At a launch event on the 14th of August 2025, representatives from Warwick, Birmingham, the EPSRC, the BBSRC, the MRC and members of the UK academic and industry science community officially opened the first 1.2 GHz NMR instrument operational in the UK.
The event was a celebration of the UKRI's £23M investment into NMR Spectroscopy in the UK. Once both facilities are fully open, they will be accessible to academic and industry scientists from across the UK.
Professor Steven Brown, Director of the UK High-Field Solid-State NMR National Research Facility, University of Warwick, commented: "After many years of planning, it is exciting that physical and life science researchers in academia and industry in the UK can now access 1.2 GHz NMR. We look forward to working with the Birmingham-based NMR Facility and the wider UK community and UKRI to deliver joined-up access to state-of-the-art instrumentation."
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a powerful probe for the chemical and materials sciences and life sciences. The 1.2 gigahertz (GHz) spectrometer will allow better resolution, increased sensitivity, and new frontiers such as allowing researchers to observe previously "invisible" molecular interactions, dynamics, and transient states.
The facility at the University of Warwick is the first in the UK to house the commercially available NMR spectrometer from Bruker, with Birmingham's facility following in September. As two of less than 15 similar magnets in the world, the new instruments at Warwick and Birmingham will continue to put the UK, and specifically the West Midlands, at the forefront of research and innovation in areas such as pharmaceuticals and energy.
Professor Caroline Meyer, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research), University of Warwick said: "As an internationally recognised research-intensive institution, we are proud to host this world-class resource to support the UK science community in making scientific breakthroughs from improving solar cells to developing new antibiotics."
While the two facilities will have their specialties, the aim is for them to work in tandem, acting as a single functioning unit for visiting researchers. The University of Warwick's 1.2 GHz NMR will specialize in green infrastructure, plant batteries and solar cells, drug design and delivery, anti-microbial resistance, and biofuels.
The University of Birmingham's will complement Warwick's by advancing research into the structure, dynamics and interaction networks of proteins and other biomolecules to illuminate the mechanisms that support planetary life and health.
Professor Teresa Carlomagno, Academic Lead of the Biomolecular NMR Facility HWB- NMR, University of Birmingham said: "We are excited to work with Warwick and the broad UK structural community to exploit the unique capabilities of NMR spectroscopy at 1.2 GHz. I have no doubts that ultra-high field NMR will make seminal contributions to our understanding of molecular mechanisms in the years to come, enhancing our ability to shape and even engineer biological processes."
Professor Rachel O'Reilly, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research), University of Birmingham added: "We are delighted that EPSRC has chosen Birmingham to host one of the only two UK 1.2 GHz NMR instruments. As a research-intensive university, we leverage an interdisciplinary portfolio of molecular sciences to understand and engineer molecular systems for a better future. NMR spectroscopy is an important pillar in this endeavour. We are proud to offer both NMR infrastructure and expertise to the UK research community and support transformative molecular discoveries across the country".
The two new 1.2 GHz facilities join the existing 1.0 GHz facilities at Warwick and Birmingham (the result of a previous £16M investment by UKRI) and the wide-bore 850 MHz at Warwick, a reflection of £40M invested in the West Midlands.
Dr Liam Blackwell, Deputy Director for Infrastructure and ICT, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) said: "World-class research demands world-class infrastructure. UKRI's investment in high-field NMR will drive excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, and support innovation with real societal and economic impact. By providing the research community with access to these advanced facilities, we're helping to keep the UK's science and innovation base globally competitive."
Dr Helen Turner, Director of Midlands Innovation said: "The Midlands region has a strong history of promoting collaboration and sharing in relation to its research infrastructure. As a region we established the first regional equipment sharing database. It is fantastic to see this collaborative approach continuing with the Universities of Birmingham and Warwick's partnership in high-field NMR. I am delighted that two of the most powerful nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) magnets in the world will be located in the Midlands enabling the region to support the UK science community to deliver new scientific insights across the physical and life sciences."
The 1.2 GHz will see Warwick's high-field solid-state NMR national research facility add to a rich history of supporting internal and external experts (see case studies). Similarly, the 1.2 GHz in Birmingham will affirm and enhance the role of the Birmingham Biomolecular NMR facility in supporting UK researchers with state-of-the-art solution-state NMR developments and applications. Scientists and students will gain invaluable experience on the high-end NMR instruments enabling them to compete at the forefront of scientific research.
Dr Stephen Byard, Chair of the 1.2 GHz Industry Advisory Group and Principal Research Fellow, Arcinova (A Quotient Sciences Company) said: "The collaborative initiatives of the University of Warwick and University of Birmingham to provide industry access to two 1.2 GHz NMR systems represents a highly significant milestone. Molecular level characterisation is fundamental to many of the disciplines highlighted in the recently announced UK Industrial Strategy, and the availability of these world class facilities is certain to provide unparalleled opportunities for UK businesses in conjunction with enhanced industry-academic partnerships."
