Dr. Tracy Brown

DR TRACY BROWN

Head of Life Sciences and Healthcare

What is your role at TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory?

I am Head of Life Sciences and Healthcare and am leading our organisation’s diversification into this area.

What is your academic/industrial background?

I have a BSc (Hons) in Immunology and Pharmacology from the University of Strathclyde and a PhD in Cardiovascular Pharmacology from Glasgow Caledonian University.

What are your main areas of expertise?

The application of flow metrology within the life sciences and healthcare sectors.

What are your current key projects and who are your key clients?

TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory is a partner in a consortium of European NMIs & DIs, hospitals and device manufacturers engaged in a three-year EURAMET/EMPIR project entitled Metrology for Drug Delivery II. It aims to reduce dosing errors of a range of drug delivery devices such as insulin pumps, which is important to enhance patient treatment and, ultimately, save lives.

We are also embarking upon a BEIS-funded project to develop standards relevant to the measurement of blood velocity using Doppler ultrasound. This collaboration with the University of Dundee will see the development of experimental and synthetic flow techniques to validate the measurement of blood flow in clinical and research applications. Standardising the use of medical imaging devices in this way will improve the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases through improved quantitative blood velocity measurement to improve objectivity in clinical decisions.

What most excites/interests you about working at TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory?

Being at the forefront of measurement innovations that have the potential to impact positively on patient quality of life is by far the most exciting and rewarding aspect of my role.

What future trends do you see developing in your area of work?

Beyond the clinical setting, we are also seeking to explore flow measurement needs within the pharmaceutical industry. Pharmaceutical companies are beginning to adopt continuous processes in the manufacture of medicines to realise cost, quality and environmental benefits over the traditional batch approach. By nature, the continuous manufacture of tablets and capsules requires inline, real-time quality control using process analytical technologies. However, work is needed to improve their measurement accuracy and standardisation to achieve the commercial benefits and deliver effective personalised medicines to patients faster. This will bring further opportunities for TÜV SÜD National Engineering Laboratory to help deliver flow measurement standardisation.