Impact UK Location: Macclesfield

REF impact found 3 Case Studies

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Expressed hERG potassium channel bioassays in mammalian cell lines to evaluate safety and efficacy of new drugs

Summary of the impact

All new drugs are required to undergo cardiac safety testing to avoid dangerous side effects on contractility and excitability. Of particular concern is the risk of developing a lethal arrhythmia from inhibition of hERG (human Ether-à-go-go-Related Gene) potassium channels. The Bristol laboratory of Professor Hancox and colleagues demonstrated the utility of hERG-transfected mammalian cell lines for investigation of hERG-related effects and risk. Now most drug discovery programmes utilise hERG screens as part of an integrated assessment of cardiac risk (as recommended by the FDA and MHRA). Second, their work linked hERG inhibition to cardiac risk for certain psychotropics (and other agents) that have been either withdrawn or now carry warnings as to their cardiac safety.

Submitting Institution

University of Bristol

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Physical Sciences: Other Physical Sciences
Medical and Health Sciences: Cardiorespiratory Medicine and Haematology, Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Identities Empowered? Creative Writing, Production, Technology

Summary of the impact

For Joe Stretch creative writing, widely conceived, is both the key research output and the practice that generates impact. Through award-winning writing in a range of media, he seeks critically to interrogate new modes of identity and empowerment that new forms of media production and communication technology claim to offer by engaging a range of reading, listening and viewing audiences. Wide-ranging and innovative dissemination has led to local, national and international impacts on the imaginations and sensibilities of those audiences, especially among a younger demographic. Impacts within the creative and cultural sectors have been achieved through influence on the practices of other creative professionals.

Submitting Institution

Keele University

Unit of Assessment

English Language and Literature

Summary Impact Type

Cultural

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Creative Arts and Writing: Film, Television and Digital Media
Language, Communication and Culture: Cultural Studies, Literary Studies

Improving packaging machine design and manufacture for a reduced carbon footprint

Summary of the impact

Packaging is vital for sales and for product protection for all process industries, with the most widely used world-wide being board and film. For example, the grocery sector alone represents about 70% of the UK packaging market, with 10 million tonnes of packaging used each year.

Packaging materials are variable, which poses significant challenges in packaging machine design. A further challenge has arisen due to environmental legislation that requires the use of thinner, lighter weight materials. There is a need to meet these challenges since the size of the world market for packaging machinery is around €20bn, of which 2% is associated with the UK. Research at Bath has helped address these challenges in a number of inter-related areas:

  • Improved performance of an existing business: Research findings have enabled the creation of new tooling allowing lighter packaging material and reduced customer carbon footprint giving HayssenSandiacre incremental revenue in excess of $8M.
  • Improvement/changes in existing practices: Guidelines adopted and the provision of training has allowed AstraZeneca to report a 16% improvement in overall equipment effectiveness equating to savings of £1.1M pa.
  • New business activity: New test equipment, commercially available since 2008, and associated technical services have provided Smithers Pira and Hanatek with £200k of specialised test equipment sales.

Research has been undertaken in collaboration with industrial companies consisting mainly of SMEs, end users and research associations. Impact has been gained by embedding the results within the collaborating companies and by on-going use of the results by research associations.

Submitting Institution

University of Bath

Unit of Assessment

Aeronautical, Mechanical, Chemical and Manufacturing Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing
Engineering: Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering

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