Diamond Concise Annual Review 2020/21

2 3 D I A M O N D L I G H T S O U R C E A N N U A L R E V I E W 2 0 2 0 / 2 1 Foreword I t has been a challenging year for all over the past 12 months. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to big changes all over the world, some temporary and some permanent. It is tragic that the pandemic has led to over threemillion deaths worldwide. Such an event highlights the importance of not only scientific research, but also collaboration; working together and supporting each other to get through a global crisis. Diamond’s response to the pandemichasbeenallencompassing, from playing a key part in global research efforts to setting up robust and comprehensive safety measures on-site to supporting the local community by producing 3D printed visors for health workers. Adjustments have been made by all teams to enable remote working and remote use of nearly all microscopes and beamlines. As this review goes to press, the Government’s roadmap to bring the UK out of lockdown is on track and users are expected to return to the facility in limited numbers in the summer. Research into SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, became Diamond’s focus at the start of the pandemic. Combining state-of-the-art microscopes and beamlines, and staff and user expertise, Diamond can delve deep inside the inner workings of the virus. Understanding how it operates at the cellular level will open the doors to real possibilities of solutions and therapies. As we look towards the second half of 2021 and beyond, we can hope for a more positive landscape thanks to the many efforts, including Diamond’s, towards creating vaccines to help protect us against COVID-19. PlansfortheDiamond-IIProgramme,an integratedupgradeofthesynchrotron, beamlines and computational facilities, are progressing well and are at the Outline Business Case stage. As social restrictions continue to lift, Diamond hopes to return to a more normal mode of operation and continue to be a world-leading centre for synchrotron science. Professor Sir Adrian Smith Chairman of the Board of Directors As we look towards the second half of 2021 and beyond, we can hope for amore positive landscape thanks to themany efforts, including Diamond’s, towards creating vaccines to help protect us against COVID-19.

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