Imperial and Agilent renew partnership for flagship analytical science facility

Imperial and Agilent Technologies have announced the extension of their partnership to support advanced analytical science.

The Agilent Measurement Suite, a flagship facility at Imperial’s Molecular Sciences Research Hub, is supporting researchers across Imperial, the White City startup community, and collaborators from further afield.

It is equipped with equipment provided by the US-based instrument manufacturer to help researchers developing products such as new medicines and materials to accelerate their research and development.

The facility, which provides researchers with tools to analyse the composition of molecules and cells, has already helped advance projects such as the development of new polymeric pacemaker leads and nanoparticles for drug delivery, and to identify adulterants in herbal remedies.

Supporting innovation

The Suite’s operating model means that researchers and companies from Imperial and beyond can access the equipment and receive support from specialists to use it themselves, assisted by Agilent’s devices incorporating digital technologies that make them increasingly powerful for data analysis.

Agilent recognizes the strategic importance of academic institutions such as Imperial. We fully support their mission to produce highly skilled scientists, who will encounter rapidly changing priorities and new scientific challenges in this post-pandemic world. Maria Angeles Diaz Vice President and General Manager of EMEAI Sales at Agilent

The Suite has given researchers from academia and industry access to equipment that they do not have in their own labs and has helped them to test out workflows before raising the funds needed to purchase their own equipment.

Positioned at the heart of the emerging White City Innovation District, home not only to Imperial but also dozens of life sciences startups and large organisations such as Novartis, L’Oreal, and NATO, the Suite has hosted hundreds of researchers and thousands of visitors.

Its ongoing success is allowing Agilent and Imperial to continue jointly supporting a growing community of innovators, and it is now easier than ever to access for the research and industry community with an expanded operation and expert support team.

Industry partnership

“This represents the ideal of a strategic partnership. It is one we hope to continue and grow to deliver ever more benefits to Imperial, Agilent, the academic and private research community, and all those who benefit from work in the Suite,” said Professor Richard Craster, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Imperial.

“Agilent recognizes the strategic importance of academic institutions such as Imperial. We fully support their mission to produce highly skilled scientists, who will encounter rapidly changing priorities and new scientific challenges in this post-pandemic world,” said Maria Angeles Diaz, vice president and general manager of EMEAI Sales at Agilent.

“The Agilent Measurement Suite addresses research into emerging trends such as sustainability, green energy, and alternative proteins by providing world-leading analytical tools and workflow capabilities. This helps to fulfil Agilent’s mission in making a real difference to humankind, delivering trusted answers, and bringing great science to life.”

Photo at top: Professor Marina Kuimova and Professor Tony Cass, the deputy director and director of the Agilent Measurement Suite, welcomed visitors to the Suite this week.