CPI joins Quantum Sensor project
The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) is joining the Quantum Sensors project – to develop sensors for revolutionising quality assessment and battery grading in the manufacturing line.
The Quantum Sensors project is a collaboration between 11 partners in the supply chain to develop a pilot scale system capable of continuous end-of-line testing of battery cells using optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs).
The system will feature an array of OPMs, which act as quantum sensors to detect the small magnetic field given off by healthy lithium cells. This technique can be used to monitor the quality of battery cells on the production line in order to quickly reject faulty cells and provide detailed quality assurance.
Article by Adam Duckett
Steve Bagshaw chaired IChemE’s BioFutures Steering Committee
STEVE Bagshaw, a Fellow of IChemE, has been awarded a CBE in the New Year Honours List for his services to UK industry.
The CBE – or Commander of the Order of the British Empire – was awarded to Bagshaw for his services to the UK manufacturing and biotechnology sector. Bagshaw is Non-executive Chairman of contract development and manufacturing firm Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies and has been supporting the UK Government’s Vaccine Taskforce as an industrial advisor since April.
Bagshaw said: “It is meaningful that this recognition comes at a time when our UK and global biotechnology and manufacturing teams are working not only to develop and make the vaccines we all need but also the medicines, food, biochemicals, fuels and materials that will help us create a sustainable and healthy future for our planet.
Vaccine innovation in the UK: SMEs and national capabilities
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The UK Government is supporting the development of COVID-19 vaccines, including two innovative UK vaccine candidates. In this article, we describe the history of these candidates and introduce innovative small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and national capabilities that are working to combat the current pandemic and improve the UK’s vaccine capabilities in preparation for future outbreaks.
THE 2013-2016 West African Ebola outbreak prompted an evaluation of the UK Government’s response to infectious diseases with epidemic potential, which resulted in the creation of the UK Vaccine Network (UKVN). The UKVN is a £110m project that is part of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Global Health Security programme. It supports the development of new vaccines and vaccine technologies to tackle diseases that represent emergent epidemic threats, for the benefit of people in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC