Manchester to Host £64 Million BP Research Centre


BP is to establish a £64 million international research centre to advance understanding and use of materials across a variety of oil and gas industrial applications at The University of Manchester.


The BP International Centre for Advanced Materials, or BP-ICAM will be modelled on a ‘hub and spoke’ structure, with the ‘hub’ located within The University of Manchester’s Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, which has core strengths in materials, engineering, characterisation, collaborative working, and a track record of delivering breakthrough research and engineering applications that can be deployed in the real world. The ‘spokes’ and other founder members, all world- class academic institutions, are the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, and the


University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.


The ten-year investment programme will fund research into advanced materials and is expected to support 25 new academic posts, along with 100 post- grad researchers and 80 postdoctoral fellows.


Bob Dudley, BP group Chief Executive, said: “Advanced materials and coatings will be vital in finding, producing and processing energy safely and efficiently in the years ahead, as energy producers work at unprecedented depths, pressures and temperatures, and as refineries, manufacturing plants and pipeline operators seek ever better ways to combat corrosion and deploy new materials to improve their operations.


“Manchester has world-leading capabilities and


facilities in materials and was chosen after a global search to act as the ‘hub’ of the centre, working with other world-class university departments. We look forward to deepening further the very productive partnership that already exists between our professionals in BP and the academic team at Manchester.”


BP’s Chief Scientist, Ellen Williams said: “We’re very excited by the vision of taking advanced tools that were developed for fundamental research to the real-world application of materials used for energy production. Our engagement with these four Universities demonstrates the importance both of research and of the innovation which can lead to advanced technologies.”


MORE INFO. 580 Divisional Directors Appointed at Keighley Labs


Keighley Laboratories, a leading company in the analysis, testing and heat treatment of metals, has appointed three of its long-serving managers to Divisional Directors, in recognition of their contribution to past performance and their key roles in future growth plans.


Together clocking up almost a hundred year’s work experience with the West Yorkshire firm, Michael Emmott becomes Divisional Commercial Director for the Heat Treatment Division, Matthew Mellor is now Divisional Technical Director responsible for the Technical Services Division, including the test house, machine shop and chemical laboratory, while David


Wright has been named Divisional Production Director for the Heat Treatment Division.


“We are entering an important new phase for the company, especially with the opening of our latest production facility this year, and these promotions were designed to help restructure the senior management team, to lead the company forward,” said MD Debbie Mellor. “By assuming greater responsibility, each new Divisional Director will have ownership of his respective area and the capacity to implement strategic changes, instigate further process improvements and ensure our continued market progress.”


BIA Launches Partnering Conference: BIA UK Bioscience Forum


The BioIndustry Association has launched a new UK-based partnering conference. The BIA UK Bioscience Forum, on 4 October, will offer a full conference with informative presentations and discussions on the key issues for the UK bioscience sector, a trade exhibition and networking opportunities alongside the partnering.


Steve Bates, BIA Chief Executive Officer, said: "Our UK Bioscience Forum will provide companies with a UK partnering event to help them build relationships, connect with potential partners and to develop their businesses. The Forum fills a gap in the UK bioscience calendar at the beginning of the last quarter of the year.


Keighley Labs' new Divisional Directors (left-right) David Wright, Michael Emmott and Matthew Mellor


MORE INFO. 581 Horizon Discovery Appoints Chief Fianancial Officer


Horizon Discovery Ltd, a leading provider of research tools to support the development of personalised medicines has appoined Richard Vellacott as Chief Financial Officer.


Richard has over 15 years’ experience in working with life science companies, from start-ups to global pharmaceuticals, and is a chartered accountant with a first class degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Durham. Prior to joining Horizon, Richard was Vice President, Finance at CSR plc, a listed hi-tech company with revenues of $1 billon.


During his time at CSR, Richard had worldwide responsibility for finance, making significant contributions to the transformational acquisition and integration of NASDAQ listed Zoran Corporation, product portfolio management, R&D budgeting and business investment / divestment decisions. Before this, Richard was a Director in Deloitte’s life sciences practice, where he specialised in capital market transactions including IPOs, M&A and fundraising on both the UK and the US markets.


Dr Darrin Disley, CEO of Horizon, commented: “I’m


delighted to welcome Richard to Horizon. As the company continues to expand, it is essential that we maintain a highly experienced executive team with the skills to deliver our growth objectives. Richard’s background is an ideal fit and I very much look forward to working with him.”


Richard commented: “I am extremely pleased to join Horizon at a time of significant opportunity for the company. I look forward to working with a highly talented team of people, to create value and deliver on our strategic ambitions.”


MORE INFO. 582


"The conference will provide delegates the opportunity to hear about the latest thinking in key areas for their businesses including finance, intellectual property, talent management and manufacturing. I look forward to seeing many companies there on what I am sure will be an interesting and thought-provoking day."


The keynote speakers at the UK Bioscience Forum are Keith Thompson, Chief Executive of the recently established Cell Therapy Catapult Centre, who will discuss his vision and plans for the centre and Professor Brian Smith who will offer his views on the future of the pharmaceutical industry. The conference will be followed by the long-established BIA Autumn Reception.


Nick Stephens, CEO, RSA, one of the Forum supporters, said: "The BIA UK Bioscience Forum provides a platform for the best and brightest UK companies to come together to exchange information and add value to each other's businesses. Its format encourages collaboration and its delegates create opportunities for success."


MORE INFO. 583


Obituary: Sir Bernard Lovell Sir Bernard Lovell OBE FRS died on 6th August 2012 at the age of 98.


Sir Bernard, Emeritus Professor of Radioastronomy, was the founder and first Director of The University of Manchester’s Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire.


Born in 1913 in Oldland Common, Gloucestershire, Sir Bernard studied at the University of Bristol before coming to Manchester to work in the Department of Physics in 1936. During the Second World War, Sir Bernard led the team that developed H2S radar, work for which he was later awarded the OBE.


Sir Bernard returned to the Manchester Physics Department in 1945 and began work on cosmic rays using ex-military radar equipment. He brought this equipment to a University botany site at Jodrell Bank in late 1945, founding the world-famous Observatory which now exists here.


Jodrell Bank is dominated by the 76-metre Lovell Telescope, conceived by Sir Bernard. He worked with engineer Sir Charles Husband to build the telescope which has become an icon of British science and engineering and a landmark in the Cheshire countryside.


A hugely ambitious project, the telescope was by far the world's largest when it was completed in 1957 and within days tracked the rocket that carried Sputnik 1 into orbit, marking the dawn of the space age. It is still the third largest steerable telescope in the world and a series of upgrades mean it is now more capable than ever, observing phenomena undreamt of when it was first conceived.


Today the Lovell Telescope plays a key role in world-leading research on pulsars, testing our understanding of extreme physics including Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity.


In 2011, Jodrell Bank Observatory was placed on the UK Government’s shortlist for World Heritage Site


status, recognising its unique role in the development of our understanding of the Universe.


The Observatory continues to play a major role in astronomical research. It is now home to the e-MERLIN array of seven radio telescopes spread across the UK. Later this year the international headquarters of the SKA Organisation will move to Jodrell Bank. The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will be the world’s largest telescope. Combining thousands of dishes and other receivers spread across thousands of kilometres, the SKA itself will be sited in Africa and Australia.


In person, Sir Bernard was warm and generous. He is survived by four of his five children, fourteen grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. He was an accomplished musician, and a keen cricketer, captain of the Chelford Cricket Club and past President of the Lancashire County Cricket Club. He was also renowned internationally for his passion for arboriculture, creating arboretums at both The Quinta and Jodrell Bank itself.


Sir Bernard Lovell OBE FRS Image Credit:Manchester University


Sir Bernard’s legacy is immense, extending from his wartime work to his pioneering contributions to radio astronomy and including his dedication to education and public engagement with scientific research. A great man, he will be sorely missed.


A Book of Condolence has been opened at the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre. There is also an online Book of Condolence for those not able to visit the Observatory in person.


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