Our institution
Built to endure.
ASR Lab is a scientific institution, not a product company. We are organised around four reinforcing pillars and a commitment to advancing molecular science across our regions and beyond.
Mission & vision
Why ASR Lab exists.
Mission
To advance molecular science by building an enduring institution where computational reasoning, physical infrastructure, human capability, and shared knowledge compound together.
Vision
A world in which biology is understood computationally, discovery is explainable, and the capacity to do rigorous molecular science is distributed far more widely than it is today.
ASR Lab is not a product company with a mission statement. It is a scientific institution designed to exist and evolve over decades — organised around four pillars that reinforce one another.
We began in Lagos and built our operational headquarters in Manchester. That dual identity is deliberate: world-class computational science, and a commitment to building scientific capacity where it has too often been scarce.
What we value
Principles that govern how we work.
Evidence over hype
Scientific credibility matters more than marketing. We would rather be quietly correct than loudly impressive.
Reasoning over automation
Automation should follow understanding. We build systems that reason before they act.
Augmentation over replacement
The platform extends the judgement of scientists. It is an instrument, not a substitute.
Built to endure
We are architected as an institution intended to exist and evolve over decades, not quarters.
Timeline
From Lagos to a four-pillar institution.
- 2023
Founded in Lagos
ASR Lab is incorporated in Nigeria with a focus on computational reasoning for circular RNA.
- 2024
CIRRA begins
Development starts on CIRRA, our reasoning platform for evidence-grounded molecular discovery.
- 2025
Manchester headquarters
We establish our UK operational base while retaining our Nigerian registered origin.
- 2025
Four-pillar institution
ASR Lab formalises its structure around Discovery, Infrastructure, Capability, and Knowledge.
- Beyond
Scientific infrastructure
The long horizon: becoming enduring infrastructure for molecular science across our regions.
Leadership
The people behind the work.
A small, senior team of scientists and engineers building the institution deliberately.
Dr. Adaeze Okoro
Founder & Chief Scientist
Circular RNA biology, computational reasoning systems.
Dr. Marcus Bergström
Head of Machine Reasoning
Evidence aggregation, explainable inference over biological data.
Dr. Leena Varghese
Head of Transcriptomics
RNA sequencing, biomarker validation, wet-lab methodology.
Dr. Tomas Reyes
Principal Bioinformatician
Multi-omics pipelines, reproducible scientific computing.
Dr. Hannah Whitfield
Head of Platform Engineering
Secure infrastructure, data governance, scalable compute.
Dr. Kwame Mensah
Clinical Science Lead
Translational diagnostics, regulatory science.
Facilities
A deliberate dual identity.
World-class computational science, and a commitment to building scientific capacity where it has too often been scarce.
Manchester
United KingdomOperational headquarters
Our operational base for computational research, platform engineering, and European collaboration.
Lagos
NigeriaRegistered origin
Where ASR Lab began — anchoring our commitment to building scientific capacity across Africa.
Scientific philosophy
What we believe.
- 01Scientific progress depends upon reasoning.
- 02Reasoning depends upon evidence.
- 03Evidence should be transparent.
- 04AI should augment scientists rather than replace them.
- 05Biology should become increasingly computational.
- 06Automation should follow understanding.
- 07Every recommendation should be explainable.
- 08Scientific credibility is more important than marketing.
Partners
Who we work with.
We collaborate across academia, healthcare, industry, and government to advance molecular science and build regional capacity.
University research groups
Clinical transcriptomics centres
Public health institutions
Molecular diagnostics companies
Scientific funding bodies
Regional laboratory networks
Collaborative research
Joint programmes that pair CIRRA’s reasoning with a partner’s biological questions and data.
Institutional capability
Long-term programmes that build computational and laboratory capacity within an institution.
Infrastructure & procurement
Equipping laboratories and networks with the instruments and systems their science requires.