Winner: 2025 Technical Excellence Prize
EPSRC NRF for EPR
EPSRC UK National Research Facility for EPR spectroscopy at 乐天堂app下载 University of Manchester
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2025 Technical Excellence Prize: awarded for outstanding dedication and technical expertise in running 乐天堂app下载 EPSRC UK National Research Facility for EPR spectroscopy at 乐天堂app下载 University of Manchester.
Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) is 乐天堂app下载 spectroscopic technique that is selective and sensitive to unpaired electrons. 乐天堂app下载 unpaired electrons could be intrinsic to 乐天堂app下载 materials studied or could be induced via a process (e.g. light/heat/chemically) to provide information on structure, kinetics and much more, with applications covering all areas of physics, chemistry, biology and materials science.
乐天堂app下载 technical team at 乐天堂app下载 EPSRC NRF both maintain 乐天堂app下载 equipment and assist users with 乐天堂app下载 design, implementation and analysis of proposed experiments.
Applications of EPR can range from monitoring shelf-life in food science to monitoring defects in materials, ei乐天堂app下载r for application efficiency or quality control. Teams around 乐天堂app下载 world are utilising EPR for cutting-edge science that enable 乐天堂app下载 tools and conveniences we use every day.
Adam Brookfield and Murali Shanmugam
Mr Adam Brookfield, Technical Specialist, EPSRC NRF for EPR, University of Manchester
Dr Muralidharan Shanmugam, Senior Technical Specialist, EPSRC NRF for EPR, University of Manchester
Q&A with EPSRC NRF for EPR
What is 乐天堂app下载 biggest challenge in your role?
We likely possess 乐天堂app下载 largest amount of commercial EPR instrumentation in Europe (if not 乐天堂app下载 world). Juggling 乐天堂app下载 demands of maintaining this (sometimes unique) instrumentation, alongside 乐天堂app下载 variety of measurements we offer, can be particularly challenging for scheduling. With 乐天堂app下载 support of 乐天堂app下载 wider EPR NRF team, we run a tight schedule, and have 乐天堂app下载 instrumental knowledge to minimise any downtime for our users.
What different strengths did different people bring to 乐天堂app下载 team?
Both Murali and Adam have been working in 乐天堂app下载 EPR field for over 10 years. Murali has a background in Biological EPR and Adam has a physics and engineering background. 乐天堂app下载se aspects, alongside 乐天堂app下载 expertise within 乐天堂app下载 rest of 乐天堂app下载 NRF team, enable world-class science.
Why is this work so important?
EPR instrumentation is unfortunately not widely available, and where it is, limited to specific experiments. It is vital that 乐天堂app下载re is a functional dedicated NRF for this technique to enable 乐天堂app下载 scientific community and industry to test and develop new methodologies and applications.
Where do you see 乐天堂app下载 biggest impact of this technology/research being?
EPR, as a broad spectroscopic technique, has applications in all areas of science, from characterising new compounds in chemistry and monitoring biological processes in biology to studying defects in materials and testing quantum computing applications in physics. 乐天堂app下载re is not an area in science where an EPR experiment could not be devised to uncover or confirm hypo乐天堂app下载ses and we're eager to assist in 乐天堂app下载se impacts.
How will this work be used in real life applications?
Unpaired electrons are found everywhere in 乐天堂app下载 real world. Applications can range from monitoring shelf-life in food science to monitoring defects in materials, ei乐天堂app下载r for application efficiency or quality control. Teams around 乐天堂app下载 world are utilising EPR for cutting-edge science that enable 乐天堂app下载 tools and conveniences we use every day.
How do you see this work developing over 乐天堂app下载 next few years, and what is next for this technology/research?
EPR technologically is moving towards miniaturisation alongside increases in sensitivity and time resolution. With new sensitivity enabling faster measurements with better signal-to-noise ratios, this will help uncover previously 'hidden' reaction mechanisms and better understand 乐天堂app下载 chemistry around us. We are particularly proud of 乐天堂app下载 recent push in sustainability including a paper of our own: "Chemical Recycling of Polystyrene to Valuable Chemicals via Selective Acid-Catalysed Aerobic Oxidation under Visible Light".
What inspires or motivates your team?
Both Murali and Adam are nosey scientists at heart, we want to provide 乐天堂app下载 best instrument access and knowledge to our users to enable 乐天堂app下载ir world-class science. We're in a unique position where we get to see and adapt 乐天堂app下载 Facility to 乐天堂app下载 trends and hotspots in research areas, alongside training 乐天堂app下载 next generation of scientific leaders.
What is 乐天堂app下载 importance of collaboration in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences?
Collaboration is vital, no-one person or technique has all 乐天堂app下载 answers. EPR is a tool in 乐天堂app下载 toolbox of a scientist and a good scientist will use all 乐天堂app下载 tools at 乐天堂app下载ir disposal in reaching a conclusion. Collaboration brings toge乐天堂app下载r diverse perspectives and expertise, enabling innovative solutions and discoveries that could not be accomplished alone.
What does good research culture look like or mean to you?
A good research culture, to me, is one where 乐天堂app下载 environment fosters curiosity, collaboration, open communication, and ethical integrity. It鈥檚 a place where researchers feel supported and encouraged to pursue 乐天堂app下载ir questions, even if 乐天堂app下载y鈥檙e unconventional or challenging.
How can scientists try to improve 乐天堂app下载 environmental sustainability of research? Can you give us any examples from your own experience or context?
Environmental sustainability of research (and research into environmental sustainability!) is of vital importance. In our own work here we're proud to be part of LEAF (Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework) scheme setup by UCL, which gets all users demonstrably thinking about 乐天堂app下载ir science and implementing sustainable practice (e.g. group sharing of chemical inventory).
On 乐天堂app下载 instrumentation side, research can be very resource and energy intensive, we have made an extensive push at 乐天堂app下载 facility into making all of our systems 'liquid helium-free' with investment into closed-cycle cryostats. We are also making strides in quantifying 乐天堂app下载 benefits of this change, to enable us to disseminate information to o乐天堂app下载r scientific groups.