Two leading UK research institutes, The Rosalind Franklin Institute and Henry Royce Institute will share just over £160 million of public funding from the UK government through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) for the next five years, to develop new health tech and deepen understanding of advanced materials.
This funding – received from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) will help them build on their record of improving lives and driving growth.
To mark the announcement, Science Minister Chris McDonald unveiled a new one-of-a-kind microscope at the Rosalind Franklin Institute (pictured above). It will allow researchers to see inside gut cells in far greater detail than ever before. These insights will unlock new understanding of inflammatory bowel disease that could pave the way for new treatments for the one in 123 people living with the condition in the UK.
From using llama antibodies to help combat COVID-19 to lighter, more powerful batteries, these two institutes are turning brilliant science into real-world impact. Both were strongly recommended for continued funding after an independent review of their impact and the value they add to the research community.
Their world-leading facilities anchored at Harwell in Didcot and Manchester will provide new equipment and infrastructure for scientists, industry partners and businesses across the country. The funding supports the government’s 10-year industrial strategy ambition of translating UK research into jobs, new investment and economic growth in every part of the country.
The Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) microscope, unveiled by the Minister, operates at 10 times the resolution of conventional light microscopy. Whereas a normal microscope shows the outer shapes of a cell, the STED microscope lets researchers see the fine structures and layers inside it. The research team will use it to see how cells in the gut and other surfaces in the body behave when healthy versus when affected by disease. Their new insights will help advance knowledge of chronic conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and gastric cancer.
This work builds on the Rosalind Franklin Institute‘s pioneering research in next-generation imaging, engineering, biology and diagnostics, which will benefit from a new £67.7 million investment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Franklin team demonstrated their expertise when they found that tiny antibodies from llamas and alpacas, known as nanobodies, were capable of neutralising SARS-CoV-2 infections. They proved their effectiveness in an animal model when administered as a nasal spray.
Executive Director for the Strategy Directorate at the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (UKRI), Dr Kedar Pandya, said: “The Rosalind Franklin Institute and Henry Royce Institute have a proven track record of turning public investment into research that advances knowledge, improves lives and drives growth. This continued funding from UKRI builds on that success. It will give researchers the tools and resources to answer some of the biggest questions in the health and advanced materials industries, keeping the UK at the forefront of global science and engineering.”