Liverpool Shared Research Facilities Showcases
Find out more about our LIV-SRF showcase events on this page.
Liverpool Shared Research Facilities (LIV-SRF) host a variety of events available to both internal and external users, including researchers, industry collaborators, and commercial organisations. Find out more about our upcoming events on our LinkedIN page.
Liverpool Shared Research Facilities (LIV-SRF) Showcase 2026
The University of Liverpool welcomed more than 200 researchers, industry partners, and collaborators to the Liverpool Shared Research Facilities (LIV-SRF) Showcase 2026 as part of the Liverpool City Region (LCR) Innovation Investment Fortnight. The event provided attendees with the opportunity to explore the University’s world-class research facilities, discover new opportunities for collaboration, and gain first-hand insight into the impact that partnership with the University can deliver.
Returning to open the second showcase event, Vice-Chancellor Professor Tim Jones highlighted the vital role of collaboration between academia and industry in driving innovation and addressing real-world challenges. Throughout the day, attendees heard from a range of speakers, including John Whaling, Lead officer of Innovation and Commercialisation from LCR CA, and representatives from Unilever, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Zeiss, and Innovate UK. Detailed case studies demonstrated how researchers and organisations have advanced their work through integrated workflows supported by the University’s Shared Research Facilities.
The showcase also featured multiple exhibition sessions, giving visitors the chance to engage directly with facility staff and learn more about the cutting-edge equipment, expertise, and support available. From pioneering technologies to the specialist teams behind them, the event showcased what is possible when world-leading research infrastructure is combined with strong collaborative partnerships, reinforcing the University of Liverpool’s commitment to innovation, knowledge exchange, and research excellence. Find out more in the video below.
The LCR Innovation Investment Fortnight is an annual showcase led by the LCR Combined Authority that highlights the region’s distinctive approaches, world-class assets, and £2 billion in investment opportunities - reinforcing the LCR’s position at the forefront of UK place-based innovation. Explore the highlights here.
Liverpool Shared Research Facilities (LIV-SRF) Showcase 2024
In 2024, the University hosted the inaugural showcase event for LIV-SRF, where researchers and technical professionals had the opportunity to present their capabilities and expertise to the wider University community and external partners. The event also served as a celebration of the University’s success in developing and supporting a truly world-class portfolio of research infrastructure and technical expertise.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Tim Jones welcomed delegates by revealing the new strategic direction of the cross-faculty facilities, which previously existed as separate entities within faculties. The new structure integrates the facilities as a collective University-wide resource, enabling enhanced research excellence with a significant focus on sustainability.
The keynote was delivered by Katie Blaney, Joint Head of Programme for Research Infrastructure at EPSRC. She was joined by internal speakers, including LIV-SRF Co-Directors Professors Ian Prior and Ronan McGrath, alongside representatives from chemistry, cancer research, surface science and technical infrastructure. The day also featured short teaser talks from all 24 LIV-SRF facilities.
In between talks, attendees had the opportunity to network with SRF colleagues in the exhibition hall and experience first-hand some of the capabilities housed within the cross-faculty facilities.
This showcase was the first of many events that, through the world-class facilities available at Liverpool, seek to foster strong research partnerships and collaborations with key stakeholders, both within the University and in the wider life science and engineering sectors at a local, national and global level.
In 2022-23, LIV-SRF recorded £6M annual turnover, supported over £35M in research-funded projects and contributed to over 250 publications. 90% of SRFs have LEAF accreditation and are involved in developing new frameworks for sustainability assessment.
LIV-SRF’s provision of cutting-edge facilities, equipment and technical expertise is accessible to colleagues from across the University as well as to external partners from academia, the NHS and industry.
The new direction of LIV-SRF promised to be a key driver in enhancing the teaching and research experience, supporting Early Career Researcher access to high-end facilities through the LIV-SRF voucher scheme and enhancing our global reputation with internationally-accessible research infrastructure that will boost engagement and collaborations with external stakeholders. This is all in line with LIV-SRF’s core objective, to be a partner in elevating scientific discovery.
Hear what Professors Ian Prior and Ronan McGrath had to say about the event in our video;