Southampton’s Imaging Expertise Boosted by £6.5M National Grant

The University of Southampton is set to play a leading role in advancing UK imaging research, following a major £6.5 million grant awarded to the National X-ray Computed Tomography (NXCT) facility by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

This five-year investment will significantly enhance Southampton’s capabilities in 3D and 4D imaging, supporting both academic and industrial users through the pioneering work of the µ-VIS X-ray Imaging Centre. As a founding partner of NXCT , Southampton joins forces with the Universities of Manchester, Warwick, UCL and Diamond Light Source to deliver cutting-edge imaging services and training across the UK.

Dr Richard Boardman, Co-Director of NXCT and Head of µ-VIS, said: “This is a great opportunity for Southampton to continue pushing the boundaries of volumetric imaging. With over 15 years of expertise, we’re proud to offer state-of-the-art imaging and analysis to researchers and industry. The NXCT’s free-at-the-point-of-access scheme ensures these transformative technologies are available to support everything from basic science to future innovation.”

The funding will enable key upgrades to imaging infrastructure, including remote-access computing and enhanced data storage, while expanding access for SMEs and public engagement. Southampton’s researchers and collaborators will benefit from new training modules tailored to both newcomers and experienced users, helping to grow national expertise in tomography.

Professor Tim Burnett, Director of NXCT, added: “We’re proud to have trained over 500 researchers in our first five years. This grant allows us to expand that community and continue providing critical resources, including scanner access and data support.”

Hosted at the University of Manchester’s Henry Royce Institute , NXCT is a national hub for lab-based X-ray CT imaging. Southampton’s contribution ensures that the South Coast remains at the forefront of imaging innovation, supporting interdisciplinary research and industrial applications from materials science to biomedical engineering.

This renewed funding marks a significant step forward in strengthening the UK’s imaging infrastructure, with Southampton playing a central role in shaping the future of 3D and 4D imaging.