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STFC’s Hartree Centre, the North West’s high performance computing hub, was praised by the House of Lords this week, as its Digital Skills Committee visited the Hartree team to learn more about the work they are doing to apply digital technologies to better support UK business.

A cutting-edge 3D visualisation suite and advanced software training facilities were just some of the new facilities they saw during their visit, as they discovered how STFC is working successfully with industry and business to ensure impact and stimulate the growth of jobs.

Baroness Morgan, Chair of the Digital Skills Committee, said: “The expertise and cutting edge technology at the Hartree Centre were hugely impressive. It demonstrated to us the real life applications of digital technologies which need to drive UK competitiveness. The strength of the synergies between science and technology, industry and academia were also apparent to us. The Daresbury campus is a great example of the strength of regional hubs."

Cliff Brereton, Hartree Centre Director, said: “We were able to show the committee how our powerful computers can be programmed to help to solve complex problems; from simulating how a cancer drug interacts with human cells to help industry develop more effective drugs, to predicting how ingredients in products interact with each other, something which is shaving months off the development of breakthrough, innovative products. Although the Committee members saw just a snapshot of what we do, I hope they left wanting to promote our work more widely.”

Professor Susan Smith, Head of STFC’s Daresbury Laboratory said: "This was a fantastic opportunity to showcase our Hartree Centre and illustrate how we are successfully bridging the gap between science and business, to stimulate the growth of jobs.”Part of the STFC Daresbury Laboratory, and located within the Sci-Tech Daresbury science and innovation campus, the Hartree Centre was officially opened in February this year by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon George Osborne, to drive growth and innovation between science and industry.

For further information on STFC’s Hartree Centre visithttp://www.stfc.ac.uk/