Manchester NMR Methodology Group

We have a long history of working closely with industry. This is often in the form of a collaborative research project in which the industrial partner partly or fully sponsors a PhD student or postdoctoral researcher. We also offer direct consultancy, typically for short and well-defined projects. We have worked with many companies in the past, including from the pharmaceutical, petrochemical, agrochemical, defence, and food industries, as well as with instrument manufacturers.

We offer general consultancy on NMR methods, interpretation and applications, and are particularly happy to offer workshops and training on the topics below. We make our new developments as widely and freely available as possible, including via this web site (you can download most of our pulse sequences and processing software here). However, it can be very useful to have assistance in getting the most out of them in your particular setting, and in developing a deeper understanding of how they work and their strengths and limitations. In relevant cases, we can also design bespoke NMR methods for specific problems in your lab.

Pure shift NMR
Where resolution is of primary importance, pure shift NMR can provide up to an order of magnitude improvement over conventional methods. Our group has been one of the main drivers in developing pure shift methods. Much useful material is available from an EPSRC-sponsored workshop we ran some years ago. However, there have been many developments since then, and there is a wide range of possible pure shift methods to explore. We can help you optimise the setting up of these experiments, and to make informed decisions about which to use.

DOSY and diffusion NMR
We have worked the development and application of DOSY experiments for many years. Diffusion NMR can be very powerful for mixture analysis and other applications. Despite its long history in both industrial and academic research, it is not straightforward to acquire and analyse such data. We can help with setting up a workflow that fits your requirements. Our open-source GNAT software package gives access to a wide range of processing methods; again, bespoke tools can be developed if needed.

GEMSTONE and other selective experiments
Much NMR data suffers from overlapping signals that can severely complicate analysis. GEMSTONE allows the individual selection of overlapping multiples. We can provide training on the range of available GEMSTONE experiments and help you to get the most out of them.

Mixture analysis by NMR
NMR is the method of choice for obtaining structural information for samples in solution, but it works best for one compound at a time. Developing NMR methods to improve mixture analysis has been one of the main aims of the NMR Methodology group. We have a large toolbox of methods, pairing advanced NMR methods with powerful mathematical and statistical analysis. The best approach is very problem-dependent; we can give you a deeper understanding of the tools available and when and how to use them, and assist you to set them up in your lab.

The General NMR Analysis Toolbox (GNAT)
The GNAT is a software package for analysis of certain types of NMR data. It is particularly focused on DOSY experiments and metabolomic analysis. It is free and open-source, and can be downloaded here, where more information is available. We can offer detailed training on how to use the software and provide hands-on experience of processing both sample data and data from your own organisation. We can also add new capabilities as required for your workflow.

Please contact us for further information.