Impact case study database

The UK’s electricity supply is generated by a mixture of nuclear, renewables and fossil fuels. The UK government is committed to the continued use of nuclear power, alongside renewable generation and Carbon Capture and Storage, as an important contributor to the nation’s low-carbon energy mix. All of these technologies are important in tackling climate change and diversifying supply, contributing to the UK’s energy security and growth. UofG research has allowed EDF to extend the operation of its fleet of nuclear power stations [5.1], supporting the security of the UK’s electricity supply, with economic and social impact.

Enhanced operational safety through improved analysis and interpretation of reactor core condition

Although EDF have long predicted the onset of cracking in Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors (AGRs), MoFEM represents a key enabling technology that lets EDF fully interpret observed crack paths and predict future crack paths with increased confidence [5.1]. Since the aggressive environment of reactor cores cannot be replicated experimentally, EDF relies on such predictive modelling. As a direct consequence of UofG research, EDF now have a more reliable, safe method of predicting failure modes, leading to increased safety for the public and EDF’s plants.

Over several years, EDF has investigated the ability of other leading computational analysis tools to simulate the onset and propagation of graphite brick cracks. These have all failed to provide reliable, realistic, accurate predictions of crack propagation and paths [5.1]. In 2017, after several years of development, testing and validation, MoFEM was identified by EDF as the primary analysis tool for computer modelling of the development of cracks in graphite bricks [5.1]. MoFEM is the only analysis software able to accurately model existing cracks in a real core environment and to predict future scenarios [5.1]. In 2018, routine inspection of Hunterston B AGR indicated increased graphite brick cracking [5.2], which led to the acceleration of MoFEM’s development.

The combination of UofG expertise and MoFEM have supported nuclear safety cases [5.1, 5.3] for the continued and future operation of nuclear power plants. Specifically:

• Hunterston B – predictions of crack shapes and understanding of graphite fragments (resulting from intersecting cracks) contributed to the safety case that enabled both reactors at Hunterston B to be restarted [5.1].

• Hartlepool and Heysham 1 – predictions of crack shapes and assessment of the potential for crack arrest in graphite bricks, validated by limited inspections, underpinned the safety case for the future state of the reactor cores, thereby enabling future plant operation [5.1, 5.3].

EDF and Jacobs have already decided to work with UofG and to use MoFEM to assess future challenges (including Heysham 2 and Torness) where “the ability to model crack propagation in irradiated graphite with a complex geometry and complex contact loading would pose an insurmountable challenge to other tools” [5.1].

Prof Barakos’ CFD research at UofG has delivered: a) aircraft safety and policy changes; b) increased airport capacity; c) enhanced design and analysis capability at Leonardo.

Impacts on CAA policy guidance and enhanced safety

Barakos’ CFD research expertise, founded on work from his initial UofG appointment [5.1], has directly led to new guidance from the CAA in the CAP 764 document, ‘CAA Policy and Guidelines on Wind Turbines’ (2016), stating that light aircraft pilots should remain 5 rotor diameters away from wind turbines with diameter of less than 30m [5.2 pp32–34, 5.3]. This is a new rule based entirely on Barakos’ research. This policy influences the activity of aircraft pilots, wind farm developers, local planning authorities and farmers using crop-spraying aircraft operating close to the ground and near wind turbines [5.2, 5.3]. The guidance enhances the safety of all parties and outlines a means of approving planning of wind farm development [5.2 p38]. This is important to the UK government as it tries to balance priorities of safety, renewable energy and the economic importance of aviation to the UK [5.2 p8].

Barakos’ research featuring CFD to understand the effects of wakes has been adopted by EUROCONTROL to develop RECAT-EU (European Wake Turbulence Categorisation and Separation Minima on Approach and Departure) [5.3, 5.4]. In September 2015, RECAT-EU guidelines, which replaced previous wake vortex separation rules, were informed by Barakos’ CFD models of aircraft separations to define new safe aircraft separations [5.3, 5.4 p7 para 6]. RECAT-EU has been adopted by air traffic control in Europe’s largest airports, including Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) where RECAT-EU has been operating 24/7 since March 2016 [5.5, 5.6]. Heathrow, Schiphol, Leipzig-Halle and Le Bourget also use RECAT-EU. Deployment has enhanced airport safety and capacity, resulting in a significant increase of aircraft movements [5.6, slide 4].

Barakos’ research and the RECAT-EU guidelines also enable helicopters to blend efficiently and safely with fixed-wing traffic (the US equivalent of RECAT-EU does not allow this), promoting better use of airports and higher safety standards. Recognising this, Barakos was awarded funding for a research project from the Network for Innovative Training on Rotorcraft Safety (NITROS; 2017) [5.7], focussed on using CFD and resulting wake information to determine the safe proximity of aircraft to wind turbines [5.6].

Enhanced design capability at Leonardo

Barakos’ blade optimisation research (HIPERTILT) programme has provided high fidelity CFD design tools which allow engineers at Leonardo to explore new design concepts in the development of tiltrotor aircraft [5.8, p1 para 4]. The tiltrotor vehicle is a concept that with modern technology is set to change the way we fly, covering the gap between helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft in range and speed. Tiltrotor vehicles present capabilities to emergency and relief operations including air-ambulances and the distribution of humanitarian aid. This vehicle has been the top priority in the UK National Aerodynamics Committee agenda and top priority for Leonardo within CleanSky and CleanSky2 (EU programmes developing innovative technology to reduce the environmental impact of aircraft) [5.8, p1]. Barakos’ UofG research was shared with Leonardo to enable optimal rotor analysis and design [5.8, p2 para 1]. Within the HIPERTILT project, training sessions for Leonardo engineers ensured that new designs were tested using Barakos’ CFD tools [5.8, p2 ‘Approach to Impact’]. The 700 tiltrotor engineers are part of a team of 3,000 Leonardo staff working in Yeovil (Somerset, UK) [5.8, p1 para 3]. The relationship with Prof Barakos at UofG is ‘strategically important’ to Leonardo [5.8, p3 para 5], securing their future and the UK’s tiltrotor industry.

Increased airport capacity

RECAT-EU allows airports to recover more rapidly from adverse weather conditions and can increase runway throughput by over 5% [5.4 p21]. RECAT-EU has increased the number of aircraft taking off from European airports, which is linked directly to considerable economic impacts. The Director of Navigation Services for Paris CDG explained that the airport now has an increased throughput of aircraft [5.9]. “We are very proud of having deployed this new operational concept at one of the busiest airports in Europe. This project is the result of close cooperation with EUROCONTROL. It has brought quick wins in terms of safety and capacity: thanks to RECAT-EU, runway throughput at Paris-CDG has increased by 2−4 aircraft movements per hour at peak periods.” Given that each flight landing and taking off from CDG must pay a fee in the region of EUR400, CDG alone has seen an increased annual revenue of several million euros from RECAT-EU [5.10 p1]. Similarly, Heathrow have an average of an extra 17 aircraft movements per day (6,205 movements/year), generating increased revenue from RECAT-EU [5.11, p19].

UofG spin-out company, ModeDx, was launched in 2008 to commercialise measure® BOWEL HEALTH. Despite the product showing potential and achieving sales online and in the high street, investors recommended adapting it for use in the rapidly emerging healthcare market in China. In 2016, ModeDx and the IP/technology underpinning the measure® BOWEL HEALTH device were acquired by Oxford MEStar (a company that enables the translation of products and services from the UK to China). Acknowledging Cooper’s expertise and the technology he developed at UofG, Oxford MEStar invited Cooper to take the role of Chair of the Advisory Board, where he plays a key leadership role in the continuing development of measure® [5.1 page 3]. The impact arising from Cooper’s research at UofG is primarily commercial – a successful spin-out company was created, which following its acquisition, has contributed to innovation in China through the design of new products to address barriers to bowel cancer screening.

The commercial value of the technology underpinning the UofG device was highlighted by a successful funding round in 2014 [5.2], which followed GBP600,000 of funding in 2010 [5.3] and GBP1,100,000 in 2012 [5.4]. In February 2014, ModeDx announced that it had received a European CE mark for the measure® BOWEL HEALTH product, and that it had successfully completed a significant funding round led by new investor, Longwall Venture Partners. Following securing the funding to develop the company, the Head of the Scottish Investment Bank (SIB), commented, “ SIB, through its Scottish Venture Fund, is delighted to further support this ambitious Scottish life sciences company. MODE has shown a commitment to innovation and the development of new products that enhance healthcare provision, and we are pleased to be able to build on previous Scottish Enterprise support from SMART:SCOTLAND to help them accelerate their growth plans” (2014) [5.2]. The CE Certification was received following review by an external notified body and enabled MODE to *“sell measure® into the ‘over the counter’ home healthscreening market”*. The approval followed MODE’s earlier achievement of ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 quality management systems [5.2].

At the time of acquisition, Oxford MEStar was quoted in a press release: “We are excited about the long-term commercial potential of using this technology. We believe the IP developed by Mode, a proprietary electrochemical detection technology, is an important component that we can use to develop handheld test devices manufactured at low cost and in high volumes… We will continue to work in partnership with the University of Glasgow and maintain a corporate presence in Scotland” [5.5].

A key commercial goal of Oxford MEStar is to bridge the gap between UK biotech companies and Chinese markets. Oxford MEStar reported: *“We believe there is enormous potential in this market for China; the current technology in China is not restrained by a lack of funding, but its lack of advanced technology and resources, which are readily available to Oxford MEStar. We are equipped with the right resources, and an abundance of knowledge and expertise to bring British bio-businesses and technology to the Chinese healthcare market” [5.6]. By acquiring the technology developed by Cooper and working with the UofG, Oxford MEStar has been able to meet its commercial goal of taking UK biotechnology advances to China [5.6]. Building on this goal, Oxford MEStar have further developed the device, with guidance from Cooper, to make it more suited to Chinese markets [5.1].

In China, the incidence of bowel cancer has risen in recent years [5.1], and while some countries have strong participation in bowel screening programmes, in Asia there is low public awareness and little support by health authorities for bowel screening. Following the acquisition of ModeDx, Oxford MEStar are now mass-producing measure® in China via Scottech Medical Co. Ltd (Oxford MEStar’s sister company), in Tianjin [5.1 page 1]. Building upon the original UofG research, an improved version of the product was developed for launch in China. In order to secure this place in the Chinese medical diagnostics market, Oxford MEStar carried out clinical trials in two hospitals in China [5.1 page 2]. These trials showed that measure® can detect faecal occult blood, using the existing hospital-based diagnostics as the gold standard/reference [5.1 page 2]. In December 2019, Cooper evaluated the results from these hospital trials, which represented a critical step in the device gaining Chinese Food and Drug Administration/NMPA approval [5.1 page 2]. The success of the measure® product has directly led to Scottech Medical increasing its staff from 5 to 18 between 2016 and 2020 [5.1 page 1].

Following measure® being approved in China, Oxford MEStar are further developing the original UofG-based technology to function with Bluetooth, creating new products that are compatible with smartphone and tablet apps [5.1 page 3]. This is an important adaptation made by Scottech Medical, enabling the device to fit with society’s changing needs around digital health and to make the device particularly useful in low-resource areas and community health centres [5.1 page 3]. The versatility of the device is enabling adaptations to be made so that products remain at the forefront of technological advances, with Cooper’s leadership being crucial to the continued commercial viability of Scottech Medical [5.1 page 3].

Nanofabrication plays a key role in the design and manufacture of the silicon chips that form essential components of modern data communications products, such as smartphones.

KNT was founded in 1997 as a wholly owned University company to provide commercial nanofabrication solutions to industry and academia, delivered through the James Watt Nanofabrication Centre (JWNC) at UofG. UofG research has led to the development of one of the most advanced electron beam lithography (EBL) capabilities in the world, enabling Kelvin Nanotechnology Ltd (KNT) to offer customised EBL services for applications as diverse as laser grating writing, transistor gate writing and nanotextured surfaces. The impacts are primarily economic, creating new jobs, and benefiting its commercial customers around the world.

Economic impacts for KNT

KNT offers fabrication services on a commercial basis, with the EBL capability being central to the company’s commercial success [5.1]. [Text removed for publication.]

Economic impacts for KNT’s customers

Substantial economic impacts have arisen for KNT’s customers in the DFB laser space. [Text removed for publication.] These chips underpin the transceiver industry. Transceivers are a combination of transmitters and receivers in a single package, used in telecomms infrastructure and underpinning mobile phone technology and fibre networking. [Text removed for publication.] Transceiver technology using KNT technology delivers broadband internet to around 2.1 million businesses and homes per year.

KNT are also using grating technology [3.6] to develop future Quantum Technology products. KNT produce the gratings used in an innovative product called gMOT, created in a partnership led by KNT with UofG, the University of Strathclyde and TMD Technologies (London). gMOT is the world’s first portable grating magneto-optical trap (MOT) for compact cold atom systems and is used to produce ultracold atoms [5.5]. These ultracold atoms have primary applications in atomic clocks. “Atomic clocks are an important facet of our everyday lives in this fast-expanding quantum world. [They] have the potential to provide a valuable alternative and back-up to global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) used as either stand-alone timing solutions on a platform or as ‘hold-over’ clocks should the GNSS signal become unavailable, unreliable or degraded.” – Head of Business Development at TMD [5.5] . The Royal Academy of Engineering estimate that around 6–7% of the GDP of Western countries is dependent on GNSS and the proportion will continue to rise, with accurate timing becoming a ubiquitous requirement for modern technology and business operations [5.6 p3 ‘Foreword’]. gMOT provides a portable solution to back up GNSS and its role in the UK economy.

The unique UofG contribution to gMOT is the grating at the heart of the gMOT cell [5.1]; without it, the system would not work. Thus, there are economic impacts for TMD who market gMOT [5.7]. [Text removed for publication.]

By working with KNT to produce gMOT, TMD have been able to join the UK’s National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP), contacts from which were the first to buy gMOT [5.7]. The NQTP is a government initiative involving investment of ~GBP800 million over 10 years to accelerate the translation of quantum technologies into the marketplace [5.8 paras 3 and 6]. Joining NQTP has given TMD access to funding and showcase opportunities they would not have had otherwise [5.7]. The NQTP is aligned with investments from the UK Defence, Science and Technology Laboratory and the UK Ministry of Defence to develop demonstrators of quantum timing and navigation devices within 3–5 years [5.9 para 6]; contributing to this network is thus enabling TMD to help the UK government to meet its objectives [5.7].

Over the past decade, the world has become increasingly connected, as high-speed fibre optic digital communication brings Internet access to households around the globe with fibre-to-the-home (FTH) connectivity. The roll-out of this technology depends on fast, powerful, low-cost lasers to facilitate the data transfer over these connections. The collaboration between UofG’s Prof Kelly, and CST Global has enabled them to become a world-leading supplier of semiconductor lasers [5.1, 5.2]. Whilst the impact of this research is primarily economic, secondary impacts exist through CST Global being able to meet the societal demand for access to fibre optic broadband and cable TV.

CST Global acknowledge that Prof Kelly’s expertise is what drew them to collaborate with UofG: The Former CEO of CST Global: "[Kelly] is a world-authority on gallium nitride and indium phosphide optical devices, with both academic and commercial experience in these areas. He has successfully commercialized a range of technologies, critical to next-generation, high-speed applications, where CST Global is currently producing and developing new products” [5.3].

Prior to its collaboration with UofG, CST Global was a foundry business, providing custom fabrication services [5.1 paragraph 4]. Expansion of CST Global was dependent on a business model change to selling products instead of services. The skills and capability available at UofG in high-speed communications systems testing, device modelling and advanced characterisation (built up via Scottish Research Pool investment and Research Council project funding) allowed CST Global to develop products through funded collaborations [5.1 paragraph 4, 5.4].

The close working relationship with UofG has been maintained since 2011 through research collaborations, secondments and KTPs. One of the first collaborations was a Knowledge Transfer Partnership: 'The main achievement for the project was the successful development of the 10Gbit/s product to a maturity where it was shipping to customers as samples and towards the end of the project as product. The significance of this has not to be underestimated. [This] has allowed CSTG to move up the value chain in terms of product complexity and therefore margin’ [5.4]. The former-KTP Associate is now an employee of CST Global and continues to liaise with UofG and transfer knowledge to CST Global’s engineers [5.1 paragraph 5].

The ongoing partnership has resulted in three new semiconductor laser product lines being introduced, with more in development through Prof Kelly’s secondments to the company. These products generated >GBP10 million in orders during 2016 alone [5.1 paragraph 5], which enabled CST Global’s expansion into the Asian market and up the value chain to higher profit margin products, moving from USD0.2 per unit to USD2 per unit, with the potential to increase to USD20 per unit once the 25 Gbit/s product line has been qualified [5.1 paragraph 5]. CST Global are now among the top suppliers in the world, with most of their market in China and India [5.1 paragraph 6, 5.2]. Due to its strong performance and potential for growth, CST Global was acquired by Sivers IMA in April 2017 for ~GBP12 million [5.1 paragraph 6, 5.2]. CST Global’s success from collaborating with UofG was the key driver of this acquisition, which has since led to further expansion of CST Global and also improved funding access [5.1 paragraph 6].

As a consequence of the critical UofG collaboration, CST Global has become Europe’s highest volume laser supplier, shipping GBP1 million laser chips/month. CST Global currently employs 70 chip fabrication staff at a facility near Glasgow [5.2]. Its annual sales turnover for 2015/16 was ~GBP3.5 million; as a consequence of the acquisition, turnover was 88% higher in 2017 (GBP6.7 million) [5.1, 5.5, 5.6].

CST Global links with UK supply chain companies, thus providing a vibrant industry sector. CST Global has been a partner in Horizon 2020 project iBrow, enabling enhanced wireless broadband data transfer, with industry partners including IQE, Alcatel-Lucent and InescTec, and is leading two Innovate UK-funded projects, CoolBlue and LowPass, working with UofG. CST Global’s strong connection with UofG has kept the company ‘ at the forefront of the III-V compound semiconductor market’ [5.7].

In 2017, through an EPSRC Impact Accelerator Account grant, Prof. Kelly was seconded to CST Global to develop capability in the 25 Gbit/s laser market supplying the datacentre market, a high-growth area. In 2018, the company announced alpha testing of 25 Gbit/s lasers that will command far higher prices than existing products while maintaining the same chip manufacturing footprint, delivering a higher profit margin for the same manufacturing yield [5.8].

Demand for such products is rapidly growing in China [5.9] where the number of cable TV subscribers is expected to rise to 353 million by 2022 [5.10, page 1]. CST Global’s ability to meet China’s increased demand for internet-enabled TV is enabled by collaboration with Prof Kelly at UofG.

Malaria and other infectious diseases remain a global health priority. Low-cost rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) can help determine the prevalence of infectious diseases in LMICs, informing treatment and care pathways in community settings (without access to diagnostic laboratories). The origami-fold paper-based device underpinned by UofG research addresses an urgent emerging challenge noted with regard to RDTs concerning the accuracy of the tests. The combination of nucleic acid testing with lateral flow detection and origami-style folds represents a game-changing innovation in low-cost RDTs that responds to the need for high detection accuracy, indicating whether an infection is current and enabling simultaneous testing of multiple infectious diseases in field settings.

Impacts on health

The Glasgow research has underpinned the following health impacts to date:

• The new, low-cost diagnostic technology is easier to use, more rapid and more accurate than current diagnostics, and has been trialled and adopted in the Tororo, Mayuge and Apac regions of Uganda (which ranks 3^rd in the world for malaria cases);

• Informed by field trials revealing higher than expected levels of schistosomiasis, the Tororo health authority and the Ugandan Ministry of Health implemented a decision to carry out mass drug adminstrations of schoolchildren.

As a result of the device created at UofG and its impact in Tororo, Uganda, a new Ugandan public health initiative has been created. This initiative is a clear enhancement of disease prevention and has changed understanding and policy among national and regional healthcare and education authorities with regard to disease control [5.1-5.3].

The origami testing platform has directly generated health impacts for school children in Uganda, as it was used in ‘field trials’ – testing trials carried out a local school. These trials identified a previously unidentified, high-level of schistosomiasis infection, resulting in a mass drug administration that benefitted 940 children in the first instance.

Image collage showing (left) an individual having a blood sample taken which will be analysed; (middle), the sample-to-answer multiplexed cartridge involving a paper-based microfluidic test, enabling DNA based species-specific detection at the point-of-need and (right) the use of a mobile phone-controlled platform (with the cartridge inserted), enabling computing with a cloud-based decision support tool to record the result.

The platform identified malarial and schistosomiasis infection levels in remote regions of Uganda faster and with higher accuracy than current conventional field-based methods. This was demonstrated clearly in 2018–2019 field trials (led by Cooper in collaboration with the Tororo District and Ministry of Health) carried out in primary schools in Uganda’s Tororo District. The device consistently and correctly detected higher levels of infections in the schoolchildren which had been under-estimated or undetected by the health authorities. The District’s Chief Administrative Officer stated [5.1] that the prevalence of schistosomiasis in particular surprised the authorities there, and ‘based on this evidence Tororo District has…put in place a programme of mass drug administration to address the widespread problem.’ As a direct result of UofG’s findings in Uganda, an initial 940 children (from one school alone) were included in the first tranche of schistosomiasis treatment in 2019, carried out by the Ministry of Health. UofG were invited to expand the Tororo District school testing programme that they commenced in July 2019, and returned in 2020, with the District confirming that the work had ‘spearhead[ed] the promotion of new point-of-care DNA based diagnostics for infectious diseases in other districts in Uganda’ [5.1]. This is confirmed in a subsequent letter stating that the UofG ‘testing…has helped accelerate the Ministry of Health Mass Drug Administration (MDA) in the region’ [5.2].

Impacts on commerce and the economy

Uniquely combining DNA analysis multiplexed testing that is faster and more accurate than the conventional RDTs offers opportunities to industrial partners. To date, this has achieved the following impacts:

• Within Epigem Ltd, where new commercial opportunities have arisen for this UK SME, (the main source of their growing revenue comes from collaboration with Prof Cooper) and collaboration with UofG has allowed the company to meet its objectives [5.4]

• Contributing to innovation and entrepreneurial activity in the Ugandan Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) on the design and delivery of new products or services [5.5];

• Within Mologic Ltd, where the technology is being adapted for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in an industrial collaboration with the MRC (MR/V035401/1, 2021) [5.6].

Using a prototype tested in a trial with UK’s Malaria Reference Laboratory, manufacturer Epigem undertook to ‘design and manufacture cartridges to house all the components, to increase usability and, consequently, application in remote situations’ [5.4]. Epigem’s engineers ‘created a manufacturable design in plastic, to accommodate the paper lateral flow device, giving it the robust structural integrity needed for testing in rural environments.’ Epigem also ‘provided devices for use in field trials in Uganda. Epigem consider the devices to be mass manufacturable at low cost.’

In 2020, Epigem supported Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) − a center of excellence for Industrial Research in the East African Community − to develop local modes of mass manufacturing and are working through the African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation to develop a manufacturing facility to produce the diagnostic devices in Africa [5.5]. “ We have been working with Professor Cooper’s team for more than 3 years which led to a close partnership resourced by Global Challenge Research Funding and UKRI grants (EP/T029765/1) to explore the manufacturing of mobile health technologies for clinical diagnostics of infectious diseases, based upon DNA analysis. In 2019 we signed a joint Memorandum of Agreement to focus our future activities on co-development of mobile health within an open-innovation framework. This relationship has also enabled us to interact with UK SMEs including Epigem Ltd and Mologic Ltd, exploring routes for local manufacture of diagnostic devices and opening up new opportunities for these companies in Uganda.” – Executive Director of UIRI [5.5]

UIRI is now “translating methods to make the diagnostic cartridges, originally manufactured by computer numerical control (CNC) machining at Epigem Ltd, to be produced in Kampala – providing a low cost, low volume technique for the initial trials. [UIRI] are keen to continue to work with Epigem to translate the design into mass manufacturable, lower-cost versions, that can be used by teams working in Mulago Hospital Infectious Disease Institute and the Ministry of Health, Uganda in their disease screening activities as well as by the Veterinary Diagnostic Unit at Makerere University in supporting animal health through testing livestock.” – Executive Director of UIRI [5.5]

UofG researchers most recently are collaborating with Mologic on translating the device for use, exploiting the origami technique to measure infections as a “respiratory panel” of SARS-CoV-2, RSV and influenza; funding was secured in late 2020 [5.6]. Mologic is a leading developer of lateral flow and rapid diagnostic technologies and will work closely in partnership with The Gates Foundation and UK Aid to develop, validate and manufacture the new product/platform through a social enterprise spin-out called Global Access Diagnostics (without shareholders and delinked from commercial return to provide rapid responses to global pandemics) [5.6]. The technologies are now being produced in the UK and in Senegal [5.6], and the collaboration’s progression unpderins a philosophy that is closely aligned with the Glasgow team's ambition.

Gas Sensing Solutions was founded in 2005, focussing on the development of antimonide-based solid state LED detectors for carbon dioxide (CO₂) sensing. Antimonide wafers were originally obtained using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) under licence from a UK government funded Qinetiq facility. Following the withdrawal of government funding for Qinetiq, UofG first acquired the MBE facility before selling it to Gas Sensing Solutions (2010). A relationship developed from this and UofG continued to support Gas Sensing Solutions by carrying out specialist research through funded projects, leading to the development and production of NDIR sensor products that underpin Gas Sensing Solutions’ commercial success.

The UofG research has led to:

1. commercial and economic impacts for Gas Sensing Solutions and its customers.

2. health and safety impacts from their use in a precision lung function-monitoring device and in astronaut safety experiments carried out by NASA.

Commercial and economic impacts

The global gas sensing market was valued at USD2.19 billion in 2019 by Grand View Research and is anticipated to grow at 8.3% per annum between 2020 and 2027 [5.1]. The UofG/ Gas Sensing Solutions partnership has produced the next generation of mid-IR sensors that enabled Gas Sensing Solutions to enter new sensing markets, including healthcare, aerospace and the personal safety market for wearable and portable gas sensors [5.2, 5.3]. As a direct result of the collaboration with UofG, since 2010 Gas Sensing Solutions have sold >250,000 non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensors worldwide, exporting to >46 countries [5.2].

Gas Sensing Solutions won the prestigious Innovation Award from the Institute of Physics for development and commercialisation of their range of LED-based CO₂ sensors (2014) [5.4]. Acknowledging the technology developed at UofG and its innovative and commercial significance to Gas Sensing Solutions, a KTP was established to strengthen the relationship between UofG and Gas Sensing Solutions in 2012, which was shortlisted for the ‘Best of the Best’ KTP Award (2015) [5.5].

UofG / Gas Sensing Solutions’ solid-state CO₂ sensors are used extensively by the horticulture and food packaging industries. Typical applications include grain storage, plant growth, incubators, and mushroom and dairy farms. Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) for food uses CO₂ to prolong the shelf-life of food produce [5.2]. Food quality control requires accurate and rapid monitoring of CO₂ levels on the packing line. Conventional CO₂ sensors take several minutes to stabilise and produce readings whereas the Gas Sensing Solutions portable CO₂ analyser, based on UofG research, takes seconds. an essential characteristic for high-speed packing lines. Gas Sensing Solutions supplies these analysers to companies worldwide, including Storage Control Systems (UK and USA), TecSense (Germany) and Iijima (Japan) [5.2]. Gas Sensing Solutions’ customers now have faster quality control checks. Although unable to disclose financial savings, Gas Sensing Solutions are aware that these faster checks have generated economic impacts for their customers [5.2].

The Gas Sensing Solutions / UofG partnership formed the foundation of the GBP6 million MIRAGE industrial collaboration project, backed by Scottish Enterprise and CENSIS, which enabled Gas Sensing Solutions to meet commercial strategy objectives centred around collaboration [5.2, 5.3]. MIRAGE was launched in 2016 and brought together four Scottish companies to establish Scotland at the forefront of the global sensors and imaging market. Between 2016 and 2026, the project is expected to bring GBP56 million to the Scottish economy. As co-founders of the MIRAGE project, Gas Sensing Solutions accessed UofG technical expertise which enabled them to begin the development of a new sensor for methane [5.2]. Gas Sensing Solutions is now developing a uniquely low-power, portable methane sensor for safety assurance in the home [5.2].

Health and safety impacts

Gas Sensing Solutions’ gas sensors are critical to a new device developed in a consortium with Wideblue Ltd. and Cambridge Respiratory Innovations Ltd (CRiL) [5.2, 5.6, 5.8]. The device, called N-Tidal™, is a CE-marked, hand-held device for monitoring and managing lung diseases [5.8]. Gas Sensing Solutions’ antimonide LED is at the heart of the new sensor [5.2, 5.6, 5.7]. N-Tidal was launched in 2017 for clinical trial data collection and its advanced prototypes have been used over 40,000 times in six clinical studies [5.6]. The annual economic burden of asthma and COPD on the NHS in the UK is estimated as GBP3 billion and GBP1.9 billion respectively, and N-Tidal is reducing this burden by providing early warnings to the >6 million people in the UK with lung diseases.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, CRiL accelerated the development of N-Tidal and its approval for clinical use for the early detection of lung function deterioration and patient responses to therapeutic interventions [5.9]. Additional economic impacts have been generated for product designers, Wideblue Ltd, [text removed for publication]

NASA recently carried out research at the International Space Station to determine the effects of CO₂ on astronauts [5.9, 5.10]. CO₂ analysers from Gas Sensing Solutions, developed using UofG technology, were selected because of the tiny amount of power used by their proprietary, mid-range, infrared LEDs and the resulting long operational life of their batteries [5.10]. This research identified that crew members develop CO₂-related symptoms at lower CO₂ levels than would be expected terrestrially. NASA reported that this research will facilitate design of “appropriate wearable technology for future space missions” [5.9] .

[5.1] Devro is a leading international supplier of sausage casings, [text removed for publication].

Fundamental research from UofG has had a transformational effect on Devro, including impact on company practice and culture, environmental impacts and economic impacts.

Reduced wastage and environmental impacts at Devro

As a result of the KTP with UofG, Devro deployed a material database in 2013 to define the most suitable collagen for each product, thus avoiding the processing of inferior collagen, with associated reductions in cost [5.2, page 9]. In-house research led by Dr Cheng (the former KTP associate) has enabled new data on different collagen sources to be acquired and monitored [5.3, page 7, section 8]. This allows Devro to tailor their products to their customers’ needs. [text removed for publication] [5.1].]

Impacts on practice and culture

Prior to the sharing of techniques developed at UofG, Devro did not have a Research and Development (R&D) department. Acknowledging the value of the KTP research, Devro opened its first R&D department, appointing Cheng as Research Technologist. With this Department, the techniques and research developed at UofG are continually in use and have been important in the company’s progression in new markets in China [5.4].

“As a direct result of the KTP, Devro created a Research and Development department for the first time in 2012. I was the first employee of this new department after the completion of the KTP, in the newly established role of Research Technologist. Using the AFM and Raman techniques developed at the University of Glasgow, along with other techniques, a new understanding of how the chemical, physical and mechanical collagen properties varied during different stages of the manufacturing process was achieved. This helped Devro to improve and develop our global manufacturing processes (this work is ongoing in our global research).” – Shuying Cheng, now Group Research Scientist, Devro [5.4] *.

The KTP was Devro’s first R&D-based academic partnership. Subsequently, Devro have changed their practice and are more confident in initiating and pursuing academic partnerships that will continue to support the Research Department, bringing further changes in practice and economic impacts to Devro [5.3 page 4, bullet 1, 5.4].

“Further to impacting the company structure, manufacturing processes and manufacturing sites, this KTP with the University of Glasgow has also enhanced a collaborative culture at Devro and inspired more academic partnerships. We have successfully sought further partnerships with the University of Glasgow, collaborating with mathematics, chemistry and engineering colleagues on projects that will continue to support the R&D department and bring considerable benefits to Devro in the future” [5.4].

Devro have also reported a transformation in their collaborative working practices since the KTP — “Participation in the KTP has transformed the way Devro collaborates around the group and acted as a catalyst to effective partnerships with industrial and academic partners; [text removed for publication] [5.1].

Economic impacts in Devro

Although it is difficult to quantify the portion of Devro’s profits since the KTP based on UofG research, the company have explained that developments underpinned by the research are linked to an increased product yield [text removed for publication] [5.1].