£ 13 Mill Boost Aime Means to make Birmingham Membran Research Hub – Lab News

The Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology (DSIT) has provided support of 6.1 million pounds, with another £ 7.1 million in co -financing comes from partners led by Science Card and Bruntwood Scitech.

Memetic develops biomimetic polymer membranes for water filtration, with sectors, including blood dialysis and wastewater purification.

The project is managed by the leading professor of training of Aime and industry Alan Godard of the School of Biological Sciences of the Institution and Aime Marketing ands Comms leading Dr. Matt Derry (both in the photo) from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology.

Their work will cope with the challenge of more effective separation of water molecules imitating biological techniques that have developed proteins that sit in the membranes and transport a specific molecule in them.

Memetic incorporates biological carriers into sustainable plastic membranes to create “bio -infused” membranes capable of removing antibiotics, heavy metals and nutrients from water in one step. Membrans can also restore resources, including phosphate and lithium.

State funding was activated by the Catalyst (RVC) program of Research Ventures to enable new ideas to be transformed into usable technology, but with a requirement to match external investment.

The long -term investment period aims to allow the project team to hire researchers, including biologists, scientists and material engineers, to absorb the membrane technology from the laboratory to the industrial scale. Over the next seven years, the team aims to turn Birmingham into a hub for membrane research in the UK, supported by Aime’s work.

Bruntwood Scitech will provide workspace and access to business and other networks. An Electronic Money Research Science Card, which uses profit to fund research-will help sign research and development and technology platform.

In addition, Midlands Mindforge, the capital investment company, co-founded by eight scientific and intensive University of Midlands, including Aston, will provide support and skills tips.