Trusted by 50+ Global Partners

Advancing Science
from Molecule
to Market

London's premier contract research organisation delivering end-to-end R&D services across pharmaceuticals, peptides, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics — backed by 17 scientists with deep domain expertise.

Start a Project Our Capabilities
17+
Research Scientists
50+
Global Clients
280+
Studies Completed
12yr
Track Record
Trusted by Industry Leaders
Oakwell Research Group Laboratory Facility
Est. 2014
London, United Kingdom
Who We Are

Where Scientific Rigour
Meets Commercial Ambition

Oakwell Research Group was founded in 2014 by Dr. Eleanor Whitfield, a former Imperial College research fellow, with a singular mission: to bridge the gap between academic-grade research and commercial product development.

Headquartered in a 12,000 sq ft purpose-built facility in Canary Wharf, London, our team of 17 multidisciplinary scientists serves as a seamless extension of your R&D department — delivering formulation development, stability testing, analytical method validation, and regulatory-ready documentation for pharma, nutraceutical, peptide therapeutics, and cosmetic innovators worldwide.

Our Philosophy

We believe every groundbreaking molecule deserves a clear path to market. That means not just running assays and writing reports, but understanding your commercial goals, regulatory landscape, and timeline pressures. We don't just generate data — we generate momentum.

MHRA & FDA regulatory familiarity
ISO 17025 accredited laboratory
GLP & GMP compliant processes
Average project turnaround: 8 weeks
Our Services

Four Verticals.
One Standard of Excellence.

From early-stage molecule screening to regulatory-ready dossiers, we cover the full R&D lifecycle across our core domains.

Pharmaceutical R&D

Pre-clinical through to Phase I-ready analytical and formulation support for novel small molecules, generics, and combination therapies.

  • Pre-formulation & compatibility studies
  • Analytical method development & validation
  • Forced degradation & impurity profiling
  • ICH stability studies (accelerated & long-term)
  • CTD Module 3 documentation

Peptide Therapeutics

Specialised research services for synthetic and recombinant peptides — from sequence characterisation to delivery system optimisation.

  • Peptide purity & identity analysis (HPLC, MS)
  • Aggregation & degradation pathway studies
  • Lyophilisation cycle development
  • Permeation & bioavailability screening
  • Cold-chain stability protocols

Nutraceutical Development

End-to-end R&D for dietary supplements, functional foods, and natural health products — with a focus on bioactivity and label-claim substantiation.

  • Bioactive ingredient characterisation
  • In-vitro dissolution & disintegration testing
  • Heavy metal & microbial limit screening
  • Shelf-life & packaging compatibility
  • EFSA / FSSAI / FDA claim support dossiers

Cosmetics & Personal Care

Regulatory-compliant testing and formulation optimisation for skincare, haircare, and colour cosmetics under EU, UK, and global frameworks.

  • Safety assessment (CPSR / EU 1223/2009)
  • Dermal irritation & sensitisation screening
  • SPF & UVA efficacy testing (in-vitro)
  • Preservative efficacy (challenge testing)
  • Claims substantiation & clinical trial design
Our Capabilities

State-of-the-Art Infrastructure

Our Canary Wharf facility houses advanced analytical instrumentation and dedicated formulation suites to handle the most complex R&D challenges.

01

Analytical Chemistry Suite

HPLC-UV/PDA, UPLC-MS/MS, GC-MS, ICP-OES, FTIR, DSC/TGA — fully validated and calibrated for pharma-grade analysis.

02

Formulation Development Lab

Equipped for solid, semi-solid, and liquid dosage forms including tablets, capsules, creams, gels, sprays, and lyophilised injectables.

03

Stability Chambers

12 walk-in and reach-in chambers covering ICH zones I–IVb, with 24/7 monitoring, data logging, and MHRA-audit-ready documentation.

04

Microbiology Lab

BSL-2 compliant microbiology facility for preservative efficacy testing, microbial limit testing, and environmental monitoring.

05

Peptide Characterisation

Dedicated peptide analysis suite with SEC-MALS, CD spectroscopy, and DLS for aggregation, secondary structure, and particle sizing.

06

Data & Regulatory Sciences

In-house regulatory affairs team experienced in MHRA, FDA, EFSA, and TGA submissions — from CTD compilation to CPSR authoring.

Our Facility

12,000 sq ft of Purpose-Built
Research Infrastructure

A tour through our Canary Wharf laboratory — designed for pharma-grade precision across analytical, formulation, and microbiological workstreams.

Main Analytical Laboratory

Analytical Chemistry Suite

HPLC, UPLC-MS/MS, GC-MS, ICP-OES, FTIR instrumentation

Formulation Development Lab

Formulation Lab

Solid, semi-solid & liquid dosage development

Stability Testing Chambers

Stability Chambers

12 ICH-compliant chambers, 24/7 monitoring

Microbiology BSL-2 Lab

Microbiology Lab

BSL-2 compliant, environmental monitoring

Peptide Sciences Suite

Peptide Sciences

SEC-MALS, CD spectroscopy, DLS analysis

Our Leadership

17 Scientists.
One Shared Standard.

Our senior leadership team brings together decades of experience from industry, academia, and regulatory bodies across the UK.

Dr. Eleanor Whitfield

Dr. Eleanor Whitfield

Founder & Chief Scientific Officer
PhD Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Imperial College London

18 years in pharmaceutical R&D. Former Senior Research Fellow at Imperial, with 42 peer-reviewed publications. Led analytical programmes for 3 EMA-approved generics before founding Oakwell in 2014.

Solid-State Chemistry Polymorphism ICH Guidelines
Dr. James Moncrieff

Dr. James Moncrieff

Head of Analytical Sciences
PhD Analytical Chemistry, University of Edinburgh

15 years specialising in HPLC/UPLC method development. Previously at AstraZeneca Macclesfield, where he validated 60+ analytical methods for oral solid dosage programmes across cardiovascular and metabolic portfolios.

HPLC/UPLC-MS Method Validation Impurity Profiling
Dr. Sana Patel

Dr. Sana Patel

Director, Formulation R&D
PhD Pharmaceutics, UCL School of Pharmacy

12 years in formulation science spanning oral, topical, and parenteral dosage forms. Expert in hot-melt extrusion and spray-drying for bioavailability enhancement. Previously led formulation at Catalent Swindon.

Oral Dosage Forms Bioavailability Scale-Up
Dr. Robert Hale

Dr. Robert Hale

Head of Peptide Sciences
PhD Biochemistry, University of Oxford

14 years in peptide and protein characterisation. Postdoctoral work at MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge. Specialist in aggregation kinetics, SEC-MALS, and lyophilisation cycle optimisation for peptide therapeutics.

Peptide Stability Lyophilisation SEC-MALS
Dr. Amara Lawson

Dr. Amara Lawson

Head of Regulatory Affairs
MSc Regulatory Science, King's College London

11 years in pharmaceutical regulatory affairs. Former MHRA assessor (2016–2020) with direct experience reviewing CTD dossiers. Has guided 30+ products through MHRA, FDA, and EFSA pathways for Oakwell clients.

MHRA/FDA CTD Dossiers EFSA Novel Foods
Dr. Thomas Nguyen

Dr. Thomas Nguyễn

Senior Microbiologist
PhD Microbiology, University of Manchester

10 years in pharmaceutical and cosmetic microbiology. Expert in preservative efficacy (EP/USP Challenge Test), environmental monitoring, and endotoxin testing. Previously at GSK Ware.

Preservative Efficacy Microbial Limits Sterility Assurance
Dr. Charlotte Fairbanks

Dr. Charlotte Fairbanks

Lead Cosmetics Scientist
PhD Dermatological Sciences, University of Leeds

9 years in cosmetics R&D and safety assessment. Qualified CPSR author under EU 1223/2009. Previously at Unilever R&D Port Sunlight. Specialist in claims substantiation and in-vitro SPF testing.

CPSR Authoring SPF Testing Claims Substantiation
Marcus Keane

Marcus Keane

Director of Operations
MBA, London Business School

13 years in life sciences operations. Former VP Operations at a mid-tier UK CRO. Manages Oakwell's client engagement, project scheduling, facility operations, and commercial partnerships across 50+ accounts.

Project Management Client Success Lab Operations
How We Work

From Brief to
Breakthrough

A structured, transparent engagement model designed to eliminate surprises and accelerate your programme timeline.

01

Discovery & Scoping

We start with a complimentary 60-minute consultation to understand your molecule, product goals, target market, and regulatory pathway. Within 5 business days, you receive a detailed scope of work and fixed-fee proposal.

02

Protocol Design & Alignment

Our scientific team drafts detailed study protocols, analytical specifications, and acceptance criteria — reviewed collaboratively with your team before a single experiment begins.

03

Execution & Live Tracking

Work progresses in our Canary Wharf facility with real-time progress visibility via our secure client portal. Fortnightly video updates and immediate alerts on any out-of-spec results.

04

Reporting & Regulatory Handoff

You receive audit-ready reports, validated data packages, and regulatory-formatted documentation (CTD, CPSR, EFSA dossier) — ready for direct submission to the relevant authority.

05

Ongoing Partnership

Post-project support including tech transfer assistance, manufacturing scale-up guidance, post-market stability monitoring, and priority scheduling for follow-on studies.

Client Testimonials

What Our Partners Say

Hear from pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetics companies that rely on Oakwell to accelerate their pipeline.

Featured Partner
"

Oakwell was instrumental in validating our Berberine HCL and KSM-66 Ashwagandha formulations for the Indian market. Their nutraceutical team understood not just the science but the FSSAI regulatory nuances — which saved us months. They've become our go-to research partner for every new SKU in the pipeline.

Gaurav Singh
Gaurav Singh Founder, The Proven Code (Nuvea Essentials)
"

Oakwell took our pre-formulation data from chaotic spreadsheets to a submission-ready CTD Module 3 in under 10 weeks. Their analytical rigour saved us at least two rounds of MHRA queries. An invaluable partner.

Dr. Raj Kapoor
Dr. Raj Kapoor VP R&D, Novara Pharmaceuticals
"

We needed a CRO that understood both the regulatory complexity and the speed demands of the peptide therapeutics space. Oakwell delivered stability data three weeks ahead of schedule without compromising on quality.

Hannah Bergström
Hannah Bergström CEO, Veridian Biosciences
Let's Collaborate

Ready to Move Your
Programme Forward?

Whether you're at the molecule screening stage or need to close out a stability programme, our team is ready to scope your project within 48 hours.

Request a Proposal Email Our Team
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Start a Conversation

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Visit Us

Oakwell Research Group
14 Westferry Road, Level 3
Canary Wharf, London E14 8AZ

Email

enquiries@oakwellresearch.co.uk
careers@oakwellresearch.co.uk

Call

+44 (0)20 7946 0321
Mon–Fri, 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM GMT

ISO 17025 Accredited
GLP Compliant
GMP Compliant
MHRA Recognised
ISO 9001:2015