X marks the science

The facility, which is funded by the EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council), will be home to some of the most sophisticated X-ray technology in the world.

The £1M enhancement includes new state of the art detector and X-ray technology supplied by leading manufacturers, Rigaku Corporation.

The newly-named Laboratory for Chemical Crystallography will be officially opened by Alex Slawin, Professor of Chemical Crystallography at the University. In attendance at the ribbon-cutting ceremony will be Dr Joseph Ferrara, Vice President of the X-ray Research Laboratory at Rigaku.

The lab, which will be used for research as well as the teaching of crystallography, will be directed by Professor Slawin. She said, “This is a world-leading facility which places St Andrews at the forefront of the field and enables us to compete with the very best in the world.”

The recently updated facility (in the Purdie Building on the North Haugh) will support a wide range of cutting-edge research.  Home to over 220 researchers from the School of Chemistry – and part of the EaSTCHEM research pool with a further 200 researchers based in Edinburgh – it will support research including new green chemistry, drug discovery and materials applications.

Combining expertise with Tokyo-based Rigaku, the facility is equipped with a number of state-of-the-art tools for X-ray Crystallography, including the most advanced X-ray generators, optics and Dectris detectors.

Rigaku’s Joseph Ferrara commented, “Rigaku is pleased to continue to be a partner in the development of the facility and looks forward to a long term relationship with St Andrews.”

ENDS

Note to editors:

Professor Alexandra Slawin is available for interview via [email protected] or 01334 46 7280.

Note to picture editors:

You are invited to the opening ceremony at the Purdie Building at 10am on Friday 11 April.

Visitors should report to Head of School Professor Derek Woollins, on arrival.

Issued by the Press Office, University of St Andrews

Contact Gayle Cook, Senior Communications Manager on 01334 467227 or email [email protected]

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