UK researchers will gain new insights into vital high tech engineering materials and novel pharmaceuticals thanks to the creation of the UK’s most powerful NMR device for solids now sited in a national research facility in the University of Warwick’s Centre for Magnetic Resonance.

The new “UK 850 MHz Solid-State NMR Facility” was launched in the University of Warwick’s Millburn House on Thursday 28 October. It is a national facility open to a large range of researchers across the UK and has been made possible by the award of a £3.7m grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). It also received funding through the Birmingham Science City initiative supported by Advantage West Midlands (AWM) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The new facility was formally launched by David Delpy, the Chief Executive of EPSRC at a special event which was attended by researchers from all the main facility partners (the Universities of Warwick, Cambridge, Durham, Nottingham, Glasgow and St Andrews).

David Delpy said “The EPSRC are pleased to have supported the UK’s internationally leading research for over 15 years. NMR spectroscopy is a vital analytical tool science. It is a powerful technique that can provide detailed information on the topology, dynamics and three-dimensional structure of molecules in solution and the solid state.”

Professor Mark Smith Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Warwick said “This facility provides a significant leap in the capability available to the UK’s NMR spectroscopy researchers that allows us to compete with the very best in the world. This was possible through the coordinated efforts of a wide range of researchers and funders and is a model of such a partnership for developing such facilities for the UK in the future. It is certain to provide us with new insights into everything from potential new pharmaceuticals to innovate materials for the next generation of catalytic convertors.”

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