TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY BOARD
A total of 18 "green" projects are to receive more than £20 million in funding, of which the Technology Strategy Board will provide half, to aid development for new or improved sustainable products and processes. Listed below are details of the projects involving universities that have been made available.
Award winner: University of Leicester
Partners: Env-Aqua Solutions Ltd (lead), C-Tech Innovation Ltd, Ashton and Moore Ltd, Surface Engineering Association, Stainless Plating Ltd and G & P Batteries Ltd
Recovery of nickel from filter cake
Award winners: University of Bath and the University of Liverpool
Partners: Unilever R&D (UK Central Resources Ltd) (lead), The National Non-Food Crop Centre, Croda International plc and Rockwood Additives Ltd
Functional, renewable and sustainable hybrid (FR&SH) materials
Award winner: Loughborough University
Partners: Surface Transforms plc (lead), Faiveley Transport (Birkenhead) Ltd, Federal Mogul Friction Products Ltd, Bentley Motors Ltd and Alcon Components Ltd
Sustainable surface-engineered ceramic friction materials
Award winner: University of Exeter
Partners: Simpleware Ltd (lead), Delcam plc, 3T RPD Ltd, Crucible Industrial Design Ltd, EOS Electro Optical Systems Ltd and Plunkett Associates Ltd
Sustainable product development via design optimisation and additive manufacturing
Award winner: University of Leeds
Partners: Aestiva Ltd (lead), C-Tech Innovation Ltd, Madeira UK Ltd, Royal Mail Group Ltd, Mathias & Sons Ltd, GnoSys UK Ltd, J Sainsbury plc and Oxfam Activities Ltd/Oxfam Waste Saver
Rapid disassembly techniques to enable reuse of corporate clothing and upcycling of garment waste
Award winners: Bangor University, Glyndwr University and the University of Reading
Partners: Ken Wilkins Print Ltd, Marks & Spencer, Innovia Films, Young's Bluecrest Ltd, Germains Technology Group, Valueform Ltd and National Institute of Agricultural Botany
Sustainable technologies for chitosan and novel functional derivatives
Award winner: London Metropolitan University
Partners: Smithers Rapra Technology Ltd (lead), PJH Partnership Ltd, Martins Rubber Company Ltd, BD Technical Polymers, J Allcocks and Sons, Charles Lawrence International and Kingpin Tyres Ltd
Remould: development of a scalable industrial process for the continuous production of remouldable, revulcanisable rubber compound from end-of-life vulcanised rubber
Award winner: University of Sheffield
Partners: Tecvac Ltd (lead), National Physical Laboratory, Airbus UK Ltd, NMB-Minebea UK Ltd and Alstom Power
Coating substitution for reduced environmental impact
Award winner: University of Bristol
Partners: Unilever R&D (lead), Croda Europe Ltd and National Physical Laboratory
Sustainable detergents systems
Award winner: University of Nottingham
Partners: Aigis Blast Protection Ltd (lead), EPL Composite Solutions Ltd, Archimedes Polymer Technologies (UK) Ltd, MIRA Ltd, Crompton Mouldings Ltd and Anglo European Import Export Ltd
Sustainable high-energy absorbing lightweight material development
THE WELLCOME TRUST
The Wellcome Trust has awarded £30 million to seven new international and pan-African consortiums under its African institutions initiative. Each partnership will be led by an African institution, and aims to strengthen research capacity and tackle some of the world's deadliest diseases. Below is the list of all the consortiums along with the UK institutions that are involved.
Award winner: Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa
Director: Alex Ezeh, African Population and Health Research Centre, Nairobi, Kenya
Institution: University of Warwick
Award winner: One Health Initiative - African Research Consortium for Ecosystem and Population Health
Director: Bassirou Bonfoh, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Cote d'Ivoire
Institution: University of Glasgow
Award winner: One Medicine Africa - UK Research Capacity Development Partnership Programme for Infectious Diseases in Southern Africa
Director: Mark Rweyemamu, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania
Institutions: London International Development Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Royal Veterinary College
Award winner: Research Institute for Infectious Diseases of Poverty
Director: Margaret Gyapong, Dodowa Health Research Centre, Ghana Health Service
Institutions: Brunel University and the University of Cambridge
Award winner: Southern Africa Consortium for Research Excellence
Director: Newton Kumwenda, Malawi College of Medicine
Institutions: Barts and the London School of Medicine, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University College London and the University of Liverpool
Award winner: Strengthening Research Capacity in Environmental Health
Director: Esi Awuah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
Institutions: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the University of East Anglia
Award winner: Training Health Researchers into Vocational Excellence in East Africa
Director: Nelson Sewankambo, Makerere University, Uganda
Institutions: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the University of Cambridge
ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
Award winner: A.J. Bell
Institution: University of Leeds
Value: £886,858
Mobile energy-harvesting systems
Award winner: W. Wang
Institution: University of Surrey
Value: £115,288
Multi-modal blind source separation for robot audition
IN DETAIL
Award winner: University of Leeds
Partners: Bod Ayre Products Ltd (lead), Critical Processes Ltd, Independent Cosmetic Advice Ltd, Higgins Consultancy Ltd, DyeCat Ltd and The Body Shop International plc
Extraction, isolation and application of natural polyphenols, polysaccharides and pigments from British seaweeds for high-value applications.
This project intends to develop methods to extract natural compounds from British seaweed varieties and use them in new, high-value applications for skin and haircare. The seaweed farming and processing firm Bod Ayre Products is leading the scheme, in collaboration with Richard Blackburn (pictured) and Chris Rayner from the University of Leeds, plus five other small and medium-sized enterprises. The scheme aims to produce a range of hair colourants, haircare and skincare agents, creating significant opportunities for sustainable business.