University of Liverpool Department of Chemistry Awarded Queen’s Anniversary Prize
The University of Liverpool’s Department of Chemistry has been awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its pioneering research and innovation work to address global challenges and benefit society.
The University of Liverpool is one of NBIC’s four lead research institutions and its involvement is through the Open Innovation Hub for Antimicrobial Surfaces (OPIHAS), which is led by Professor Rasmita Raval. The hub combines interdisciplinary surface and materials science expertise with advanced imaging techniques across the physical and life sciences.
The Queen’s Anniversary Prize is the highest national honour in Higher Education. It is awarded in recognition of world-class excellence and achievement to a small selection of UK institutions every two years.
Liverpool’s Department of Chemistry carries out world-leading research that pushes forward the frontiers of chemical sciences to tackle global challenges in critical areas such as low carbon energy, global health and sustainable manufacturing.
University of Liverpool Department of Chemistry attending the Queen’s Anniversary Award Dinner at the Guildhall, London, including NBIC Liverpool Co-Director Professor Rasmita Raval and NBIC IAB member Professor Su Varma.
OPIHAS Director and NBIC Liverpool Co-Director Professor Rasmita Raval said,
“Chemistry is often described as the ‘Central Science’, connecting Physical Sciences with Life Sciences. This ethos of working across disciplines and connecting academia with industry underpins the establishment of both OPIHAS and NBIC. The Queen’s Anniversary Prize is testament to the work and inspiration of many leaders in our department, and we are proud to have made a contribution to this collective effort.”
University of Liverpool Vice Chancellor Professor Tim Jones said,
“We are delighted that the University of Liverpool’s Department of Chemistry has been announced as a recipient of the Queen’s Anniversary Prize, a highly prestigious national honour that recognises exceptional work. The University has a truly global reputation for research excellence in chemistry and this award is a reflection of the quality of our research and innovation capabilities, the far-reaching impact of our work and the power of our partnerships as we work together to address current and future global challenges.”
With an outstanding track record for industrial and strategic collaborations, the impact of its research and innovation is felt on a regional, national and global scale.
Working across disciplines and with partners, surface scientists are at the forefront of developing new processes and technologies to address the urgent societal problem of increasing antimicrobial resistance, including the design of novel surfaces and materials to inhibit biofilms and the spread of infections.
Liverpool chemists are also leading the drive to develop the new materials that are urgently required to tackle climate change. Using machine learning, computer simulations, automation and robotics, they are revolutionising the design-based discovery of new functional materials with applications in manufacturing, clean energy, sustainable living and consumer products.
Expertise in nanotechnology and nanomedicine approaches is changing the global landscape of drug design and administration and has accelerated international efforts to make more effective and cheaper HIV therapies available to more patients.
The Department is also home to one of Europe’s leading academic groups focused on early-stage drug discovery for tropical infectious disease, discovering drug candidates for the treatment of malaria and filarial diseases.
Professor Karl Coleman, Dean of the University’s School of Physical Sciences, said,
“The Department of Chemistry conducts research that is nationally and internationally recognised for its innovation and distinctiveness. This prestigious prize is testament to the excellent achievements of our staff who work to extend the frontiers of knowledge within and beyond existing disciplines. Through collaborations with industrial and academic partners worldwide, we drive forward chemistry research that has a positive impact on society.”
Chemistry at Liverpool was ranked third in the UK for world leading (4*) impact in the last Research Excellence Framework (REF2021). It is the only chemistry department in the UK to be ranked within the top three institutions for impact across the last two REF exercises.
It is home to six specialist research and innovation centres that work with industry and other partners to deliver global impact and support regional economic growth. These are: The Materials Innovation Factory, the Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy, the Open Innovation Hub for Antimicrobial Surfaces, the Surface Science Research Centre, the Leverhulme Research Centre for Functional Materials Design and the Centre of Excellence for Long Acting Therapeutics.
Read the original news article on the University of Liverpool website.