On February 12, 2026, a research team at Durham University in County Durham announced they have been awarded a £7 million grant to revolutionize the design of medicines and agrochemicals. This funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) will support the Molecular Solid Solutions (MoSS) project, which uses artificial intelligence and robotics to create products that are more stable and cost-effective to manufacture.
The project, led by Professor Aurora Cruz-Cabeza from the Department of Chemistry, aims to move away from traditional “trial and error” chemical testing. By using digital tools and high-tech modelling to mix different molecules into a single crystal lattice, the team hopes to create medicine crystals that dissolve more efficiently and are easier for the body to absorb.
This work is expected to attract global industry partners and secure high-value research jobs in the North East region. Improving the manufacturing process for these crystals could also make the supply of essential medicines and farming supplies more resilient and reliable for the community.
The five-and-a-half-year project includes partners from the University of Leeds, the University of Manchester, and the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre. Together, these groups will develop new rules for designing the crystals used in everyday products ranging from pharmaceuticals to fertilizers.
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