About us

Molecules are the defining building blocks that underpin economic activity and modern living standards. We are all reliant upon the secure and affordable supply of clean water, nutritious food, medicines, fabrics and much more. Yet many of the materials that make these goods are manufactured inefficiently, unsustainably and unimaginatively.

We believe the next global industrial revolution will be driven by a step change in the creation of these materials. We will drive the realisation of sustainable supply chains, considering all stages from atoms-to-products. 

Pioneering multi-disciplinary research 

We will pioneer research with a multi-disciplinary approach, integrating our world-leading expertise in metabolic engineering, process development and sustainable chemistry to address UN Sustainable Development Goals, including Climate Action and Sustainable Industrialisation, and answer these critical questions:

• How can we reduce our reliance on fossil-based materials as we move towards a lower carbon economy? 
• How can we meet the demands of the circular economy to reuse and recycle materials in the most responsible manner? 

"Eight million tonnes of plastic ends up in our oceans each year. It can take anything from 10 years to 450 years to decompose, with lethal consequences for marine life and ultimately human life." 

- Sir David Attenborough, BBC Blue Planet II

Our key aims are to: 

1. deliver a new process to produce Perspex from sugar – this is a shatter-resistant alternative to glass that is currently produced from petroleum 
2. develop a biodegradable alternative PET plastic – PET is the main component of plastic drinks bottles
3. ensure no atom is wasted – we will create an atom economical platform where all raw materials are converted to the required product without waste, including an energy resilient way to produce Artemisinin, a potent antimalarial drug