GCU-LUMS researchers secure UK grant for sustainable chemistry laboratory

Pakistani researchers have secured a competitive £10,000 grant from the UK-based Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) to establish

LAHORE: Pakistani researchers have secured a competitive £10,000 grant from the UK-based Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) to establish what has been described as Pakistan’s first Sustainable Chemistry Laboratory at Government College University (GCU) Lahore.

The project has been selected among only 23 initiatives worldwide under the RSC’s 2026 Sustainable Laboratories Grants programme, highlighting the growing focus on environmentally responsible research practices in Pakistan’s academic institutions.

The initiative is being led by Dr. Muhammad Altaf, Associate Professor at GCU’s Institute of Chemical Sciences, in collaboration with Hasan Yaqoob, a doctoral researcher at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and an Old Ravian.

Under the project, GCU Lahore will host a model sustainable chemistry laboratory equipped with closed-loop solvent recovery and micro-distillation systems. The university will also serve as the venue for national-level training workshops aimed at promoting safer, more sustainable laboratory practices among researchers and laboratory personnel.

Speaking about the project, Dr. Altaf said the initiative seeks to address the environmental damage and inefficient use of resources associated with conventional laboratory operations.

He explained that the proposed solvent recovery systems would allow chemicals used during experiments to be purified and reused instead of being discarded as laboratory waste. The project will also introduce greater use of green solvents in undergraduate chemistry curricula and provide certified training in laboratory safety and sustainability for staff.

According to Dr. Altaf, the project is not limited to establishing a single laboratory at GCU. Its broader objective is to develop a standardized and environmentally efficient model that could eventually be adopted by universities and research institutions across Pakistan.

The initiative has brought together researchers and academics from several Pakistani and international institutions. The collaborating team includes Prof. Christian Nielsen of Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), Dr. Ghayoor Abbas Chotana of LUMS, Prof. Raja Shahid Ashraf of GCU, and Dr. Munazza Shahid of the University of Education.

The researchers said the collaboration would help strengthen knowledge-sharing and promote the adoption of sustainable laboratory practices within Pakistan’s higher education and research sector.

The recognition also places Pakistani researchers among an international group of scientists working to reduce the environmental footprint of scientific research. The RSC’s Sustainable Laboratories Grants programme has awarded more than £750,000 to projects around the world since its launch in 2023, supporting efforts to improve sustainability in laboratory environments.

The selection of the GCU-led project from a competitive international pool of applications represents a significant recognition of research and innovation emerging from Pakistan’s academic community.

Congratulating the research team, GCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Muhammad Omer Chaudhry said the university remained committed to developing a research culture capable of producing practical benefits for society.

He said the establishment of a sustainable chemistry laboratory was closely aligned with GCU’s vision of promoting scientific research that advances knowledge while protecting the environment and conserving valuable resources.

The project is expected to provide researchers and students with practical exposure to sustainable chemistry while creating a model that could contribute to greener laboratory operations across Pakistan’s academic and research institutions.