By Ben Kerrigan-
United Kingdom’s world-renowned science facility, the Diamond Light Source in Harwell, Oxfordshire, is set to undergo a transformative £519 million upgrade.
Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan made the announcement, emphasizing the facility’s vital contributions to global health challenges, including the development of Covid drugs, and various scientific fields, ranging from energy research to art and history.
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The Diamond Light Source is the UK’s national synchrotron, often described as a “giant microscope.” It produces light ten billion times brighter than the sun, which is then directed into specialized laboratories called beamlines. These beamlines facilitate research across diverse scientific domains, making it a beacon of scientific innovation.
The facility’s capabilities far surpass those of traditional microscopes, offering 10,000 times more power and precision. It has been instrumental in achieving groundbreaking health discoveries, studying historical artifacts like fragments of ancient paintings and fossils, and finding solutions to extend the life of machinery such as engines and turbine blades.
Funding for the Future
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The significant £519 million investment, provided by the government through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Wellcome Trust, will fund the Diamond-II upgrade. This project is expected to conclude in 2030 and will include the construction of an even brighter synchrotron machine, the addition of new flagship beamlines, and critical beamline upgrades.
This state-of-the-art synchrotron will not only accelerate drug development but also provide real-time insights for advanced manufacturing and contribute to research on next-generation batteries.
Transforming Health and Prosperity
Michelle Donelan, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, emphasized the profound impact of the Diamond Light Source on scientific achievements. She acknowledged that the facility had played a pivotal role in Covid drug development and other critical health advancements, demonstrating its ability to transform health and prosperity.
Wellcome Trust Support
Cheryl Moore, Chief Research Programmes Officer at Wellcome, commended the UK government’s investment in Diamond Light Source. She highlighted the facility’s role in enabling generations of researchers to push boundaries, collaborate across disciplines, and make transformative discoveries in health and beyond. The Wellcome Trust has been a longstanding supporter of Diamond Light Source and is committed to continuing this partnership.
Economic and Social Impact
The Diamond Light Source has already had a substantial impact on the UK’s economic and social landscape. Hosting over 220 UK-based companies and serving as a hub for scientific research, it has generated estimated economic and social benefits of at least £2.6 billion. The return on the £1.4 billion public investment to date is undeniable, with patents citing Diamond publications collectively valued over £10 billion.
A Global Scientific Powerhouse
The UK’s continued investment in cutting-edge research infrastructure like Diamond-II reinforces its position as a global scientific powerhouse. Professor Mark Thomson, Executive Chair of the Science and Technology Facilities Council and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Champion for Infrastructure, emphasized the importance of providing researchers with the tools to work at the cutting edge.
The upgrade ensures that talented researchers and innovators have the resources they need to make significant breakthroughs across various disciplines, from structural biology to advanced materials and battery technologies.
The Diamond Light Source upgrade underscores the UK’s commitment to advancing science and technology, fostering innovation, and addressing pressing global challenges. As the facility evolves, it will undoubtedly continue to drive scientific discovery, create jobs, and contribute to the country’s economic growth.
The new 4th generation synchrotron will support Diamond’s ever-growing userbase of researchers while maintaining the UK’s reputation as a world leader in cutting edge science.
Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary, Michelle Donelan, said:
Our national synchrotron may fly under the radar as we go about our daily lives, but it has been crucial to some of the most defining discoveries in recent history – from kickstarting Covid drug development that allowed us to protect millions to advancing treatment for HIV.
Our investment will ensure one of the most pioneering scientific facilities in the world continues to advance discoveries that transform our health and prosperity, while creating jobs, growing the UK economy and ensuring our country remains a scientific powerhouse.
The upgrade is expected to conclude in 2030 and will involve construction of a new, even brighter synchrotron machine, with new flagship beamlines and critical beamline upgrades.
This is expected to, among many other capabilities, accelerate drug development, offer real-time insights that will further advanced manufacturing and enable further study into improving the performance of next-generation batteries.
Chief Research Programmes Officer at Wellcome, Cheryl Moore, said:
Diamond Light Source is an example of how investment in critical research infrastructure leads to scientific innovation. Over the past two decades, it has enabled generations of researchers to explore scientific questions that push boundaries, collaborate across disciplines, develop new technologies and make new discoveries to advance health that could not have been pursued elsewhere.
We are pleased to see the UK government invest in this outstanding research facility, reaffirming the UK’s role as a world leader in science and technology. Wellcome has been a proud supporter of Diamond Light Source since its formation and we’re delighted to continue this partnership, ensuring researchers have the resources needed to transform our understanding of life, health and wellbeing.
Exchequer Secretary Gareth Davies said:
We have the largest life sciences sector in Europe, producing a Covid vaccine that saved six million lives – this pioneering piece of technology is a key part of that success.
This is a sector that will continue to receive our backing – driving discovery, creating good jobs and helping grow the UK economy.
Research conducted at Diamond Light Source in 2020 helped determine the atomic structure of key drug targets of SARS‑CoV‑2 – the virus responsible for COVID-19 – and contributed to understanding the vaccine that saved lives and allowed the UK to safely reopen.
It has also made major contributions to the development of Covid treatments, helped understand the efficacy of the COVID vaccine and advanced treatment for many diseases from HIV to cancer.
In addition, the synchrotron has huge impact on the physical sciences, helping to discover new materials for the electronic and renewable industries as well as developing technology directly contributing to the Net Zero agenda.
Diamond’s research facility is currently growing, hosting over 220 UK-based companies and more than 14,000 scientists have used it since operations began in 2007. Its economic and social impacts are estimated to be worth at least £2.6 billion, showing a significant return on the £1.4 billion public investment to date. Patents citing Diamond publications are collectively valued over £10 billion.
Executive Chair of the Science and Technology Facilities Council and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Champion for Infrastructure, Professor Mark Thomson, said:
‘The UK is home to incredibly talented researchers, but this alone is not sufficient to stay at the forefront of globally competitive science.
‘It is essential that we also invest in world-class research infrastructure programmes that provide our researchers with the necessary tools to work at the cutting edge.
‘This investment in Diamond-II will play a crucial role in cementing the UK’s place as a Science Superpower and provide our talented researchers and innovators with the best opportunities to make major breakthroughs across a wide range of disciplines from structural biology to advance materials and battery technologies.’
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