Element Materials Technology
‘From out of this world, to first in the world’: Element Lab Solutions helps the Open University to purchase the first Syft Tracer™, furthering the study of space science in the UK

 PRESS RELEASE

‘From out of this world, to first in the world’: Element Lab Solutions helps the Open University to purchase the first Syft Tracer™, furthering the study of space science in the UK

LONDON, UK – 09 November 2023 – Element’s Lab Solutions Division, a leading provider of instrumentation, automation and training for chromatography and mass spectrometry, has successfully completed the sale of the first Syft Tracer™ to the Open University. The purchase supports the university’s expansion plans for its Wolfson Analytical Centre, aimed at advancing pioneering research endeavors.

The Syft Tracer™ is the latest innovation in Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS), developed by Syft Technologies. With its trace gas detection capabilities, the Syft Tracer™ is equipped to address the most challenging analytical tasks across various industries and applications. Over several years, Element’s Cambridge laboratory has collaborated with Syft Technologies to incorporate automation features into its products, enhancing efficiencies, reducing errors, and smaller sample testing.

The new Syft Tracer™ introduces a novel automated sampler that Element played a pivotal role in developing. As part of its service, Element provides comprehensive training and support from its best-in-class analytical chemists to assist customers in fully leveraging the product.

In 2021, the Open University initially sought Element’s expertise to assist with testing and studying the unique attributes of the Winchcombe meteorite. This celestial body, dating back 4.6 billion years, landed in the Cotswold hills of Gloucestershire, UK. Mark Perkins, Senior Applications Chemist at Element Cambridge, conducted a 15mg sample analysis that uncovered the presence of small organic molecules. The groundbreaking discovery suggests that essential chemical components, such as water and the building blocks of life, can potentially be transported to Earth by extraterrestrial rocks. The findings were subsequently published in Science Advances, garnering widespread media attention.

The Wolfson Analytical Centre is a cutting-edge research facility dedicated to planetary, environmental, and space sciences, with a specific focus on addressing a fundamental question: “Are life and habitable environments unique to Earth?” The Syft Tracer, in conjunction with other resources within the center, will serve as a hub for both UK and international research teams. It will facilitate the investigation of samples from the Earth’s surface, meteorites, and specimens retrieved from space missions.

Reflecting on the development, Mark Perkins from Element said: “I am proud that in the UK, we will be at the forefront of academic research aiming to understand many of the most important scientific questions we face. I was honored to work alongside the Open University during the Winchcombe meteorite analysis conducted at Element’s Cambridge laboratory. Moving forward, the University and many others will be able to make significant strides in the analysis of space-related fragments and materials using the Syft Tracer™.”

Damien Fischer, SVP at Syft Technologies added: “We’re thrilled that the next generation SIFT-MS will play such a pivotal role in better understanding the thread between materials found on earth and in space.  I’m excited to see what insights are unlocked by the Syft Tracer and where that leads the team at Open University to explore next.  We owe a debt of gratitude to our partners at Element for the role they’ve played in helping us to innovate new solutions that enable customers to answer questions that previously seemed out of reach.”

Element’s global Life Sciences division includes more than 1,400 scientists, chemists, and technologists working across a network of sites and laboratories to deliver complete and comprehensive scientific solutions that support customers’ end-to-end product development lifecycle from early R&D through complex regulatory approvals, into production and beyond. The division supports the global role that laboratory testing demands to make the world’s tomorrow safer than today.

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About Element

The Element Materials Technology Group is one of the world’s leading global providers of testing, inspection, and certification services for a diverse range of products, materials, and technologies in advanced industrial supply chains where failure in use is not an option. Headquartered in London, UK, Element’s c.9,000 scientists, engineers, and technologists, work across a global network of over 270+ laboratories, support customers from early R&D, through complex regulatory approvals, and into production ensuring their products are safe, sustainable and achieve market access.

Element has achieved the highest ESG ranking in the testing, inspection and certification industry and a place in the top 150 companies in the world from Sustainalytics, a global leader in ESG research and data. This is built on industry-leading environmental commitments which adopt science-based targets and commit to net zero emissions across its entire global business by 2035.

For more information about Element, please visit our website, connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and subscribe to our Youtube channel.

About The Open University

The Open University (OU) is the largest academic institution in the UK and a world leader in flexible distance learning. Since it began in 1969, the OU has taught more than 2.3 million students worldwide and currently has over 208,000 students.

Seventy-one per cent of directly registered students are in full-time or part-time employment, and 76 FTSE 100 companies have sponsored staff to take OU courses.

In the latest assessment exercise for university research (Research Excellence Framework, 2021), over three quarters (76%) of OU research was assessed as 4 or 3 star – the highest ratings available, awarded to research that is world-leading or internationally excellent. The OU’s commitment to research and societal impact is recognised too with 82% of its research impact assessed to be world-leading or internationally excellent.

The OU has had a unique educational partnership with the BBC since 1971 and today focuses on supporting the University’s social mission by extending reach and engagement. Each year the OU co-produces a wide range of television, audio – radio and podcasts, digital and social content with the BBC. Recent series for television include, Write Around the World, The Detectives, Don’t Exclude Me, and Greta: A Year to Save the World. Audio co-productions including All in the Mind and The Bottom Line, for Radio 4 and podcast series’ Bad People and Think with Pinker on BBC Sounds. The OU play list on BBC Ideas has generated over 4.2m views from 43 videos.

Our programmes have achieved more than 286.10m* viewing and listening events last year which prompted more than 630,700* visits to our broadcast related content, hosted on the OU’s Broadcast and Partnerships website.

For further information please visit The Open University

*estimated final figure as two series are still to complete transmission

About Syft Technologies

The world leader in real-time, direct injection mass spectrometry

Syft was founded in 2002 and has over 150 professionals in 7 countries. Syft is considered the world leader in real-time, direct injection mass spectrometry with more than 20 years of SIFT-MS expertise. Syft instruments support a broad range of industries worldwide including pharma and CDMOs, environmental protection, consumer goods, food, flavor and fragrance, semiconductor manufacturing and many more.  Continually developed and proven in high stakes commercial environments, you can be assured of operational robustness, speed and support. Syft has offices throughout the world offering 24/7 service and support including those in New Zealand, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the U.S.

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