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Aston Medical School given full approval by the General Medical Council

Aston Medical School has been given full approval by the General Medical Council (GMC), meaning they can award degrees to graduating students for the first time this year. The Medical School at Aston University completed the GMC’s rigorous quality assurance process, which began in 2016. The decision, ratified by the GMC’s Council, means Aston Medical School can be added to the list of UK bodies able to award a primary medical qualification. The approval means that from this summer, medical graduates from Aston University will be added to the medical register and will be able to join the UK’s healthcare workforce as doctors. Aston Medical School welcomed its first students in 2018 and will be graduating its first cohort of students at its graduation ceremonies taking place in July 2023. The school was built on the ethos of educating medical professionals of the future, those who come from a wide cross section of society, and in particular those from disadvantaged communities where they have traditionally faced more barriers to accessing and completing medical education. Professor Helen Cameron, Dean of Medical Education at Aston Medical School, said: "This is a really exciting moment for Aston Medical School, and we are delighted for our students, especially our pioneer cohort who will graduate in July with an Aston University medical degree and contribute to the UK's healthcare workforce. Our focus on providing excellent education and support to a diverse range of students, including those from disadvantaged communities, has been at the heart of our mission since the school's inception. “We are proud that through commitment, team-work, and partnership with our students, we have met the GMC's rigorous quality assurance standards and we look forward to continuing to educate the healthcare leaders of the future.” Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, said: "Receiving full approval from the General Medical Council is a significant milestone for Aston Medical School and Aston University in general, and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty, staff and students. “This achievement enables us to continue our mission of developing the next generation of medical professionals, with a particular focus on promoting diversity and inclusion in healthcare education and improving healthcare in the community. “We are proud to be adding new exceptional talent to the UK’s healthcare workforce and look forward to the contributions our graduates will make to the field." Professor Colin Melville, the GMC’s Medical Director and Director of Education and Standards, said: “The GMC maintains high standards and has a very rigorous process before a new medical school can award primary medical qualifications to its students. Aston University has worked hard, over a number of years, to meet our quality assurance standards. I’m delighted that, thanks to that hard work, they now have GMC approval to award medical degrees.” The GMC oversees both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and training in the UK. Any institution looking to establish a new medical school or training programme must demonstrate it meets the GMC’s standards by being subject to an extensive period of quality assurance.

Aston University celebrates becoming a University of Sanctuary with official event

Aston University officially celebrated becoming a University of Sanctuary with an event held on 16 May for all those who contributed to achieving this status. The University was awarded University of Sanctuary status in December 2022, joining a network of higher education institutions across the UK working to develop support for those displaced by humanitarian crises. The celebration was hosted by Aston University Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Professor Aleks Subic. Guests included Councillor John Cotton, Birmingham City Council Cabinet member for Social Justice, Community Safety and Equalities, who made a special award presentation. The event programme also included a performance by poet Loraine Masiya Mponela, who herself was an asylum seeker and conversations with recipients of Ernest Edward Scholarships, a sanctuary scholarship scheme for students who have sought refuge in the UK. The scheme was set up by Aston University in 2022 due to a generous donation by prominent businessperson Matthew Crummack. Universities of Sanctuary is an initiative to recognise and celebrate the good practice of institutions welcoming people seeking sanctuary through facilitated access to higher education, supporting local refugee communities and taking an active role in learning about the issues and obstacles faced by this group in pursuing university-level education. Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, said: “I am delighted to have had this opportunity to host a celebration event to thank everyone who has helped us achieve the University of Sanctuary status. “Aston University is committed to supporting people seeking sanctuary through its efforts to deepen our understanding of the issues surrounding asylum seekers and refugees, providing a welcoming environment for sanctuary students, and working with individuals and communities beyond the campus to promote the values and principles of sanctuary. “Being a University of Sanctuary is key to our Civic Agreement: our commitment to make Birmingham a better place for everyone who lives, works, and studies here. Birmingham." Councillor John Cotton, Birmingham City Council Cabinet member for Social Justice, Community Safety and Equalities, said: “Birmingham is proud to be a City of Sanctuary, with its long history of offering refuge to those fleeing war, persecution and tyranny around the globe. In these troubled times, standing up for the principles of sanctuary and refuge is more important than ever. “I’m delighted that Aston University has joined the family of Universities of Sanctuary and is one of the many important institutions in our city that actively extends the hand of friendship to those seeking refuge and the chance to rebuild their lives here in Birmingham.”

Aston University predicted as one of the UK’s leading centres for lab-made meat

• Aston University named as one of the UK’s leaders in the potential future of food • Highlighted for research, teaching, public outreach, industry links and location • Process uses cells taken from animals via biopsy, so doesn’t involve slaughter. Aston University has been named as one of the UK’s leading lights in what is predicted to be the future of food - lab-made meat. The University is one of 17 higher education institutions that are expected to play a major role in the development of cultivated meat. Cultivated or lab-grown meat is made from cells taken from animals via biopsy. The cells are used to create meat which doesn’t involve the slaughter of animals. The process promises fewer greenhouse gases and a decrease in land required for its production compared to traditional livestock. The list of universities has been compiled by Cellular Agriculture UK, a non-profit organisation which promotes the UK’s so-called ‘cell-ag’ sector. Aston University is one of five institutions they chose to highlight in their report Mapping the potential for UK universities to become research and teaching hubs for cellular agriculture. Aston University is described in the report as having potential to be an anchor institution for cellular agriculture, and was highlighted for its research and teaching, public outreach work, links with emerging industry and its central location. Dr Eirini Theodosiou, senior lecturer in the School of lnfrastructure and Sustainable Engineering, focuses on ways to produce enough cell mass to create the meat. She said: “This is still a relatively new food technology. Unlike many others we work on biomaterials for microcarriers/scaffolds for cultivated meat, which puts us in a very strong position, in the UK at least.” Meanwhile Dr Jason Thomas’ work explores the psychology behind supporting people to accept lab-made food. Although many people are willing to try it, there are still many who are reluctant to do so. A recent study of the US and UK found that 35% of meat eaters and 55% of vegetarians claimed they were too disgusted by the idea of cultured meat to even try it. A key goal of his research is how to support people to not just try it but to integrate it into their diet. Dr Thomas said: “We are interested in finding out what factors can influence consumer purchase of and consumption of lab-made meat.” “The engineering/psychology link is one of our USPs and is something Aston University can capitalise on; learning what the consumer wants from cultivated meat, and what would encourage them to consume it, using psychological science, and then incorporating this directly into the production process via engineering. “It is a relatively new food technology, and much work still needs to be done to make it affordable, acceptable and on a massive scale, but it could easily end up being one of the most transformative new foods of the 21st century.”

King Charles and the Power of Pomp

With the approach of the first coronation of a British monarch in 70 years, the world is watching, dissecting, and analyzing every element involved in the Coronation of King Charles III and his wife, Camilla, the Queen Consort. Cameras, photographers and journalists from across the globe are working overtime on this historic event, as are observers and scholars, including UConn anthropologist Dimitris Xygalatas, who penned a piece for the BBC where he explains the power behind the  pomp and ceremony around the crowing of Britain's new king: On 6 May, 2023, one of the most spectacular rituals in the world will take place: the Coronation of King Charles III and his wife, Camilla, the Queen Consort. Shrouded in spectacle and adorned with priceless regalia, the ceremony will be officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury at Westminster Abbey and attended by a host of foreign royals and heads of state. The whole event will be broadcast around the world, with hundreds of millions of people expected to tune in. Once crowned, the royal couple will return to Buckingham Palace in the Gold State Coach, a carriage so loaded with gold that it needs eight horses to pull it. They will be escorted by thousands of troops from all branches of the armed forces, making up the largest military display in three generations. The festivities will last all weekend – and a long weekend at that, as Monday has been proclaimed a public holiday nationwide. Events include colourful parades, public concerts, spectacular light shows, and thousands of street parties across the UK and the Commonwealth. The scale of this undertaking might seem exuberant. After all, King Charles may have dominion over all swans, dolphins, whales and sturgeons in the UK's waters but he will wield little political power beyond a largely ceremonial role. What is more, a coronation is not even necessary to become king. In fact, Edward VIII reigned as sovereign without ever being crowned. As heir apparent, King Charles III's accession to the throne occurred automatically the moment Queen Elizabeth II died, on 8 September 2022. ... The effects of ceremonial opulence may extend well beyond the Kings’ subjects. To the world at large, they act as status symbols – what anthropologists call “credibility-enhancing displays”. Our minds intuitively link effort with value. A ceremony that requires such enormous cost and effort to organise provides tangible evidence of the importance of the institution it celebrates and people’s commitment to that institution. At a time of political instability, with an increase in Russian aggression, the UK emerging from Brexit and a global pandemic, the British state could use some of that social glue. And above all, so could the royal family. The last few years have been rough on the royals, to say the least. Prince Andrew lost his military titles and royal patronages as he faced allegations of sexual assault that he has consistently denied. Internationally, as the world grapples with the legacy of colonialism, more and more countries seem inclined to cut their ties to the Crown. All the while, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, have had a very public exit from the centre of royal life and their media presence has been rubbing salt to these wounds. In light of these developments, the Coronation may play a crucial role in the Royal Family’s struggle to stay relevant. Indeed, as public support for the monarchy has been steadily declining, two recent grand ceremonies, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and funeral, have been accompanied by boosts to British attitudes towards the institution. King Charles III's Coronation will be one of the most grandiose royal celebrations of this century. It remains to be seen whether it can help convince his subjects that he still has a role to play in British society. Dimitris Xygalatas is an associate professor of anthropology and psychological sciences, and head of UConn's Experimental Anthropology Lab, which develops interdisciplinary methods and technologies for studying behavior in real-life settings. He is available to speak with media, answering all your questions about coronations and their rituals and purpose. Click on his icon to arrange an interview today.

Comment: UK Government alert text message test

The UK government recently conducted a nationwide test of their emergency alert system by sending out text messages to all mobile phone users in the country. The test has sparked a range of reactions from the public, including concerns about the effectiveness of the system and the potential for false alarms. What did we learn from Sunday's test? Is it a concern that it apparently didn't work for everybody? As we would expect, not everything went to plan. However, that is the point of preparing and doing this kind of test – to find out what parts of the system works before it is relied upon. The implementation of a new system rarely works perfectly. Sunday’s test was useful to show people what to expect from the alarm system and to identify any aspects that need to be corrected and improved to make the system more effective. It is not so much a concern that the test didn’t work for everyone; it is only of concern if we don’t know how to fix the problem and/or don’t take identified steps to fix it. Is there a risk that public confidence has been undermined here? Is there also a risk of false alarms? The government needs to manage its public awareness campaign – swiftly and fully. Public confidence need not be undermined as identifying the faults in the system was exactly what this kind of test was meant to do. However, public confidence will be undermined if the government doesn’t explain that to the public and isn’t completely transparent about what happened and what has been done to improve. False alarms are always a possibility, but the benefits outweigh the risks. Having the right information at the right time can help a lot of people in complicated circumstances. Additionally, the government needs to ensure that the message is worded appropriately. The government should continue to keep messages short and simple so that there is no unnecessary worries or panic for the public. What are the key challenges? There are also issues related to people with anxiety or similar who may be overwhelmed by the noise the alarm makes and/or feel extra anxious from the threat of an emergency, even if it is simply a test alert. There are also those who suffer from domestic violence and may have secret phones so more communications on how to protect these vulnerable groups are required. Anyone without a mobile phone device may have been side-lined – senior citizens, vulnerable people, children – anyone without a command of English and/or isn’t really technologically minded enough to have a mobile device is at risk of not receiving these messages. Why do we need a system like this in place anyway? Preparedness is fundamental to mitigate the impact of any negative situation. The UK government is trying to leverage technology available to the public to get them crucial information when facing a crisis. The value of the system is to make people aware of a major danger and provide information about the best course of action which can be key for their protection. Alert systems are a great way to warn people of an impending situation, but equally important is that there are measures in place to handle an emergency such as evacuation procedures and rehearsals. It is the absence of a plan, contingency or knowing what to do in an emergency that transforms an emergency or disaster into a crisis. As such, we need a system like this because it aids in preparedness measures. The Aston Crisis Management Centre is focused on preparedness – whether it is for a business crisis or a natural hazard as we know that preparing for a crisis or disaster will help reduce the impact and may even help prevent some aspects of the disaster from happening. Not only is there a human cost in an emergency but also economic cost. It is important that preparing for crises reduces the impact of both. It is also important to be aware that in times of crisis and emergency it is important to have unified response and this system is the start of that important process. This article was written by David Cantliff, David Carrington, Oscar Rodriguez-Espindola & Lauren Traczykowski of Aston Crisis Management Centre

Public lecture: My career in five equations, and the importance of mathematics education in the digital age

• Professor Stephen Garrett to discuss why the UK needs to up its game in maths education • He has a particular interest in the development of mathematical and computational solutions to real-world problems • Lecture will take place on Thursday 27 April at Aston University. The latest inaugural lecture at Aston University is to explore why the UK’s low level of mathematical skills don’t add up to a positive digital future. Professor Stephen Garrett will discuss why school-level mathematics is so important in many areas of life and will discuss how the UK needs to up its game in maths education at all ages for the modern digital world. Currently just half of all 16–19-year-olds study maths. Earlier this year the Prime Minister proposed that all students in England will study some form of maths to 18 to ensure that they leave school better equipped for the jobs of the future. Professor Garrett joined Aston University in spring 2022 as Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. Stephen said: “I’m concerned that too many people are being held back by poor maths – not just at work but in their personal lives too. “Improving maths skills at any age can bring confidence, open up more career options and benefit the local and national economy.” The professor’s research interests are at the boundary of applied mathematics with other disciplines and he has a particular interest in the development of mathematical and computational solutions to real-world problems. He is primarily known as a fluid dynamicist. As an academic leader, Stephen is particularly keen to develop synergies between teaching and research activities and believes the two should always be closely intertwined within the HE sector. His talk, My career in five equations, and the importance of mathematics education in the digital age will also explore the importance of some key areas of school mathematics in his research career. He will start with traditional classroom maths topics such as Pythagoras and trigonometry, through familiar sounding concepts and will link them to a model for fluid flows relevant to the aerospace sector. The free event will take place on the University campus at Conference Aston, on Thursday 27 April from 6 pm to 8 pm and will be followed by a drinks reception. To sign up for a place visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-inaugural-lecture-by-professor-aniko-ekart-tickets-516518760517 There are more details about mathematics courses at Aston University at https://www.aston.ac.uk/courses/mathematics

Aston University hosts epilepsy experts from across the Midlands

The annual Midlands Epilepsy Research Priority Showcase brought together researchers from across the region The event included academics from Aston University, University of Birmingham, University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University and Warwick University Experts discussed latest priorities for epilepsy research. Researchers from Aston University’s Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN) have hosted colleagues from across the region as part of the Midlands Epilepsy Research Priority Showcase (23 March). The event was organised by researchers in IHN as a response to the UK Epilepsy Priority Setting Partnership’s (PSP) recent launch of their top ten priorities for research, with inputs from patient groups, people affected by epilepsy and healthcare professionals. Following on from the launch, IHN members Dr Sukhvir Wright and Dr Felix Chan co-organised the Midlands Epilepsy Research Priority Showcase to bring together researchers and clinicians from across the Midlands to highlight ongoing epilepsy research across universities, hospitals, and institutions that addresses the top ten priorities. The one-day meeting brought together 63 participants from across the region to discuss a range of topics including the top research priorities in epilepsy and novel biomarkers of epilepsy, as well as sleep and quality of life issues for patients. Speakers attended from across various institutions including Aston University, University of Birmingham, University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University and Warwick University. Dr Felix Chan, lecturer in Neuroscience said: “We were delighted to welcome colleagues from across the Midlands to discuss our ongoing and emerging research in epilepsy. The diversity of the research showcased at the event really highlighted the strength that we have as a region in the UK to address the top ten research priorities of epilepsy patients.” The meeting helped to foster collaboration and bolster networking opportunities in order to drive forward research that could have a meaningful and positive impact on the lives of people affected by epilepsy - as well as the research and clinical stakeholders across the region. Three awards were given out to outstanding poster presentations from research trainees from across the region. Winners included, Dr Aditi Kibe and Jess Szeto (Warwick University co-first place winner), Jack O’Brien-Cairney (Aston University) and Dr Isabella Marinelli (University of Birmingham). Following on from the success of the event, the organisers are now looking to hold the Midlands Epilepsy Research Priority Showcase as a regular event and hope to incorporate other pre-existing research networks in the area, such as the Birmingham Epilepsy Research Network (BERN).

Aston University biomass expert calls for more exploration of power bioenergy with carbon capture and storage

• Professor Patricia Thornley welcomes latest UK energy security plans • But calls for more exploration of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage • She believes plans shouldn’t concentrate solely on energy such as wind and solar power. A leading biomass scientist at Aston University has welcomed the government’s announcement to ensure UK energy is more secure. However, Professor Patricia Thornley, director of Aston University’s Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI), believes the government shouldn’t just concentrate on energy such as wind and solar power. She is calling for the government to explore the use of power bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (or power BECCS). On 30 March the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero published the Powering Up Britain: Net Zero Growth Plan, and the Powering Up Britain: Energy Security Plan to set out steps to make the UK more energy independent, secure and resilient. Professor Thornley believes that the UK’s carbon reduction targets could be tackled by delivering negative emission BECCS projects. The process uses sustainable biomass and waste materials to generate electricity in combination with carbon capture and permanent storage. Through this physical removal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, power BECCS is able to deliver negative emissions. Professor Thornley said: “It is wonderful to see the government moving forward with its carbon reduction plans, whilst recognising the scale of the challenge faced. “Bioenergy is delivering carbon reductions around the UK today - 62% of our renewable energy and around 13% of our electricity comes from biomass - and developing sustainable biomass conversion with carbon capture and storage (CCS) would be a natural progression for the UK. “So it is good to see commitment to CCS, but to fully leverage the UK’s negative emission potential we need BECCS technology to be rapidly deployed.” EBRI and the Supergen Bioenergy hub, which is led by Aston University, are working on applied research to progress this ambition. Professor Thornley added: “Our research at Aston University has demonstrated the potential for sustainable BECCS facilities to deliver a substantial proportion of UK required negative emissions but that the exact amount of negative emissions achieved can vary hugely with plant design and operational choices. So we hope to use our knowledge and research outputs to support UK deployment of sustainable bioenergy moving forward.“ As well as her research at Aston University, Professor Thornley has been contributing her expertise to a government working group exploring the sustainable use of biomass for two years. ENDS

Aston University establishes new independent investment company

Aston University is part of a group of eight universities which has established a new investment company Midlands Mindforge will accelerate the commercialisation of university research It aims to raise up to £250 million from investors. Aston University is one of eight research intensive universities in the Midlands to establish a new investment company to accelerate the commercialisation of university spinouts and early-stage IP rich businesses in the region.  Midlands Mindforge Limited has been co-founded by Aston University, University of Birmingham, Cranfield University, Keele University, University of Leicester, Loughborough University, University of Nottingham and University of Warwick, collectively Midlands Innovation. This ambitious, patent capital investment company plans to raise up to £250 million from strategic corporate partners, institutional investors and qualifying individuals. It aims to transform ground-breaking science and technology into successful businesses with real-world impact. Midlands Mindforge will help to address the significant funding deficit for early-stage technology businesses in the region. Through the combination of additional capital and company-building skills, Midlands Mindforge will lay the foundations of a more vibrant ecosystem for emerging science-backed companies in areas such as Clean Technology, AI and Computational Science, Life Sciences and Health Tech. Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor of Aston University, said: "Aston University has a strong track record in bringing together industry and academia to solve real world problems and drive innovation through applied and translational research. Â Investment raised through Midlands Mindforge will enable a step change that will ensure we get the very best outcomes for our research. "The impact of increased investment in research translation will be felt widely, with Midlands Mindforge supporting the growth of high value added businesses and jobs in the region and creating the right conditions to build future global companies. This is a hugely exciting time for Aston University and the wider Midlands Innovation group of universities, and I look forward to seeing the benefits that this strategic development will bring." Collectively, the eight founding universities have the most postgraduate students, the highest levels of annual income, more research disclosures and patents generated per unit of research spend in the last three years, in comparison to any other UK university grouping. Minister of State for Science, Research & Innovation George Freeman MP said: "Commercialising UK science & technology for global industrial adoption has never been more urgent for both the UK economy and the global resource challenges facing us. The Midlands Innovation universities are driving a new era of innovation from robotics and advanced manufacturing to life science and autonomous vehicles and much more. "As we in Government increase UK public R&D to a record £20 billion a year, the key is private finance backing spinouts and scale-ups. The Midlands is rapidly becoming a world class UK cluster of excellence and Midlands Mindforge will play a key role in bringing global investors to help back world class companies." Chairman of the Midlands Engine Partnership, Sir John Peace, said: "The Midlands has always been associated with exceptional invention and creativity, but has long experienced significant underinvestment and consequently productivity levels have lagged behind the rest of the UK. "This bold and ambitious initiative led by the Midlands Innovation universities has the potential to help close the investment gap, supporting our region to reach its true potential for sustainable economic growth. Midlands Mindforge will help to further fast-track commercialisation of research ideas, creating a more resilient economy and playing an important role in levelling up the Midlands." Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: "A key part of my mayoral mission is to drive our regional recovery forward and help generate the high-quality jobs of the future in order to improve quality of life for local people. This exciting new investment vehicle will very much support that mission planting the seeds for long-term sustainable economic growth here in the West Midlands. "Many brilliant ideas and top businesses have spun out from Midlands universities and this new venture will help us to advance that agenda and retain more of our innovative success stories within our region. "Together we can better nurture the enterprising talent on our doorstep and this new endeavour creates a wonderful opportunity to do just that." For more information about Midlands Mindforge visit www.midlandsmindforge.com

Aston University and asbestos consultancy to use AI to improve social housing maintenance

• Aston University and Thames Laboratories enter 30-month Knowledge Transfer Partnership • Will use machine-learning and AI to create a maintenance prioritisation system • Collaboration will reduce costs, emissions, enhance productivity and improve residents' satisfaction. Aston University is teaming up with asbestos consultancy, Thames Laboratories (TL) to improve efficiency of social housing repairs. There are over 1,600 registered social housing providers in England, managing in excess of 4.4 million homes. Each of these properties requires statutory inspections to check gas, asbestos and water hygiene, in addition to general upkeep. However, there is not currently a scheduling system available that offers integration between key maintenance and safety contractors, resulting in additional site visits and increased travel costs and re-work. Aston University computer scientists will use machine-learning and AI to create a maintenance prioritisation system that will centralise job requests and automatically allocate them to the relevant contractors. The collaboration is through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) - a collaboration between a business, an academic partner and a highly-qualified researcher, known as a KTP associate. This partnership builds on the outcomes of TL’s first collaboration with Aston University, by expanding the system developed for the company’s in-house use - which directs its field staff to jobs. The project team will improve the system developed during the current KTP to enable it to interact with client and contractor systems, by combining an input data processing unit, enhanced optimisation algorithms, customer enhancements and third-party add-ons into a single dynamic system. The Aston University team will be led by Aniko Ekart, professor of artificial intelligence. She said: “It is a privilege to be involved in the creation of this system, which will select the best contractor for each job based on their skill set, availability and location and be reactive to changing priorities of jobs." TL, based in Fenstanton, just outside Cambridge, provides asbestos consultancy, project management and training to businesses, local authorities, social housing and education facilities, using a fleet of mobile engineers across the UK. John Richards, managing director at Thames Laboratories, said: “This partnership will allow us to adopt the latest research and expertise from a world-leading academic institute to develop an original solution to improving the efficiency of social housing repairs, maintenance and improvements to better meet the needs of social housing residents.” Professor Ekart will be joined by Dr Alina Patelli as academic supervisor. Dr Patelli brings experience of software development in the commercial sector as well as expertise in applying optimisation techniques with focus on urban systems. She said: “This is a great opportunity to enhance state-of-the-art optimisation and machine learning in order to fit the needs of the commercial sector and deliver meaningful impact to Thames Laboratories.”