Building work has begun on a new national MRI facility at the University of Nottingham that will be home to the UK’s most powerful MRI scanner. This will be used by researchers and doctors to give unprecedented insights into brain function and the mechanisms of human disease.
The new magnet hall will be a large extension to the existing Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre and Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson has been appointed to deliver the project.
The 250 sq m structure is the first part of the development of the national facility that will be home to the 11.7 Tesla Ultra High Field MRI scanner – a 70-tonne, state-of-the-art system that will enhance the UK’s capability for world-leading brain imaging research.
The new scanner needs very specific conditions to operate and the new Magnet Hall will be an iron-shielded space designed to safely contain the scanner’s magnetic field. Surrounding infrastructure will include a control and equipment room, clinical spaces, patient waiting areas and essential welfare facilities to provide a comprehensive clinical and research environment.
Professor Richard Bowtell, director of the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, is leading the project and said: “It’s a huge moment to see the building starting to take shape after months of meticulous planning for this complex project and we’re delighted to be working with GF Tomlinson.
“We’re extremely proud to be building on Sir Peter’s Mansfield’s legacy that started here with the invention of MRI in the 1970’s. The Ultra-High field scanner is the next generation in technology and will provide a step change in the capabilities of imaging research, unlocking new opportunities for collaboration and innovation to bring new understanding to a range of diseases.”
Andy Sewards, group chairman, G F Tomlinson, said: “It’s a privilege to once again be supporting the University of Nottingham in delivering a facility that will have a lasting legacy in clinical research. Having previously completed landmark schemes such as the Biodiscovery Institute, we are proud to be working once again at University Park Campus – as well as delivering projects across the University’s Castle Meadow and Jubilee Campuses.
“The Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre extension will become a cornerstone of medical excellence in the UK, and we’re pleased to be contributing our expertise to such a nationally significant facility.”
