The Franklin Tops Out at Harwell

The topping out ceremony of the Rosalind Franklin Institute Hub research facility on STFC’s Harwell campus, marked the latest milestone in the development of the UK’s new national centre for life science technology development. The celebration of the 5500m2 ‘Franklin’ building, expected to open in early 2021, was attended by researchers, members of Rosalind Franklin’s family and a group of young scientists from the Downs School, Compton at Oxford. The Franklin family laid the final piece at the top of the four-storey construction.

Dr Neil Geddes, Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Executive Director for National Laboratories, said: “The Franklin represents a wonderful opportunity for collaboration between the new institute and our own scientists and technologists at STFC. We are proud to be working so closely on the Hub project and we look forward to supporting the Franklin in its unique work in the life sciences.”

The Franklin was established by UK Research and Innovation and ten UK universities to drive future advances in life sciences through developing cutting-edge technology. Its new building, delivered by STFC working with construction team Mace, is the heart of an Institute with members in Universities across the UK. Research already underway at member universities will eventually move into the completed building in Harwell. The initial themes of the Franklin centre around the ability to see cells better than ever before: understanding their atomic and molecular composition, their detailed chemistry and the way change occurs in their structure and behaviour over time.