- Lord Vallance, the UK minister for science, innovation, research and nuclear, has officially opened a new £6.1m laboratory at Aston University
- The Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence (AIME) laboratory brings together chemistry, biology, physics and engineering research in one space
- During his visit to Birmingham, Lord Vallance also launched three regional projects receiving funding from the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund
Lord Vallance, the UK minister for science, innovation, research and nuclear, has opened a groundbreaking new £6.1m laboratory, funded by Aston University, for Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence (AIME).
AIME, launched in 2024 with a £10m award from Research England, is a globally unique, cross-disciplinary institute focussed on investigating novel membranes for use in applications as varied as drug discovery and water purification. The unique, 400 m2 laboratory, designed by Broadway Malyan, brings together chemistry, biology, physics and engineering research in one space, with a clear line of sight through the laboratory, fostering collaboration and removing both physical and scientific barriers.
The new laboratory houses 60 researchers, including eight research leads, nine independent AIME Fellows, their PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, technicians and visiting researchers. The laboratory has step-free access, height-adjustable workstations and fully integrated accessibility features. The different disciplines are zoned, with bioscience-focussed research at one end and chemical-related research at the other. Major equipment is positioned to ensure openness is maintained.
Lord Vallance’s visit to Aston University was part of a wider visit to Birmingham and the West Midlands, in which he launched three projects receiving a share of £50m for the West Midlands from the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF), which aims to help businesses develop and scale near to market products and services. Businesses operating in the high growth clusters of advanced manufacturing, health and life sciences, and creative technology can now submit expressions of interest (EOI) for research and development funding support from LIPF.
Aston University is one of the academic partners in LIPF projects in the West Midlands and interim Vice-Chancellor Professor Mike Caine attended a roundtable with Lord Vallance and other stakeholders to discuss how the West Midlands can build on its innovation strengths and use the LIPF to accelerate commercialisation and business growth. They also looked at the region’s priority clusters, including advanced manufacturing, health and life sciences, and creative and immersive technologies, and how public investment, university expertise, business capability and stronger local-national collaboration can help innovative firms scale, attract investment and bring new products and services to market.
Lord Vallance said:
"The opening of the AIME Laboratory is an important moment for the research expertise based here in Birmingham and for the wider UK science community - helping drive growth and delivering the innovations that will improve lives.
“The work being done on membranes has potential in areas ranging from water purification to new treatments for dementia. The West Midlands has a thriving science sector which puts it at the heart of the next wave of groundbreaking discoveries and economic growth in the region and the rest of the UK.”
Professor Roslyn Bill and Professor Paul Topham, directors of AIME, said:
"This facility transforms the way we do science. By bringing together researchers from across biology, chemistry, physics and engineering in a purpose-designed environment, we have created the conditions for ideas to be exchanged more freely, collaborations to develop more naturally and discoveries to be translated more rapidly into real-world impact. The laboratory itself is an active partner in the research it enables.
"We are honoured that the minister for science, innovation, research and nuclear has officially opened our laboratory. His presence recognises the importance of investing in world-class research infrastructure and sends a powerful signal about the value of interdisciplinary science in addressing some of society's greatest challenges. This facility establishes AIME as an international destination for membrane research and provides a blueprint for how thoughtfully designed research environments can accelerate scientific discovery and economic growth across the UK."
Professor Caine said:
“The West Midlands is one of the UK's great centres of innovation. Universities have a vital role to play in innovation. As a civic university, our mission is not simply to generate knowledge, but to ensure that knowledge drives shared prosperity to benefit the region and beyond.
“The continued support of government, investment in translational research infrastructure, and partnerships that connect discovery with application will be essential if the UK is to remain a global leader in innovation. These are areas where Aston stands ready to play its part and to work closely with government, industry and civic partners alike.”