CARDIFF UNIVERSITY

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2026 · 2026-09

The past 8 billion years is one of the most interesting periods of galaxy evolution as it encompasses the strongest decline in the amount of star formation in the universe, where the largest morphological transformation of galaxies takes place. If we are to understand how galaxies grew and merged over time to evolve into the Universe we observe today, we need to understand what caused this decline in star formation and what caused the ‘lights to go out’.  Whilst surveys like Euclid will explore the changes in galaxy morphology and star formation over this period using the light from stars, we urgently need a way of tracing the changes in the gas content to determine whether these morphological changes are being driven by an increasing scarcity of the amount of cold gas, the fuel for star formation, in galaxies. It is therefore vital that we obtain a census of the cold gas in large, representative samples across different epochs. The effective invisibility of cold molecular hydrogen means indirect tracers of cold gas are necessary, e.g., carbon monoxide, far-infrared emission from dust and the atomic carbon line. These tracers need to be calibrated so that the galactic community can determine the conversion factor needed to transform an observed luminosity into the mass of cold gas, yet current calibrations inherit biases from limited sample sizes, the inclusion of extreme ultra luminous galaxies and by erroneously assuming Milky Way-like properties. Representative samples of the cold gas content of the dusty star forming galaxies at different cosmic epochs are urgently needed. This programme introduces a comprehensive project to produce the first self-consistent cross-calibration of the three main molecular gas mass tracers (dust, atomic carbon and carbon monoxide) in (i) a local sample of intriguing dust- and gas-rich galaxies; (ii) a representative sample of main-sequence galaxies over the past few billion years of cosmic history and (iii) an unrivalled sample of more than 100,000 galaxies from the Herschel-ATLAS, extending studies out to redshift 2. We will use a novel approach developed at Cardiff to produce the benchmark calibrations required by the extra-galactic community to translate observations of dust, carbon monoxide, and atomic carbon to a measure of molecular gas, providing robust flux-to-mass transformations for the community.  These results will be used to transform the dust masses of the 100,000 galaxies into a measure of the molecular gas mass, thus producing the first accurate study of the fuel for star formation over more than half of the age of the Universe, currently impossible using targeted surveys of gas tracers.  Calibrations will be benchmarked to our unexpected dust-rich galaxies in our own backyard, which are common – they contain a third of the dust content in the nearby universe - yet currently defy expectations of how dust and carbon monoxide gas relate to the amount of molecular hydrogen in galaxies.  Our bespoke statistical framework on the chemical evolution of galaxies will be used to model and understand the transformation of galaxies over this important epoch. This project will transform our understanding of why ‘the lights in galaxies went out’ following the cosmic noon.  

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2026 · 2026-02

Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) comprise >70 genetic diseases, caused by defects in lysosomal enzymes and membrane proteins, with a combined incidence of ~1/5,000 live births, and estimated 6,200 UK patients. Although each is genetically distinct, there are features common to most LSDs. Most common (>2/3 LSDs) is neurological involvement, comprising intellectual disability, developmental regression, ataxia, seizures and neurodegeneration including hallmarks of Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases. At the cellular level, LSDs are characterised by macromolecule accumulation (both primary storage of enzyme/transporter substrates and secondary storage of difficult-to-digest molecules that accumulate due to disrupted lysosomal function), endocytic trafficking and autophagy abnormalities. Therapeutic options are extremely limited. The therapeutic mainstay is enzyme replacement, where a functional version of the deficient enzyme is infused into the bloodstream, but this cannot address brain disease. Translational LSD research focusses on gene therapy delivered directly to the brain, exemplified by the recently approved therapy for metachromatic leukodystrophy. In addition to the huge expense, which will limit access to wider populations, gene therapy cannot correct every cell in the brain and cannot address peripheral symptoms. An attenuated chronic disease, requiring further therapy via a CNS-penetrant small molecule, will likely persist following treatment. Small molecule therapies, which include substrate reduction to inhibit synthesis of storage molecules and chaperones to stabilise misfolded enzymes, are not common and not satisfactory; they are not suitable for all patients or have minimal effects on disease progression. A major barrier to developing LSD therapies is the small market size for individual diseases – the most common LSD, Gaucher disease, occurs at ~1/40,000 live births – making therapies for all but the most common commercially unattractive. We propose a revolutionary approach targeting multiple LSDs based on a shared pathogenic mechanism, the presence of toxic lyso-glycosphingolipids, thus addressing unmet medical need and increasing potential market size. Lyso-glycosphingolipids, barely detectable in healthy individuals, are formed via gain-of-function degradation of glycosphingolipids, elevated in >20 LSDs, by lysosomal enzyme acid ceramidase (AC). They are central to pathology in diseases where they are elevated, including type 3 Gaucher (GD3), Krabbe and Fabry diseases, as they cause neuronal death, demyelination, neuropathic pain and inflammation. We will initially focus on GD3, a neurodegenerative LSD caused by mutations in the GBA1 gene, for which there is no therapy and where a pathogenic role for lyso-glycosphingolipid glucosylsphingosine has been demonstrated. GD3 is a gateway indication for future trials in Parkinson disease associated with GBA1 mutations (GBA-PD), comprising 5-15% all Parkinson disease patients, which shares lyso-glycosphingolipid mediated toxicity but where patient heterogeneity makes clinical trials difficult. This would address a further unmet need and provide a very attractive investment opportunity. Current AC inhibitors are unsuitable for chronic CNS administration. The prototypical inhibitor, carmofur, is covalent, and is a prodrug of the toxic chemotherapy agent 5-fluorouracil. Other AC inhibitors in early development are more selective but also covalent, risking over-inhibition. This is important as >94% loss of AC activity causes infantile Farber disease, another neurodegenerative LSD. We have identified two series of non-covalent AC inhibitors that are potent, selective, stable and brain penetrant. This project will continue to develop these through lead optimisation to identify a molecule suitable for in vivo proof-of-concept studies in GD3 mice. In parallel, we will optimise treatment protocols that avoid over-inhibition to generate an attractive data package for onward investment.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2026 · 2026-02

Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 (TSC2) is known to repress mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and cell growth. This basic discovery was fundamental to better understand an array of human diseases linked to mTOR dysregulation. By working on TSC cell models we now have striking data showing that TSC2 has a second function that drives pathology. This new function of TSC2 is regulated through the transcriptional activation (TA) domain, which is linked to disease traits associated with mTORopathies, epilepsy, peroxisomal disorders, and cancer. Preliminary data indicate that the TA domain regulates key transcription factors involved in redox homeostasis, orchestrating a broad array of cellular processes, including angiogenesis, extracellular matrix deposition, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, cell differentiation, lipid metabolism, inflammation, and immune evasion. This project aims to characterise the TA domain of TSC2, uncovering its functional role to orchestrate gene expression linked to redox homeostasis and will explore calcium and hormone signalling (Aim 1). We plan to identify downstream pathways and targets through transcriptomics in cell models harbouring either the TA or GTPase activating protein (GAP) domain mutants of TSC2. This will allow us to screen for clinically viable drugs that modulate these pathways and targets, aiming to address a broader spectrum of pathologies linked to signal dysregulation through this TSC2-TA domain (Aim 2). To further advance clinical applications, Aim 3 focuses on characterising extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from TSC-disease cells, comparing TA and GAP domain mutants of TSC2 in their pathological cell communication to modulate transcription factor activity within recipient cells. EVs harbour detectable biosignatures that are reflective of TSC pathology. Therefore, we will also determine disease-specific EV biosignatures downstream of the GAP and TA domain of TSC2. In summary, this research will deepen our understanding of TSC function with focus on the TA domain of TSC2, uncover novel therapeutic avenues, and improve clinical management through advancing diagnostic biomarkers that are linked to the GAP- and TA-domain functions of TSC2. Findings obtained will advance our understanding of TSC and mTORopathies, as well as other diseases linked to the dysregulation of the TSC1/2 tumour suppressor complex. This includes cancer that have dysregulated signalling through TSC2.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2026 · 2026-01

The cells that comprise our body have specific functions and are adapted to suit the particular tissue in which they exist. Mature cells are generally known as differentiated cells because they have become fully adapted to their biological role. For a long time, it was thought that once a cell had “chosen its path” and differentiated into a particular type of cell, it had embarked on an irreversible journey. However, in 2012 Professors Sir John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka, of Cambridge and Kyoto Universities, respectively, were awarded the Nobel Prize for discovering that differentiated adult cells could be genetically reprogrammed to become less differentiated and thus capable of forming many different cell types. Such cells are called induced pluripotent stem cells, commonly abbreviated to iPS cells. The new research we propose originates with the discovery, made with our collaborators in Japan, that human iPS cells (hiPSCs) can be cultivated in the laboratory to grow in a manner that mimics the way cells in the human eye develop before birth (1). Based on this hiPSC technology, we now have exciting opportunities to probe the unique genetic, chemical and cellular changes that occur in hiPSCs as they recapture the processes of human eye development. Crucially, for the first time we will correlate the genetic status of hiPSCs with their chemical identity. This will be achieved via a combination of state-of-the-art spatial transcriptomics to reveal the genetic mechanisms behind the formation of hiPSC-derived eye-like structures, aligned to X-ray microscopy and infrared spectroscopy experiments at the UK’s National Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Diamond Light Source, near Oxford, to establish the spatiotemporal chemical patterning within the eye-like structures at nm-resolution. In achieving this, transcriptomic status can be linked to the types of biologically important elements that a cell expresses. The synchrotron-based analysis will be augmented with immunoelectron microscopy to identify key biological components of developing hiPSCs via antibodies tagged with nano-gold particles. Parallel studies of developing human eyes will allow us to closely monitor how the emerging hiPSC constructs mimic actual human eye development. Our work aligns closely with BBSRC’s Strategic Delivery Plan in terms of “helping realise the transformative potential of engineering biology” and attaining “a deeper understanding of biological systems”. Indeed, we have shown how hiPSCs can be cultured to form functional eye-related tissues, such as tear-producing lacrimal glands (2). Also, many diseases of the eye are age-related, and our research will be aligned to BBSRC’s desire to “address the challenges of increasing healthy life expectancy”. With this in mind, it has recently become evident that hiPSC-derived corneal epithelial cell sheets are able to recover the sight of patients with severely impaired vision, including individuals in their 60s and 70s (3). The future application of the hiPSC technology described here has the real potential to be transformative, attaining a deeper understanding of the combined genetic, chemical and cellular underpinnings of how hiPSCs replicate whole eye development. Hayashi … Quantock, Tsujikawa, Nishida. Co-ordinated ocular development from human iPS cells and recovery of corneal function. Nature 2016;531:376-380. doi:10.1038/nature17000 Hayashi … Quantock, Nishida. Generation of 3D lacrimal gland organoids from human pluripotent stem cells. Nature 2022;605:126-131. doi:10.1038/s41586-022-04613-4 Soma … Quantock, Hayashi, Nishida. iPS cell-derived corneal epithelium for transplant surgery: A single-arm, open-label, first-in-human interventional study in Japan. Lancet 2024;404:1929-1939. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01764-1

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-12

Huntington’s disease (HD) is one of over 60 human diseases caused by repeat expansions in specific genes. Many of these diseases are characterised by progressive and devastating neurological and/or neurodegenerative pathology and, notably, none has a treatment that can alter the disease course. Therefore, there remains a clear unmet clinical need for urgent drug development in HD and related repeat expansion disorders. Excitingly, recent genetic discoveries of common pathogenic pathways have opened up new therapeutic avenues that we believe could ultimately lead to an effective treatment applicable to many of these diseases. HD is characterised by neurodegeneration in the brain, leading to loss of movement control, psychiatric symptoms, dementia and, ultimately, premature death. HD affects about 1 in 8,000 in the UK. It is a genetic, autosomal dominant condition that often devastates families as well as having an economic cost of >£260M per year in the UK alone. HD is caused by a single expanded repeat tract of at least 36 CAGs in the HTT gene. Longer repeat tracts are associated with earlier onset of disease symptoms and faster progression. However, there is much variation, some of which is heritable. Recent human genetic studies have identified a small number of genes associated with altered onset and/or progression of HD. This is important as it helps identify critical drivers of disease trajectory- and shows that disease course can be modified in people. These ‘modifier genes’ mostly have roles in DNA repair and subsequent work has shown that they alter the stability of the disease-causing CAG repeat in disease-relevant cells such as the medium spiny neurons of the striatum in the brain. Such ‘somatic expansion’ of the CAG repeat beyond its inherited length is now considered the key pathogenic driver in HD and other repeat expansion disorders. Importantly, by identifying genetic modifiers of disease onset and linking them to the pathogenic mechanism of somatic expansion, we have discovered novel drug targets that could be useful not just in HD, but in the broader family of repeat expansion disorders. In this project, we will combine our cutting-edge expertise in HD/repeat expansion disorder pathology and early-stage drug discovery to prosecute a novel drug target with very strong human genetic evidence that it is a disease modifier. We aim to discover and develop a small molecule inhibitor of this modifier protein that has a central role in driving somatic CAG repeat expansion in HD. We will use a high-throughput screen to identify small molecule inhibitors of a key protein activity before running a counter-screen to ensure appropriate specificity. Tool compounds will be developed and then assayed in our unique, bespoke, HD patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell/neuronal model of somatic expansion. By the end of the project we aim to have identified a tool compound that shows efficacy in inhibiting the key cellular process of somatic expansion in a disease-relevant neuronal model system. If successful, future funding applications will focus on further optimisation and development of the inhibitors for pre-clinical in vivo evaluation and downstream pre-clinical candidate selection and clinical development. Given the lack of a disease-modifying therapy in HD, or any of the other repeat expansion disorders, progress towards an inhibitor of somatic expansion has the potential to have a high impact across many currently untreatable conditions.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-12

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating disease that affects over 55 million of people worldwide, causing memory loss, cognitive decline, and ultimately, a loss of independence. This number is projected to nearly triple by 2050, posing significant economic and social challenges. While the exact causes of AD are still not fully understood, recent research has highlighted the significant role that inflammation may play in the development and progression of this disease. My proposal aims to explore how inflammation contributes to AD. The part of the inflammatory pathway that I explore here is called the complement system. Complement is part of the immune system, it is the body's natural response to injury or infection, but when it becomes chronically active, it can lead to harmful effects in many organs, including brain. In the context of AD, chronic brain inflammation may damage brain cells and disrupt the normal functioning of neural networks, leading to the disease. The cognitive decline seen in AD patients can be partially attributed to inflammation, which is driven by the complement system. This system comprises an army of proteins in the blood that exist to counter pathogens. One critical component of this army, the Membrane Attack Complex (MAC), functions like a pinprick in a balloon, poking holes in bacteria and human cells, leading to cell leakage and inflammation. Divisions of this complement army include the classical, lectin, and alternative pathways, which recruit additional reinforcements to combat invaders. Normally, these reinforcements enhance the army's strength, aiding in repelling invaders. However, if complement becomes excessively activated, rather than helping, it become problematic. The defenders begin to attack self-cells. Although it is unclear why this breakdown occurs – potentially due to a lack of communication within the system - this "friendly fire" can drive disease by promoting a hyperinflammatory state, leading to brain damage and disease. In this fellowship, I will address the knowledge gap to understand how the complement system works in both healthy and diseased brain, specifically in the AD-affected brain. By understanding these mechanisms, I can identify the best strategies to control complement activation and thus prevent brain damage. I will use novel and unique tools that I have developed, that can detect complement dysregulation and prevent complement activation. These have the potential to reduce inflammation and brain damage, preventing or limiting progression in people living with AD. The work will address the knowledge gap in understanding roles of complement in brain and accelerate the development of novel tests and drugs for AD and other brain diseases. This research has the potential to improve the quality of life for millions of patients and their families by offering new hope for managing and treating this debilitating disease.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-11

  This Fellowship aims to unlock the latent potential of carbon dioxide as a versatile chemical feedstock, facilitating the development of sustainable fuels and chemicals. Building upon Taylor's pioneering work in supercritical anti-solvent synthesis, this Fellowship seeks to exploit new catalysts generated from novel disordered solid-state precursors that hold the potential to revolutionise the landscape of heterogeneous catalyst development. The Fellowship will redefine the role of catalysts in carbon dioxide conversion, exploiting the innovative potential of disordered precursors to synthesise functional materials. These precursors, characterised by their unique structural and chemical attributes, will allow us to break away from restrictions imposed by traditional highly ordered crystalline materials, and enable the creation of novel catalysts with transformative potential across diverse industrial applications. Once the structure-activity relationships of these advanced materials are understood for carbon dioxide conversion to methanol, new catalysts will be designed for the direct conversion of carbon dioxide to chemicals and fuels.   The applicant and assembled team are strategically positioned to exploit the potential of these new catalyst precursors, through their expertise in catalyst preparation, fundamental understanding, and the practical application of heterogeneous catalysis. This holistic strategy is enriched through synergistic collaborations with experts in advanced and in situ characterisation techniques, envisaging an accelerated trajectory toward catalyst discovery and the rational design of catalysts.   Catalysts are essential as they enable the efficient manufacture of many key products required by society. They also offer the potential to create new processes and exploit under used resources, but many challenges still exist that require new and improved catalysts. This Fellowship addresses one such challenge by elucidating paradigm-shifting pathways for the development of novel catalysts capable of conversion of carbon dioxide. It is driven by the urgent need to underpin sustainable manufacturing processes, attain net-zero carbon emissions, and provide technology to mitigate against global climate change.   Using carbon dioxide as a feedstock is a priority objective in the pursuit of carbon neutrality within manufacturing sectors, supporting the UK's strategic vision for a circular economy and the ambitious target of net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050. Importantly, this initiative aligns seamlessly with the EPSRC’s Enabling Transitions strategy, with a specific focus on sustainability and advanced manufacturing.   The benefits are multidimensional. Replacing conventional fossil fuel resources with sustainable alternatives will potentially reshape the UK chemical industry, characterised by an annual turnover exceeding £20 billion. Furthermore, it champions the principles of atom and energy efficiency, converging with the goals articulated by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Chemistry Growth Partnership for low-carbon manufacturing. Cleaner chemical processes and products will diminish the environmental footprint, enhancing the quality of life for communities impacted by industrial activities, whilst supporting economic growth.   This Fellowship is inherently collaborative and cooperative, interfacing effectively with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) initiatives in low carbon futures and the circular economy, while also benefiting from and contributing to the foundational work of the UK Catalysis Hub. It will accelerate catalyst discovery in an industry already projected to experience an annual growth rate of approximately 4.8%, thereby directly benefiting the United Kingdom's preeminent supply chain in catalyst manufacture. It will help to establish a more robust and resilient supply chain for chemicals and materials, aligning with the ambitious objectives set by the Chemistry Growth Partnership.  

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-11

Designing dying-in-place Addressing the needs of an ageing population is an increasingly important global challenge, particularly in relation to health issues and the complexities surrounding death. In the UK, there are ongoing discussions about end-of-life, such as debates around assisted dying and funding for hospice care and social services. The National Health Service is also focused on reducing hospital stays since hospital beds are hugely over-subscribed and expensive (costing £901 per day per person for non-elective care).   This research will help to understand the qualities of place where older people (defined as those over 60 years old by the United Nations) die. In the past, most people in Europe died at home, but this changed in the mid-19th century, and now less than a third of deaths in England and Wales happen at home. Most people die in hospitals or care institutions, which are often not ideal places for death. Our research goal is to understand how design can be used to create environments for dying-in-place, a concept from palliative care that has yet to be fully explored in architecture. The project has three objectives: (i) to review existing research on dying-in-place, as well as cultural attitudes toward death, (ii) to gather experiences of dying at home from different cultures in Wales, through feedback from carers, and (iii) to provide insights for architects on how to design homes that better support people who want to die at home.   A key benefit of the project will be the development of understanding drawn from real-life experiences of dying at home in Wales, particularly from diverse communities that are underrepresented in previous research. The research will respond to the questions: (i) What do people want in the place where they die? (ii) What are the environmental barriers to dying at home? (iii) How can architects help design better homes for dying-in-place? In the short term this project will bring to light housing case studies and care stories that are currently overlooked and under heard. Recording and sharing the experiences of carers, including informal care workers, will provide valuable insights into what is needed. Designers will benefit from gaining access to remote experiences through stories that foreground place and the environmental attributes of care. Furthermore, visual methods will be used to develop illustrative material to help communicate what dying-in-place at home means. In the long term, this work could inform the production of design guidelines that influence policy, much like the ‘Lifetime Homes’ standard that was incorporated into UK building regulations. The insights gained from this project could also be applied to other settings, such as residential care homes.   This project will bring an architectural perspective to the current debate surrounding the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, with a particular focus on the material and spatial needs and aspirations for dying-in-place. By addressing the issue of death through architectural design, the research could help improve the quality of life and death for people and ease the pressure on NHS hospitals.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-11

Pakistan faces one of the most severe plastic waste crises in South Asia, with over 3 million tonnes of plastic waste annually clogging water systems and contaminating vital agricultural resources. With 70% of the population lacking access to clean drinking water, plastic pollution is a critical issue that must be addressed. Recognizing this, Cardiff University’s BBSRC-funded Plastic Fish team, in collaboration with Cardiff’s Water Research Institute, has partnered with Pakistan’s National Agriculture Research Council (PARC), WWF Pakistan branch and COMSATS University Islamabad. Through this travel grant, we aim to support our Pakistani colleagues in addressing plastic pollution through knowledge exchange and strategic action. Leveraging expertise from Cardiff’s Schools of Biosciences and Chemistry, the Plastic Fish team seeks to facilitate skills transfer between researchers in the UK and Pakistan. Our primary objectives include establishing a plastic pollution database, forming a steering committee to drive policy changes, and fostering career development for Early Career Researchers (ECRs) at Cardiff. Through discussions with Dr Farrakh Mehboob (Principal Scientific Officer at PARC), Hammad Khan (Director General of WWF) and Dr Haroon Akbar (Associate Professor at COMSATS and member of Cardiff University’s OneZoo CDT), it became clear that Objective 1 of this project is to aid Pakistani researchers in creating a national plastic pollution database. Currently, little is known about the types and distribution of plastic contaminants, particularly persistent organic pollutants such as phthalate-based flame retardants and plasticisers. With the support of this grant, the Cardiff team will conduct field visits to key agricultural and freshwater sites, including areas that supply local populations and export produce globally. This will enable comprehensive sampling and data collection on plastic pollution. Objective 2 focuses on collaboration with PARC, which maintains direct connections with national legislative bodies in Pakistan. Working alongside Dr Mehboob, we will help establish a steering committee comprising researchers, environmental organizations, and policymakers to address the plastic pollution crisis at a systemic level. Led by Principal Investigator Professor Jo Cable, Head of Cardiff’s Organism and Environment Division in the School of Bioscience, this initiative also supports ECR career development (Objective 3). Dr Numair Masud, a Co-Investigator on the BBSRC-funded Plastic Fish project, brings expertise in freshwater plastic pollution assessment and data analytics. As a Pakistani researcher, he will serve as a cultural link between the two nations. Dr Sophie Watson will contribute her knowledge in molecular ecology, advising on the potential implementation of molecular diagnostic tools to enhance biosecurity assessments in Pakistan. We anticipate that this grant will serve as a foundation for larger funding applications to BBSRC or NERC, expanding international collaboration in this critical research area. Aligned with the United Nations’ Global Plastic Treaty’s call for urgent global action, this initiative exemplifies effective North-South collaboration in tackling the global plastic pollution crisis.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-10

Introduction: ‘Planet Hoppers’ (PH) began ~2 years as an interdisciplinary (physics/social sciences) project as part of a summer internship programme at Cardiff University. This produced ‘Star Sailors’, a Top Trumps-style card game about astronauts, and then grew with grants from UKSA (£5k, developing ‘Stellar Careers’ - Happy Families and bingo with space mission crews) and RAS (£3.2k, currently developing ‘Exoplanet Explorers’, a card game focussing on exoplanets). These games can be used to spark interest and build curiosity about space/astronomy amongst a wider audience and help communicate technical knowledge and research insights in interesting/engaging/fun ways. For example, the exoplanets featured in Exoplanet Explorers (EE) have been selected in collaboration with STFC-funded researchers in Cardiff University to provide accurate breakdowns of both the main exoplanet types (e.g. Gas Giant, Neptunian, Super Earth) and the discovery technique (radial velocity, transit etc.). They are thus far more than just ‘playing cards’ but serve as a useful data source for follow-up activities (i.e. classroom resources). Trials of Star Sailors and Stellar Careers have shown that they are very popular with both children and teachers (see ‘Applicant and team capability to deliver’) and are an excellent way to ‘kickstart’ space-related lessons. Both games are ‘people-centric’, drawing attention to careers and diversity in the space industry, and the cards and characters are designed to be inclusive across gender and ethnicity so that children from backgrounds underrepresented in STEM (women, black and minority ethnic communities) can see themselves in the games. Current activities: Our next games focus on ‘astronomical objects’, starting with exoplanets and linking with the ESA Ariel mission and associated STFC-funded exoplanet research in Cardiff and elsewhere in the UK. RAS funding has allowed us to develop the 36 exoplanet cards (see attachment), maintaining the branding developed for the previous PH games, and will allow production of 100 trial packs. We wish to extend EE to include classroom resources (aimed at upper KS2/KS3) and use it to develop interest in and knowledge of the Ariel mission (launching 2029). We will co-create these materials with local teachers, trial and evaluate them in schools in south Wales (Cardiff and Valleys, targeting Wonder Initiative audiences) and then make the final versions available online. These resources will use the card game as the kickoff for an engaging lesson that uses the cards as prompts and data sources, e.g. pupils calculate density of their individual exoplanet using given mass and radius, then the class plots a diagram of their results, showing differences between 'Terrestrial', Neptunian and Jupiter-like planets etc. Spark award: Here we request funds to allow us to:    (i) co-create (with local teachers) 10 classroom resources (i.e. CfW lesson plan outlines, teacher and student resources) that complement the EE card game and allow teachers to more easily integrate gameplay into STEM or even literacy lessons. (ii) trial and evaluate the game and the resources (as part of a PhD project), working with local schools and alongside education providers. (iii) publicise EE at several major outreach events and venues. In future we aim to produce additional card games based on other STFC-funded research areas, e.g. Asteroids and Comets; Star clusters; Galaxies; Gravitational Wave events.  These would target older students but follow the same tried-and-tested model of gameplay-then-learning. We see this application as a proof-of-concept for these future games and resources

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-09

Doctoral Training Partnerships: a range of postgraduate training is funded by the Research Councils. For information on current funding routes, see the common terminology at https://www.ukri.org/apply-for-funding/how-we-fund-studentships/. Training grants may be to one organisation or to a consortia of research organisations. This portal will show the lead organisation only.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-09

Secure and reliable timing signals underpin several critical national infrastructures, such as positioning & navigation, secure communications, financial systems, and the power grid. Current systems rely on the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) for a timing reference, which is vulnerable to outages caused by malicious attack (GPS jamming).  Atomic clocks are the most accurate clocks in existence, and the rollout of ‘chip-scale’ atomic clock has the potential to enhance security, performance, and efficiency; removing the dependence on GNSS. A chip-scale clock uses laser  light with very high purity, tuned to the exact frequency of atomic energy states to create a timing reference.  This objective of this project is to develop a reliable and stable laser source which meets this requirement, and will be guided by a set of specifications from the National Physical Laboratory (UK). The project brings complementary expertise in compound semiconductor material design and wafer-scale production of Cardiff University, supported by industrial partners in the South Wales Cluster, with advanced novel laser structures developed by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-09

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder in which striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) are selectively vulnerable and die early in the course of the disease. No treatments or disease-modifying therapies exist for HD, making this a significant unmet need. We have adopted a regenerative medicine approach to repair the neural circuitry and to alleviate the cognitive and motor symptoms of the disease. To achieve this, we developed an embryonic stem cell-derived MSN (hESC-MSN) cell therapy product, called RHD-001, which can be transplanted into the brain, where it replaces the function of  striatal MSNs lost to the disease process.  An important aspect of this is that it re-connects cortical and subcortical basal ganglia circuitry. Over the last 10 years, we have characterised RHD-001 extensively (including demonstrating survival in the brain, safety, the ability to functionally synapse with the host brain, the positive electrophysiological benefit of the graft, gene expression profiling of the product, and alleviation of motor and cognitive deficits). Recently, we undertook a gap analysis with the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult, which concluded that we have compelling body of evidence to support taking RHD-001 forward for regulatory consideration, but identified two gaps: (i) validation of a biomarker panel for quality control of RHD-001 prior to transplantation and (ii) a long-term GLP toxicity study. It is essential to have the biomarker panel in place for use in the GLP toxicity study, so this application is to develop and validate the biomarker panel. Development and validation of the biomarker panel will be based on 8 existing batches of RHD-001 product. Each batch has already been transplanted into rodent brains with long-term survival times, and subsequently designated as either an ‘optimal’ or ‘suboptimal’ batch of cells, based on MSN marker expression in the grafts and the propensity to integrate into the host brain. Single-cell RNAseq analysis of these batches will allow identification of biomarkers that can differentiate between optimal and suboptimal batches. These biomarkers will form the basis of the quality control (QC) panel, which will include on-target genes, off-target genes and genes associated with undifferentiated stem cells.  We will then prospectively validate the suitability of this QC panel to predict optimal batches (after testing the suitability of antibodies and primers to be used for our flow cytometry/qRT-PCR assays). To address this, we will differentiate 10 new batches of optimal or suboptimal cells, with suboptimal batches created through subtle, unfavourable manipulations of the differentiation protocol prior to cryopreservation. Aliquots of the new batches will be screened using the QC panel following which these batches will be transplanted into the rodent brain. 12 weeks post-transplantation, grafts will be graded as optimal/suboptimal so that we can assess the extent to which their status was predicted by the QC panel. The establishment of this validated QC panel is a critical step in our progression to the clinic and will enable the GLP toxicity study, which is the final hurdle for the preclinical package in preparation for the MHRA.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-09

This PhD will investigate under-studied Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales collections, and new finds reported by the public through the Portable Antiquities Scheme Cymru, to understand the colonial encounter between the Roman Empire and communities in South-East Wales. The project will build on current Amgueddfa Cymru programmes of publications on key Roman period sites to ask how power relations, material culture and identities changed in response to Roman imperialism. Such themes in the Roman past and their legacies in the present have been explored in depth through the lens of post-colonial theory in several parts of the former Roman empire, but not in Wales. By synthesising the archaeology of the region's first four hundred years of history for the first time through a post-colonial framework, this PhD will produce insights that will dramatically advance knowledge of Roman Wales, and – vitally - will be explored in partnership with diverse communities and stakeholders. A major part of the PhD will be undertaking in-person and digital engagement and co-creation activities with diverse audiences using the Amgueddfa Cymru collections and facilities in collaboration with pioneering Cardiff University (CU) civic mission initiatives such as the CAER heritage project and CU Community Gateway, widening participation in heritage and embedding skills, education and lifelong learning in these initiatives. Building relationships between diverse communities and places through re-telling south Wales' first historic colonial encounters will create greater engagement with, and safeguard the future of, the local historic environment and involve a wider range of people in Amgueddfa Cymru collections and education.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-09

Aims and objectives This project focuses on the social documentary work of photojournalist Bert Hardy (1913-95), chief photographer for the popular British photo-magazine, Picture Post (1938-57). The magazine and Hardy were a vital force in pioneering an influential documentary style in mid-century Britain which in turn played its part in reshaping the postwar social contract. Research will address Hardy’s extensive photography across all four nations of the UK of working-class lives, urban deprivation and rural poverty, as well as Britain’s diverse communities and their experience of racism. Project rationale Research on social documentary photography in Britain is dominated by concern with artistic movements in the late-twentieth century. Scholarly reconsideration of the culture, aesthetics and materiality of mid-century photojournalism is in its infancy (e.g. Nead, 2017; Allbeson & Colquhoun, 2022). Based on a format imported from continental Europe by the magazine’s found editor (Stefan Lorant), Picture Post’s engagement with social inequality can be categorised into three broad phases: An optimistic, future-focused interwar and wartime debate concerning reform and latterly postwar reconstruction (1938-45). A progressive, critical visual discourse on social ills (1945-50). A negative, conservative rhetoric about disadvantaged social groups or marginalised communities (1951-57). Hardy’s rich and prolific output exemplifies all three phases. As the first doctoral project dedicated to Hardy’s career, it will explore the roots, significance and legacies of his definitive achievements in the field of social documentary photography. Research questions What social, personal, local, political, publishing and aesthetic histories account for the emergence of progressive photojournalism in mid-century Britain? How should we periodise and characterise the documentary style or visual rhetoric mobilised by Hardy and Picture Post editors to expose varying types of social inequalities in mid-century Britain? What was the legacy of Hardy’s work at Picture Post for cultures and histories of photography in late-twentieth-century Britain?

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-09

In 2022 Amgueddfa Cymru (AC) acquired a unique collection relating to Reg Mickisch and George Walton. The couple – whose story features in Mike Parker’s 2019 book On the Red Hill – met in 1949 and were together until their deaths in 2011. This is the first significant personal LGBTQ+ collection at AC and reflects the couple’s domestic lives, including their civil partnership in 2006, the first in Machynlleth. For the first time this project communicates stories from the archive and, in doing so, [1] co-creates a vision for the collection’s value in varied ways, [2] diversifies museum practices in relation to LGBTQ+ history in/beyond Wales, and [3] makes a significant original theoretical contribution. RQ1: How can the archive support further understanding of - and make visible - changes in gay rights, lifecycles and ageing (1949-2011)? What other stories might it tell? RQ2: What intergenerational learning may be gleaned about intimate care arrangements in later life for LGBTQ+ people in past decades? RQ3: How might varied forms of storytelling be harnessed – in collaborative and intergenerational contexts - to communicate the visual complexity/richness of the archive? RQ4: How do findings from the above enquiry challenge normative museological practices for amplifying LGBTQ+ histories/representations, and wider public understanding of these in Wales? The student will employ a multi-method and deeply co-creative approach to project design and delivery. The work will be interdisciplinary, making a significant evidence-based contribution to debates about representation within museums, varied forms of storytelling, and the value of collaborative methodologies.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-09

Service children – those who have a parent or carer who serves, or has served, in the British Armed Forces – are a group of children in society whose voices are often absent from research, policy and practice. In schools, this means that service children’s unique educational experiences, associated needs and distinctive identity, all shaped by the demands of the armed forces, are not fully understood or supported. My doctoral research acknowledged this and took an innovative and creative approach by researching with service children to explore how military life shapes their sense of self and educational experiences. Alongside generating new knowledge and understanding in this area, my research identified implications for practice which seek to inform and ultimately improve service children’s experiences in schools. The first aim of the fellowship is to extend the impact of my doctoral research on the professional practice of individuals who work with service children in schools. Findings from my doctoral research identified a significant range, in terms of existence and quality, of school support for service children. This indicates that staff may lack appropriate knowledge and understanding of this group and therefore not be able to support their needs effectively. Accordingly, I will create a bespoke e-learning resource focused on raising awareness of service children, their unique life experiences, distinctive identity and associated needs. The resource will then be piloted and refined through feedback workshops and advisory group meetings with trainee and early career teachers (the target audience), to ensure its utility and relevance to the new Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework. This e-learning resource will be complemented by the co-creation of a digital resource to support voice work in schools. The resource will provide a ‘how-to’; highlighting creative and child-centred ways to effectively listen to children’s voices within the school setting. This will assist staff working in schools to engage in effective voice work to ensure that school practice and support are informed by the needs and experiences of service children themselves. By working collaboratively with the SCiP Alliance, the resource will form part of their forthcoming digital offerings and be shared with many schools across the UK. The second aim of the fellowship is to extend the existing academic impact of my doctoral research and in doing so, support my career development as a researcher. To build my international network and achieve global reach with my findings, I will engage with a world-leading institute focused on research with the military community, the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research (CIMVHR). I will present at their annual conference and undertake a short institutional visit to Queen’s University. Given the CIMVHR’s expertise in translating academic research into professional practice, the visit will also support the development of my digital resources. I will also publish two journal articles based on significant findings and outputs of my doctoral research. Accessible and engaging complementary articles, blogs and podcasts will be developed to coincide with publication of the two journal articles. This will increase the two articles' reach and readership alongside enhancing the impact of my key doctoral contributions. Collectively, this will further build my academic profile and support my career development.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-09

Gravitational waves (GWs) have provided us with a new means to study the universe. Since 2015 over 90 confirmed GW detections of merging black holes and neutron stars have transformed our understanding of astrophysics, uncovering a vast new population of massive black holes that has challenged our understanding of the evolution of massive stars; demonstrated that neutron-star mergers are the source of short gamma-ray bursts; tested general relativity to unprecedented accuracy; starte to uncover the black-hole mass distribution and provided new independent measurements of the Hubble constant. This is only the beginning: over the course of this grant period planned improvements in detector sensitivity will lead to daily observations, taking us into a new era towards precision GW astronomy. The Cardiff Gravity Exploration Institute (GEI) has been a pioneer in GW research for 50 years. We have developed the methods now routinely used to detect signals, the theoretical signal models and analysis codes necessary to measure the properties of the signals’ sources, and the most advanced machine-learning methods to discover entirely new sources. With these data we constrain state-of-the-art astrophysical models. In 2018 we started an experimentation group, whose members have been key contributors to instrument innovation for several decades and now in Cardiff contribute directly to improving Advanced LIGO detector sensitivity. In the eight themes (including Operations) in this grant we will develop improved gravitational-wave (GW) detector technology, GW signal models, detection and source measurement tools, and astrophysical modelling, to exploit the data from the fourth and fifth observing runs (O4 and O5) of the Advanced LIGO, Virgo and KAGRA detectors. The grant period will include the data release from O4, and the beginning of O5. During this time we expect the observation of several hundred compact-binary mergers. The research themes in this project help make possible this number of observations, and will ensure that we extract the maximum possible scientific information from them. We will further use that information to understand the formation and evolution of binary systems in the universe. These research projects address several STFC Science Challenges in Frontier Physics: A5 (how do stars and galaxies evolve?), A6 (how do nuclear reactions power astrophysical processes and create the chemical elements?), A7 (what is the true nature of gravity?), A8 (what can gravitational waves and high-energy particles from space tell us about the universe?) and C3 (what is the nature of space-time?) We will develop a new interferometer modelling approach that will make possible high-power laser operation in O5, and a novel method for detector calibration. We will construct theoretical signal models that meet the far higher accuracy requirements that are essential for O5 observations, and methods to fully characterise any systematic uncertainties that remain. In source measurement we will develop tools to rapidly characterise exceptional sources that include precession or eccentricity, improved localisation for EM follow-up, and a new framework for parameter estimation that accounts for real detector noise. Our machine-learning search pipeline will allow low-latency detections in <15s for multi-messenger astronomy. Finally, we will develop tools to characterise black-hole populations and to identify multiple sub-populations.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-09

This project explores a secure-by-design hardware approach for data communication, where the unique physical properties of a material are used as an intrinsic security feature that cannot be copied or cloned. As the world becomes increasingly dependent on high-speed optical communication for data centres, cloud computing systems, and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, ensuring the security of the hardware that underpins these networks is critical. Traditional approaches to data security rely heavily on software, which can be hacked, copied, or bypassed. Quantum dots (QDs) are tiny semiconductor structures just billionths of a meter in size. These QDs are grown using advanced manufacturing techniques that naturally produce small variations in their size and shape. These differences cause each QD to emit slightly different colours of light, and when many QDs emit light together, such as in a laser, they produce a unique “optical fingerprint”. By analysing the variations in brightness across a range of colours, a system can securely identify individual devices in the same way a fingerprint or iris scan is used to identify a person. This concept is known as a Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) and is a promising technology for improving future hardware security. The project focuses on QDs that emit light in the 1300nm range, wavelengths already widely used in data communications. We will test how these naturally unique spectra behave, ensuring they are both stable and repeatable. The results will be used to evaluate whether these “fingerprints” can be reliably applied to short-range optical interconnects, such as those connecting servers in large data centres. Work will be carried out at Cardiff University, with collaboration from US experts in quantum dot growth and silicon photonics. This partnership will help guide future development of secure photonic hardware, paving the way for an integrated demonstration of a QD-based security device  

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-08

The vision of my FLF fellowship was to offer a bridge between AI theory and practice when it comes to language technologies. The last few years during the fellowship have been paramount to the progress of the field. The general public are becoming more familiar with language technology (e.g. through applications such as ChatGPT) and are increasingly aware of what it can offer. To this end, the first years of the FLF are contributing to shaping this landscape, in particular in relation to the development of efficient and practical models. For the next three years, I will focus on the practical and multi-disciplinary components that the initial research has contributed to, while also reinforcing and extending the foundational research behind this progress. Natural Language Processing (NLP) as a discipline is constantly evolving, rapidly so especially in the last few years. This speed brings about potential risks but also opportunities to harness these advances to put and bring them to provide social good. My vision takes a positive view on this technology and the opportunities that it can bring to many important disciplines, including, but not limited to, health and environment. Data, and in particular textual data, is constantly growing in all disciplines, and makes it impossible for humans to process and get insights from them. Here is where NLP comes into play, but nowadays only experts with access to expensive computing resources (usually large corporations) can take advantage of the exponential progress in the field. The vision of my fellowship is aimed at facilitating the access of NLP technology to non-expert users, including (but not exclusively) researchers from other disciplines, industry and public bodies for positive benefit. This can be achieved by researching efficient methods, better understanding the strengths and limitations of these models, and by releasing open data and specialised models. To fulfil this vision, the renewal of the FLF will allow me and my team to continue to develop the research, keep pace with the rapid evolution of the field, allow us to continue the work started and offer the space to explore exciting new collaborations and applications. Crucially, the practical and multi-disciplinary nature of the scheme, coupled with the strong research foundations required to achieve these goals, make the FLF scheme unique in helping achieve these goals.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-08

Gravitational waves (GWs) from colliding black holes and neutron stars are transforming our understanding of the Universe. The LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration’s latest update reports 90 compact-binary coalescences (CBCs), and hundreds more are expected over the next six years. Yet despite their evident abundance, the process by which CBCs form is unknown. My research addresses the following questions: How and where do merging compact binaries form? What can GWs tell us about the environments in which compact binaries reside? CBCs may form in isolation, with two stars born into a binary evolving into a tightly-bound stellar remnant pair, or dynamically, with the remnants becoming bound inside densely-populated environments like globular star clusters (GCs) or active galactic nuclei (AGN). Isolated and dynamical CBCs can be distinguished through the shapes of their orbits: while isolated binaries have circular orbits at detection, dynamical formation can produce mergers with significant orbital eccentricities. Eccentricity can therefore reveal how and where a binary formed, but complexities in GW modelling have---until recently---prevented its measurement. From 2019-2022, I circumvented these complexities to make the first measurements of eccentricity in CBCs detected with GWs, revealing a potentially dynamically-formed contingent within the population. Our ability to resolve CBC formation environments is still hindered by a strong caveat: it is not yet possible to disentangle measurements of eccentricity from measurements of spin-induced orbital precession, as there are no waveform approximants that contain both effects. Through this Fellowship, I will tease apart measurements of eccentricity and spin-induced precession to discern CBC formation environments. I will perform large-scale simulation campaigns, use cutting-edge waveform approximants, and progress novel analysis techniques to break the degeneracy of these parameters. The current generation of GW detectors will yield ~1000 CBC detections before the end of this Fellowship, enabling CBC formation environments to be identified. To utilise CBC signals as engines for astrophysics in their own right, however, we need detectors capable of capturing millions of signals per year, or observing earlier stages of CBC lifetimes. In the 2030s, existing detectors will be upgraded to “A#” sensitivity, yielding more than 104 detections per year out to redshifts z~5. Future observatories like the Einstein Telescope will detect all CBCs in the Universe out to z ? 20. Such plentiful detections have the power to probe CBC environments with unsurpassed accuracy. In 2021, I found that observations of dynamically-formed CBCs with future detectors will provide unrivalled constraints on GC formation epochs. Due to launch in 2035, upcoming space-based detector LISA will observe stellar-mass binary black holes years before they merge, when their GW emission retains fingerprints of other nearby masses. In 2023 and 2024, I devised and demonstrated uniquely efficient methods for inferring the properties of masses that perturb stellar-mass binary black holes with future detectors. Through this Fellowship, I will deliver frameworks for illuminating CBC environments with GWs over the next decade. I will lay the groundwork for GWs as environmental indicators, incorporating simulations of GCs, AGN,  and field triples, and refining my strategies for probing these scenarios with synthetic multimessenger studies. By the end of this Fellowship, I will have positioned myself with a unique stance as a GW astronomer driving efforts to probe CBC environments via GWs.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-08

Major depressive disorder (depression) has a huge personal, family and societal impact since it affects around 5% of the global adult population. The potentially devastating effects of depression highlight the clear need for antidepressant drugs that differ from those currently on the market. Hence, not only do around one-third of depressed individuals not respond to existing medications, but those that do may have only a limited response which can take several weeks to manifest itself. Moreover, existing drugs, which primarily aim to alter the levels of a class of brain chemicals called monoamines, can be accompanied by significant side effects including, for example, loss of sexual function and suicidal ideation. A different brain chemical, called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), has for a long time been implicated in the altered brain neurochemistry that underlies depression. Based upon our understanding of how GABA alters mood, it is proposed that drugs which block the effects of GABA at a brain protein called the GABA Type B (GABAB) receptor, should have antidepressant effects. The traditional way of blocking the effects of GABA at the GABAB receptor is to use a type of drug called an antagonist which "turns off" the GABAB receptor and therefore acts like an on-off switch. For a variety of reasons, GABAB receptor antagonists do not make good drugs for human use and therefore none are currently available for use as antidepressants. In this proposal, we aim to use a much more subtle way of regulating the effects of GABA at the GABAB receptor and are aiming to identify a class of drug called a negative allosteric modulator (NAM), which acts like a dimmer switch and "turns down" (rather than antagonists which "turn off") GABAB receptor activity. These types of drugs are generally easier to develop and are much safer and/or better tolerated than drugs that turn the receptor on or off. However, it is surprising that given the underpinning scientific rationale, there have to date been no systematic attempts to identify GABAB receptor "dimmer switch" type drugs. In this proposal, we aim to conduct hit optimisation studies to improve our initial GABAB NAM screening hit series to the point where we can conduct ex vivo Proof-of-Mechanism studies in a slice electrophysiology assay. More specifically, we intend to evaluate whether a high-quality (i.e., potent, selective and cell permeable) GABAB receptor NAM can attenuate a GABAB receptor-mediated electrophysiological response.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-07

Our proposal takes a promising technology for the production of sustainable biofuels, with the potential to make a significant contribution in the transition to a prosperous net zero, closer to commercial reality. The main current sustainable alternative to gasoline/petrol is bioethanol and this is now part of the standard fuel blend in the UK (E10 or E5). However, ethanol has drawbacks as a fuel; its energy density is relatively low (around 70% that of gasoline), it can easily retain water leading to separation problems in fuel tanks, and it has a proven tendency to corrode existing engine technology and fuel infrastructure. These factors limit blend ratios to those already achieved, i.e. around 10%. By contrast, butanol has emerged as a promising advanced fuel molecule with drop-in performance much closer to traditional fuels but is difficult to manufacture in a sustainable way at scale. In previous EPSRC-funded research, we have developed catalysts for the so-called Guerbet reaction that will upgrade readily-available small bioalcohols (methanol and ethanol) into butanols (n-butanol and isobutanol).  This low-energy pathway using sustainable feedstocks to a fuel which is a potential drop-in replacement for gasoline has clear benefits.  Using other related feedstocks (e.g. longer chain alcohols), this reaction can also be extended to other sustainable fuel types such as synthetic aviation fuels, expanding the benefit of this research even further. The performance of our catalysts in lab-scale batch experiments is promising but key technological questions remain, especially regarding the formation of unwanted solid by-products. These by-products are known to result from unwanted reactions with the water that is co-produced during the Guerbet reaction and there is good preliminary evidence that moving from a batch to a continuous process is the most viable route to remove this water and therefore supress by-product formation. The main aim of this project is to prove that a continuous process is viable and overcomes the current technological limitations. Specific objectives include identifying the reactor configuration, conditions and catalysts that will achieve this aim. Crucially, we will also transfer this knowledge to our industry partners by a series of actions including industry placements for key researchers. We will move this area to a higher technology readiness level and allow industry to make robust decisions in terms of the investment that is needed for the next stage of development. The potential benefits of this project are significant, in that it could unlock the potential of a technology which could be widely deployed across the manufacture of sustainable liquid fuels, accelerating the adoption and impact of this technology as a positive contribution to achieving net zero.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-06

Our aim is to develop arrays of superconducting Kinetic Inductance Detectors beyond the current state-of-the-art for use with future millimetre and sub-millimetre observatories. Future large aperture ground-based mm/sub mm telescopes are crucial for progressing our understanding of star formation and galaxy evolution enabling statistically significant surveys of the high-z universe beyond the confusion limit and high spatial resolution observations of star formation regions in the local group. Current facilities such as the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) are limited large area mapping speed while large field of view telescopes such as the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and future Simons observatory are limited in angular resolution. Therefore, future observatories such as the Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (AtLAST) will provide the essential capabilities to further our understanding of cosmology and astrophysics. However, such observatories will require of order 1000 times the number of detectors fielded on current telescopes of this type. This is significant technological challenge that requires immediate development effort. Building upon experience with detector array development using Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKIDs), we plan to develop detectors with i) the capability of increasing multiplexing ratios (number of detectors read out on a single channel), ii) removing the need for cryogenic amplifiers that add significant heat load to cryogenic instruments when used in large numbers, and iii) developing new readout electronics that exploits advances in the field of commercially available microwave electronics and offers a route to increased multiplexing ratios along with the ability to adjust readout tuning on the fly to adapt to changing observing conditions. Our vision is to prove this approach in a timely manner for the UK’s involvement in new instrumentation on current and future observatories providing astronomers with the instrumentation required to advance current understanding limited by our capability to image large areas of sky at sufficient resolution at millimetre and sub-millimetre wavelengths.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2025 · 2025-06

Star formation is a central process to many areas of Astrophysics, from the evolution of galaxies to the formation of planetary systems. But despite its importance, the physics that leads to the gradual concentration of diffuse interstellar clouds into nuclear-burning spheres of gas is still very much debated. One key element of this star formation process is the size (and mass) of the region, within a given molecular cloud, that become gravitationally unstable and collapse uninterruptedly. Theoretical and numerical predictions in that regard vary widely, from core size regions (i.e. ~0.1pc) up to entire molecular clouds (i.e. ~100pc), feeding a 50-year-old debate on the origin of the Milky Way’s low star formation efficiency. In this context, we have recently made a decisive step towards solving this puzzle. Via a multi-scale and multi-tracer analysis, we showed that clumps, i.e. the parsec-size molecular cloud over-densities that will typically host the formation of a star cluster, are dynamically decoupled from their parent molecular clouds. We thus proposed that, at least for the few infrared dark clouds that have been investigated so far, collapse is initiated at clump scale. This project aims at consolidating this result by extending the study to a much larger and unbiased sample of clumps with the goal of constraining the physics behind the dynamical decoupling of star cluster progenitors. The data at the centre of this project is a unique set of ALMA cycle 9 and 10 observations that mosaiced 136 clumps in N2H+(1-0), for a total of 7m/12m/TP time of ~700h, one of the largest ALMA programmes ever observed. Combined with Cardiff-made NEATH synthetic observations of cloud/clump formation and evolution, our automated line-fitting tool mwydyn, and a new 3D filament identification code, we will be able to measure how the size and mass of the decoupled regions evolve in time, and determine how rapid clump collapse really is. This project relies on data that have just been secured and on a methodology that has been already tested for most parts, which highlights its feasibility. Finally, while the outcome of the project will pave the way for a new star cluster formation paradigm, it will also provide along the way some of the strongest constraints there are on the origin of Milky Way’s low star formation efficiency.