QMUL EPSRC Core Equipment Bid

Lead Research Organisation: Queen Mary University of London
Department Name: Research Support Services

Abstract

Investment in our world-leading, state-of-the-art facilities will maintain our research competitiveness in many subject areas including antennas for the future generation of wireless communications, biomaterials and in vitro models for drug tests unblocking the drug discovery pipeline and minimising the need for animals in efficacy and toxicity testing. Our materials chemistry research will be enhanced with this key investment so that future emerging materials will be developed in the area of single molecular imaging, cost effective DNA sequencing, organic materials for optoelectronics and waste recycling for energy storage in future circular economy.

Planned Impact

The investment into our World-Class labs will have a direct impact on individual researchers, wider research community, both in academia and industry, wider training and skills development, technology development in new innovation supporting the UK economy.

A. Knowledge - Further scientific advancement in the fields of antenna related research, material research and physical-chemical properties of both biological and non-biological materials; industry-linked, research in the multidisciplinary areas of organ-on-a-chip and lab-on-a-chip technology and the development of novel biomaterials; synthetic and materials chemistry.

B. People - Skills development and training of staff, early career researchers and PhD students with highly valuable skills for industry, next generation of research leaders and innovators. Our academic staff, research fellows and PhD students will benefit through this core equipment investment, both in terms of specific lab skills but also in team working and project management and will be expected to play an active role in interacting with stakeholders.

C. Society - Societal impacts in wireless communications technologies, personalised healthcare and disease management, and energy generation to enhance quality of life and health. Due to the fact that this bid will support the development of core facilities for the national interest, we expect there to be significant press interest and we will work with the QMUL press office to ensure wide dissemination. We will ensure that the technicalities are translated into an accessible format for use in media including podcasts, conferences and webpages. QMUL has a 'Communications and Outreach Committee', who coordinates talks at technical institutions, colleges and schools and in the local community. Other partners undertake similar activities in their areas.

D. Economy - Enhanced engagement with industry, and translational industry-linked activity to support relevant UK industry sectors. The combination of expertise at QMUL on antennas and electromagnetics, material design and fabrications brings together a powerful approach for materials discovery and research. Such an approach sources innovation from both industry and academia, bringing market knowledge and technical/research innovation expertise to the table through our long-standing industrial collaborators. Combining world-leading researchers with unique facilities to provide technical assurance, test and evaluation and training services, underpinned by long-term partnerships, this project has the potential to reinforce the UK's competitiveness in the field of RF/Microwave devices, materials chemistry and biomedical engineering. Impact will be demonstrated by transitioning the technology into new products to create revenue across the wider UK supply chain.

Publications

10 25 50