New chemistry consultancy pledges to connect industry with “world-class” research labs and experts

A new chemistry and chemical engineering consultancy has opened at the University of Southampton designed to give industry partners access to its “world-class” research labs and facilities.

It is being led by its scientists to support new pharmaceutical and chemical research, alongside work in sustainable energy, healthcare diagnostics, defence and advanced manufacturing.

Known as CChES (Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Services) , the consultancy is based at the university’s School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.

This boasts some of the UK’s most prestigious research-grade facilities, including its nuclear magnetic resonance, advanced Raman and infrared spectrometers, electron-beam and X-ray diffractometers.

CChES director Professor Sumeet Mahajan said: "This is a bold step in connecting Southampton’s world-class research and expertise with the needs of the industry.

“It's a powerful combination of academic excellence and industrial insight to offer consultancy, training, and access to some of the UK's most advanced equipment.

“By bridging this gap, we hope to become a catalyst for collaboration, discovery, and transformation.”

Access to world-class facilities

The University of Southampton is widely recognised as a world top 100 centre for research excellence and a founding member of the Russell Group.

It has significantly invested in its chemistry facilities, including a £12million outlay in its laboratories which opened at the start of the decade.

Clients can access key university assets including:

• Its magnetic resonance facility, which houses powerful spectrometers used to examine the structure and dynamics of molecules, supporting advanced research ranging from drug design to new materials.
• The X-Ray Diffraction facility, which uses powerful X-ray beams to scatter off crystals, providing an atomic "fingerprint" that reveals the arrangement of atoms in materials. This, said Prof Mahajan, is vital to analyse everything from new drugs to geological rock powders and semiconductor thin-film coatings.
• A cutting-edge National Electron Diffraction Facility, which uses a beam of electrons instead of X-rays to determine the 3D atomic structure of materials. This enables scientists to analyse nanocrystals too small for traditional methods and opens new research in fields like drug discovery, batteries and catalysts.
• A specialist glassblowing workshop, which can custom-make and repair scientific apparatus using materials like Pyrex and quartz.

Professor Mark Spearing , Vice-President (Research & Enterprise) at the University of Southampton, said: “The launch of CChES contributes to our ambitions as a world-changer in chemical research.

“Through CChES, industry can access the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering’s transformative expertise and exceptional facilities for design, discovery and analysis."

CChES is backed by the successful nC² Engineering Consultancy, also based at the University, to underpin the launch and provide expert advice to industry clients.

Find out more at cches.co.uk .