LONDON — The United Kingdom is committing more than £160 million in public funding to two major research institutions as it seeks to strengthen capabilities in life sciences, medical technology and advanced materials.
UK Research and Innovation announced that the Rosalind Franklin Institute and the Henry Royce Institute will share just over £160 million over the next five years.
The investment is being provided through the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and is intended to support equipment, infrastructure and research programmes with applications ranging from human health to advanced industrial materials.
At the Rosalind Franklin Institute, researchers use advanced imaging and biological technologies to examine processes inside cells in exceptional detail. New research equipment is expected to support closer investigation of cellular structures and diseases.
The Henry Royce Institute operates as the UK's national institute for advanced materials research and innovation. Its work spans areas including new materials, manufacturing, energy technologies and applications that could contribute to lighter, stronger and more efficient products.
Facilities associated with the two institutes are centred at Harwell in Oxfordshire and Manchester, while their research networks extend across universities and industrial partners.
The investment also reflects a wider UK policy objective of translating publicly supported scientific research into practical technologies, industrial applications, investment and skilled employment.
Britain maintains an extensive university and research base, and policymakers increasingly emphasise the importance of connecting laboratory discoveries with commercial and societal applications.