Professor Andrew Livingston celebrated for double honours in chemical engineering

Professor Livingston, Vice-Principal for Research and Innovation at Queen Mary University of London, was lauded for his pioneering work in polymer membranes for molecular separations by organic solvent nanofiltration (or OSN). He was named one of three global recipients of the WCEC Lifetime Achievement Award, which celebrates his exceptional contributions to chemical engineering, particularly in enabling the separation of molecular mixtures in organic liquids. His work has been highlighted for its unique blend of academic advancement and industrial application. 

Jerry Lin, Regent’s Professor of Chemical Engineering at Arizona State University, commented: "In addition to advancing fundamental knowledge, Andrew has played a key role in the commercialisation of membrane technologies for industrial applications, both as a scientist and an entrepreneur. Few membranologists have made such substantial contributions to both scientific understanding and technological development." 

Professor Andrew Livingston said: "I am delighted to receive this award from the WCEC, which is a tremendous honour for me. I have been a chemical engineer all my professional life and have worked with fantastic colleagues who have all, in different ways, inspired and motivated me, and any success I have enjoyed should be attributed to them. Especially to those who have worked with me in my research group, my companies, and on collaborative projects – I thank you all, and look forward to more research and innovation!" 

Professor Livingston has also secured a major grant from UKRI's EPSRC: this funding, part of a larger £7.5 million initiative for UK manufacturing, will support his project, "Sustainable Separation Membranes for Green Pharmaceutical Manufacturing." Queen Mary University of London will lead the £1.7 million project, in partnership with Imperial College London and industrial collaborators Merck, Exactmer, and AstraZeneca.  

This project is one of six new initiatives, designed to advance the sustainability and productivity of the UK’s manufacturing technologies and processes, boosting the country's leadership in this area. These projects are developed in close collaboration with businesses and are specifically geared towards improving the sustainability of manufacturing, an area where the UK excels academically. 

The project “Sustainable Separation Membranes for Green Pharmaceutical Manufacturing” aims to tackle the substantial environmental impact of current pharmaceutical manufacturing. Traditional methods for separating chemical compounds, such as boiling and distillation, are incredibly energy-intensive, contributing significantly to global carbon emissions, accounting for 10-15% of all industrial energy consumption. Professor Livingston's and his team will focus on developing innovative membrane technologies that can efficiently separate different molecules in a liquid without the need for energy-demanding heating or boiling. This "liquid-phase separation" approach promises to drastically reduce the energy footprint of drug production. 

The research will also encompass a comprehensive approach to sustainability, including creating computer models to assess the environmental impact of membrane production and use, developing new, greener ways to manufacture these membranes themselves (e.g., by eliminating toxic solvents), and finding methods to prolong their lifespan. Furthermore, the team will explore how these advanced membranes can be used for complex separations in pharmaceutical manufacturing with minimal energy, paving the way for wider adoption of more environmentally friendly "green solvents" in the industry and in processes manufacturing new drug modalities such as peptides, oligonucleotides, and ADC linkers. Looking ahead, the project even has an ambitious goal to develop new membranes from bio-derived or recycled polymers. The academic/industry parentships embedded in the project, will ensure that the innovations directly contribute to enabling the manufacture of medicines with a significantly reduced environmental footprint, ultimately supporting sustainable growth across the UK. 

Commenting on his successful week, Professor Livingston said: “Although I am incredibly proud to receive this lifetime achievement award, I really feel like my research and innovation is just getting started and the best is yet to come - and so I am delighted to be awarded this EPSRC grant which will enable us to pursue new questions of urgent importance. I am looking forward to working with our collaborators and so – lets go for it!”