Advanced Drug Development a Reality with UK's Most Powerful Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility

UK researchers are gaining new insights into vital high tech engineering materials and novel pharmaceuticals due to the creation of the UK's most powerful nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) device for solids now sited in a national research facility.

The new UK 850 MHz Solid-State NMR Facility at the University of Warwick's (UK) Center for Magnetic Resonance was launched in the University's Millburn House on October 28, 2010. It is a national facility open to a large range of researchers across the United Kingdom and has been made possible by the award of a GBP 3.7 million grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC; Swindon, Wiltshire, UK) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC; Swindon, Wiltshire, UK).

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 (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.”

Prof. 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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University of Warwick
UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council