Collaborative research programmes
Resilience in Agri-food Supply Chains; Supply Chain Configuration Analytics Lab (RASCAL)
The Centre for International Manufacturing is leading the Resilience in Agrifood Systems: Supply Chain Configuration Analytics Lab (RASCAL) project, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
The project explores how the UK can strengthen food system resilience by analysing the balance between domestic production and imports, and how this may change through cascading risks from climate, economic and political disruptions. The Lab will develop digital tools to explore multiple scenarios and potential mitigating interventions.
Digital Medicines Manufacturing (DM2) Research Centre
As a key partner in the Digital Medicines Manufacturing (DM²) Research Centre led by CMAC, a centre of excellence for advanced medicines manufacturing research and training. CIM is contributing to transforming how medicines are developed, manufactured and supplied by integrating industrial digital technologies (IDTs) across the pharmaceutical value chain.
Certificate of Analysis (COA) Digitalisation: Freeing Supply Chain Data from Paper
In another project in the digital transformation of pharmaceutical supply chains, CIM is the academic partner in delivering a Certificate of Analysis (COA) Digitalisation project, a collaborative effort addressing a critical challenge at the start of modern pharmaceutical supply chains: the assessment of incoming material quality.
Project collaborators include GSK (lead partner), AstraZeneca, the University of Cambridge (Institute for Manufacturing), Wyoming, and CPI, all working to progress how the healthcare industry serves patients.
Video: Project partners give an overview of the Certificate of Analysis (COA) Digitalisation project.
Future Manufacturing Hub on Continuous Manufacturing
Work-package lead on Supply Networks for Personalised Medicines and Micro-factories
The Centre for International Manufacturing is a core partner in the Future Continuous Manufacturing and Advanced Crystallisation (CMAC) Research Hub, led by the University of Strathclyde. The Hub is developing new continuous manufacturing approaches to transform the way medicines and high-value materials are designed, formulated and produced, moving away from traditional batch processes.
Transforming Urban Food Systems (Mandala Consortium)
The Centre for International Manufacturing is a partner in the Mandala Consortium, a UKRI-funded research programme focused on transforming urban food systems. Focused on the city of Birmingham in the West Midlands, the project brings together leading universities to map and reconfigure the city’s food system, testing interventions that make food healthier, more affordable, and sustainable while supporting local economies. CIM contributes its expertise in supply chain innovation and systems analysis to identify key levers for change and design scalable solutions that can be applied beyond the West Midlands.
Find out more about the Mandala Consortium.
Transforming India’s Green Revolution by Research and Empowerment for Sustainable Livelihoods (Tigr2ess)
Work-package Lead on Modelling Supply Chains for Sustainable Livelihoods
CIM is part of the Cambridge team working with scientists in Punjab to explore a second Green Revolution and is funded by the UK's Global Challenges Research Fund and Newton Trust.
CIM is using supply chain configuration mapping and modelling tools to analyse alternative crop-combinations, water scarcity, and farmer-producer organisation models in the production, processing and distribution of agri-food to make supply chains more sustainable and resource efficient.
Find out more about TIGR2ESS here.
European Knowledge Innovation Centre Food Research
CIM is leading research streams with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Food on the following projects:
- Organic Food Supply Chains: The development of organic supply chains that drive fair, transparent and healthy options for the consumer.
- Fava bean supply: Developing Fava beans as a sustainable source of high-quality protein for food, through optimized genetics, farming & processing.
- Green Last Mile Delivery: a more sustainable way for home delivery tailored to personalized nutritional needs.
REMEDIES: Reconfiguring the UK's pharmaceutical supply chain
CIM led the research in ReMediES (RE-configuring Medicines End-to-end Supply), a £22 million UK initiative to reshape the sector’s supply chains. The project, headed up by GlaxoSmithKline and the University of Cambridge, brought together other leaders in the pharmaceutical industry, their supply chain partners and researchers, along with other stakeholders such as regulators, knowledge transfer networks and healthcare providers.
Video: Dr Jag Srai outlines the REMEDIES project.
Renewable Chemical Feedstocks: Supply Network Design for Terpenes
CIM played a central role in the EPSRC-funded Renewable Chemical Feedstocks: Supply Network Design project, which evaluated the feasibility of using renewable terpene feedstocks in chemical manufacturing. IfM contributed supply chain modelling, network configuration frameworks, and scenario analysis to explore how these renewable materials could be sourced, processed, and delivered efficiently.
Sustainable Supply Network Design
CIM was a partner in the EPSRC-funded Engineering-Driven Sustainable Supply Network Design (SSND) project, which integrates sustainability into supply network design across sectors like aerospace, automotive, and pharmaceuticals. CIM contributed expertise in supply network modelling and optimisation to reduce resource use, waste, and environmental impact, while collaborating with UK and Indian institutions to develop globally relevant, sustainable manufacturing solutions.
