​
Harwell Campus Oxford
  • About Harwell
    • Vision
    • History
    • Partner Organisations
    • Campus Map
  • Technology & Research
    • Technology & Research
    • Open Access Facilities
    • Space Cluster
    • HealthTec Cluster
    • EnergyTec Cluster
  • Locating to Harwell
    • Property at Harwell
    • Space for Growth
    • Business Support
    • Investment Support & Networking
    • Connect Harwell Nxt Gen
    • Location
  • Life on Campus
    • Life on Campus
    • Harwell Hub
  • Find an Organisation
    • Organisation List
  • News & Events
    • News
    • Events
    • Brochures
  • Contact Us
    • Information
    • Find Us
    • Team
  • About Harwell
    • Vision
    • History
    • Partner Organisations
    • Campus Map
  • Technology & Research
    • Technology & Research
    • Open Access Facilities
    • Space Cluster
    • HealthTec Cluster
    • EnergyTec Cluster
  • Locating to Harwell
    • Property at Harwell
    • Space for Growth
    • Business Support
    • Investment Support & Networking
    • Connect Harwell Nxt Gen
    • Location
  • Life on Campus
    • Life on Campus
    • Harwell Hub
  • Find an Organisation
    • Organisation List
  • News & Events
    • News
    • Events
    • Brochures
  • Contact Us
    • Information
    • Find Us
    • Team

Dr Vivienne Cox Breaks Ground as Work Commences on £40million Rosalind Franklin Institute Building

20th May 2019 | Life Science and Healthcare, News, Uncategorised

RFIgroundbreak01 1024x710 - Dr Vivienne Cox Breaks Ground as Work Commences on £40million Rosalind Franklin Institute Building

Dr Vivienne Cox (RFI) celebrates holding the commemorative spade watched by (L-R): Terry Spraggett (Mace), Prof Neil Geddes (STFC), Dr Rob Kruger (Thermo Fisher Scientific), Dr Andrew Bourne (EPSRC), Nick Chism (BEIS), and Dr Gillian Burgess (Vertex).

Ground has been broken at Harwell Campus to commence work on the £40million, 58,000 sq ft building that will form the central hub of the new Rosalind Franklin Institute. Funded by the UK Government, the Institute carries out interdisciplinary research and develops new technologies to transform our understanding of diseases and speed up drug design.

The unique design of the building sets it apart from other research facilities. The ground floor has been designed for optimum stability to house sensitive scientific instruments. This unique requirement means the foundations of the ground floor will be separated from the rest of the building to shield it from vibration. To prevent electromagnetic interference, stainless steel reinforcement will be used in the structure, and non-ferrous materials used in the fabric, finishes, and mechanical, electrical and plumbing services. The aim is to create a close to perfect, stable environment to test the limits of specialist technologies such as electron microscopy and mass spectrometry.

The remaining three floors will house collaborative working spaces, offices and social areas as well as structural biology, chemistry and imaging laboratories, designed to be flexible to support new collaborations and avenues of technological development as the Institute grows.

The building will honour the Institute’s namesake, Rosalind Franklin, the experimental scientist famous for taking the X-ray photograph of DNA that helped establish its helical structure. The front of the building will incorporate graphics of the DNA double helix taken from the iconic X-ray photograph – known as Photo 51.

“This is an exciting day for the Institute as we begin to build the hub which is such an important part of our vision” said Chair of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, Dr Vivienne Cox. “We already have several projects underway with our partners across the UK, and the hub will provide further impetus, creating a fantastic space for research and collaboration that will enable real advances to be made.”

Harwell Campus was chosen as the ideal site for the hub as it is not only home to other complementary research capabilities, including the Diamond Light Source, but it also attracts industrial partners who take advantage of the co-location of these national research facilities to collaborate with, and further their own scientific research. The most recently announced being a £30million collaboration between the RFI and Thermo Fisher Scientific.

← Previous Article Next Article →

Recent Posts

  • Rosalind Franklin Institute Reaches New Heights at Harwell
  • Agilent Opens Flagship Spectroscopy Site at Harwell Campus
  • Dr Matthew Duchars to Head up £67Million Cutting-Edge Vaccines Centre at Harwell Campus
  • Harwell Space Cluster Growth Continues on an Upward Trajectory
  • 02, UK Space Agency and ESA to Support Deep-Tech SMEs Develop Next Generation Autonomous Vehicle Technology

Contact Us

General Enquiries
(+44) 1235 250091
contact@harwellcampus.com

Media Enquiries
media@harwellcampus.com

Find Us

Management Office
HQ Building
Thomson Avenue
Harwell Campus
Didcot
Oxon
OX11 0GD

Follow Us

  • twitter

Harwell Oxford Management Limited or Bidwells or Cushman & Wakefield give notice that these property particulars are provided as a general outline for guidance only. Intending purchasers or tenants should not rely on them as statements or representations of fact, but must satisfy themselves by inspection or otherwise as to their accuracy. As such, it does not constitute or form part of a contract. No person in the employ of Harwell Oxford Management Limited or Bidwells or Lambert Smith Hampton as representing agents of the property displayed has the authority to make or give any representation or warranty in relation to the property. Unless otherwise stated, all rents and prices quoted in these property particulars are exclusive of VAT which may be payable in addition to the amount quoted. Subject to contract. February 2018