SUM4Products network will use mathematics to model solutions that could help to transform everyday products whilst reducing development costs.
Mathematics could unlock rapid development of pharmaceuticals, food and drink, cosmetics, and more.
Four top British universities are bringing together experts from across the UK to develop new ways of using mathematics to unlock rapid development of food and drink, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and more.
The SUM4Products network connects small, medium, and large enterprises with academic expertise, driving collaboration and innovation using mathematics to model solutions that could help to transform everyday products whilst reducing development costs.
Backed by £2.8 million of UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funding, the project aims to position the UK as a global leader in maths-based formulation science.
Experts at the Universities of Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, and University College London (UCL) have secured over £790,000 in funding from 13 companies including Afton Chemical, Beko, Boots Walgreen, CPI, Haleon, Johnson Matthey, Lucideon, Miele, Mondelez, PepsiCo, P&G, and Unilever.
Our project will grow connections between UK mathematicians and the formulation engineering industrial sector - creating a network of excellence that uses mathematical modelling to enhance product design and streamline manufacturing processes.
The programme leaders have set five goals for their academic-business collaboration to achieve the SUM4Products vision, namely to:
Professor Rosemary Dyson, from the University of Birmingham, commented: “Formulated products are integral to many industries, including food and drink, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and more, contributing over £142 billion to the UK economy in 2023.
“Despite their significance, the science behind these products remains underdeveloped and development requires lots of very costly experiments. SUM4Products will boost connections and fund short UK-focussed pump priming projects to grow the research base.
“Our project will grow connections between UK mathematicians and the formulation engineering industrial sector - creating a network of excellence that uses mathematical modelling to enhance product design and streamline manufacturing processes.”
The network is supported by key organisations in the mathematical community, including the UK Knowledge Exchange Hub for the Mathematical Sciences, the Isaac Newton Institute, and the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences.
SUM4Products will host study groups, workshops, and networking conferences, supported by flexible funding for innovation research. Industry partnerships will help to translate mathematical research into practical solutions for formulation challenges.
“There are many areas of formulation science and engineering where mathematics could help drive innovation - for example, developing foods that are both tasty and healthy or creams and gels that feel nice when applied to the skin,” added Professor Helen Wilson from UCL.
The four universities have varied expertise across the needs of the network. Birmingham has broad expertise in mathematical modelling and hosts the newly launched Centre for Optimization, Simulation and Data-Driven Modelling, as well as the Centre for Formulation Engineering, which won the Queen’s Anniversary Prize in 2011.
Bristol brings strong engineering expertise in solid and fluid mechanics; multi-scale asymptotic methods; and scientific machine learning. Edinburgh has a history of research excellence in formulated products and shares strengths in soft matter and complex fluids with UCL.
Jane Nicholson, Executive Director for Research at EPSRC said: "Mathematical Sciences can have wide ranging impacts and be a powerful tool to unlock innovation. By bringing together mathematical modelling and formulation science, the SUM4Products network is helping to tackle industrial challenges and reduce development costs in sectors that touch all our lives, from food and drink to pharmaceuticals and personal care.
“EPSRC is pleased to support this ambitious programme, which builds strong connections between academia and industry, nurtures new talent, and positions the UK as a global leader in applying mathematical sciences to real-world problems."
Professor in Applied Mathematics
Profile page for Professor Rosemary Dyson
