Capital investment in chemistry laboratories

A £2 million capital investment has brought the University state-of-the-art facilities which include a 75 capacity chemistry laboratory and a fully-equipped analytical laboratory with new instrumentation for 40 students. The development was secured following the creation of a new School of Pharmacy at the University and will be used by students from the School of Pharmacy and the School of Life Sciences.

In his opening speech Martin O’Donoghue congratulated the University on opening such a fantastic facility describing it as a ‘showcase’ and saying: “These are the kind of labs that are necessary in today’s world. Future scientists can benefit from the training in the right facilities before they go on to the industrial world.”

He went on to explain just how heavily industry relies on the academic world for innovation and new product ideas.

Professor Tim Wilson, Vice-Chancellor of the University, said: “The Pharmaceutical Industry is really important to this region and within a 15 mile radius of the University of Hertfordshire is the largest cluster of pharmaceutical and pharmacological companies in Europe. We consider ourselves to be a part of that cluster.

“The University of Hertfordshire was born out of the Engineering and Science disciplines and will continue to invest in science whether this is generic or related to specific disciplines such as health.”

Many Pharmaceutical companies were represented at the event, including Glaxo Smith Klein, Merck Sharp Dohme and even representatives from Eisai, the Japanese company that recently announced the opening in Hatfield of its Strategic European Base (by 2008). The Local Health Trusts and many local schools were also in attendance, as were representatives from the Department of Health and the Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Association.