBioscience (formerly Alta Bioscience Ltd) is a specialist analytical and biochemical synthesis laboratory headquartered in Redditch, Worcestershire, United Kingdom, with a heritage dating to 1973. Founded at the University of Birmingham by Professor John Fox and a team of protein scientists, the company has built more than five decades of expertise in amino acid analysis, protein sequencing, and custom peptide synthesis. Originally focused on amino acid and carbohydrate analysis for academic research, AltaBioscience has expanded into a globally recognised contract laboratory serving pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food and beverage, dietary supplement, and academic clients worldwide. January 2023 marked the company's 50th anniversary, an achievement reflecting sustained excellence in biochemical analysis and synthesis services. Amino acid analysis is AltaBioscience's flagship analytical service and is fully accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 under UKAS schedule 2370. The laboratory employs an ion-exchange post-column ninhydrin detection method that separates and quantifies all 20 naturally occurring amino acids, along with a number of non-standard amino acids, delivering accurate results across a wide range of matrices. This approach is notably more specific than nitrogen-content methods such as Kjeldahl and Dumas, which cannot distinguish protein-derived nitrogen from non-protein nitrogenous sources and may therefore inflate reported protein values. AltaBioscience's amino acid analysis accommodates food, feed, beverages, dietary supplements, biopharmaceutical materials, and samples from GMP processes, and results are applied to protein content determination, nutritional labelling compliance, quality control of raw materials and finished products, formulation support, and regulatory submissions. Within the food and beverage sector, AltaBioscience has developed a specialist food testing capability covering protein content determination across all categories of food and drink, as well as dedicated alternative protein analysis services. With the rapid growth of plant-based, fermentation-derived, and novel protein ingredients, the laboratory provides amino acid composition profiling that supports manufacturers from early-stage R&D through to validation and regulatory submission. AltaBioscience's accredited method accurately characterises the full amino acid profile of insect protein, legume isolates, algae, fungi, and other emerging alternative protein sources, enabling accurate nutritional labelling, digestibility and bioavailability assessment, and formulation optimisation for alternative dairy, meat-substitute, and next-generation protein products. AltaBioscience is also UKAS-accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for N-terminal protein sequencing using Edman degradation, a classical automated method that chemically cleaves and identifies successive amino acid residues from the protein N-terminus. This service is used for identity confirmation of purified recombinant proteins, biopharmaceutical raw material characterisation, and academic investigation of protein structure. Complementing Edman sequencing, the laboratory offers MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Time-of-Flight) for protein and peptide identification, molecular weight confirmation, and detection of mass-shifted impurities such as truncations, deletions, and chemical modifications. Tryptic digest peptide fingerprinting by mass spectrometry provides additional capability for identifying unknown proteins and confirming the identity of biosimilars and recombinant proteins. Custom peptide synthesis is a major service pillar at AltaBioscience, covering everything from small research quantities of individual peptides through to large combinatorial libraries and high-density peptide microarrays. Each synthetic peptide batch is characterised by HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to verify purity and molecular weight before delivery. AltaBioscience has a particular specialisation in histone peptides, having collaborated with the original scientists who developed histone peptide assays, and regularly synthesises custom peptides from human histone H2a, H2b, H3, and H4 regions for use in epigenetics research, enzyme activity screening, reader-domain profiling, and drug discovery programmes. Episcan combinatorial peptide libraries and peptides immobilised on microarray slides for high-throughput screening are also available. Beyond proteins and peptides, AltaBioscience manufactures custom DNA oligonucleotides and primers of outstanding quality in a ready-to-use format for PCR, sequencing, and gene synthesis applications. The laboratory also produces custom polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, providing researchers and biopharmaceutical developers with a single integrated supplier for biochemical reagents alongside analytical testing. DNA–peptide conjugates represent an additional synthesis speciality, combining the laboratory's molecular expertise to generate conjugated molecules suited to immunological assays and diagnostics development. This breadth of in-house capability positions AltaBioscience as a fully integrated biochemical partner rather than a single-service provider. Quality at AltaBioscience is governed by a dual-certification framework that underpins client confidence globally. UKAS accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 (schedule 2370) applies to amino acid analysis and N-terminal protein sequencing, ensuring metrological traceability and analytical competence recognised by regulatory authorities and procurement teams worldwide. ISO 9001:2015 certification covers the broader quality management system encompassing peptide synthesis, DNA oligo production, antibody manufacture, protein characterisation services, and all supporting activities. The laboratory operates from purpose-built premises at Redditch, Worcestershire, to which it relocated from the University of Birmingham in 2018, providing controlled environments suited to GMP-adjacent analysis and high-purity synthesis work. With over 50 years of continuous operation, UKAS-accredited testing, and an international client base spanning academia, pharmaceuticals, and the food industry, AltaBioscience is a well-established and credible partner for organisations requiring reliable amino acid, protein, and peptide analytical services.