It took them over 70 hours of working on a high level science project to earn the Gold Crest Award as part of the Nuffield Research Project.

Hannah Deacon and Emma Benham were a part of commercial projects at Lonza and University of Reading (respectively) on the Nuffield Research Project. 

Both have contributed to work that will be published within industry and change how some medicines and shop sold flowers are produced.

At Lonza headquarters, Hannah worked solo on the project looking at improving the buffers used in hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC). This looks at how the process of proteins in medicines work on repelling water to improve the effectiveness of treating the disease you want to treat.

What Hannah found, while with mentor Mark Whickman, will be used by Lonza in an ongoing commercial project.

Hannah, who is applying to do biomedical science at university, said: “I did it all on my own and the results were useful. It’s quite overwhelming but realise you’re not just an insignificant student in the school.”

She has also been invited to go back next summer for some more work, and if her university course requires a placement year Hannah is welcome to go back to Lonza for that time.

Emma was very hands on during her project research at the University of Reading looking into how to increase the vase life cycle of cut rose.

Areas of interest included the altitude of the plants, humidity, whether the rose was cut from the stem, bacteria in water and impact on vase life.

Emma, who was working with another student and a researcher at the university found that the cutting at the stem had the biggest impact on the life of the rose.

The results will now be published and passed on to shops that sell flowers.

She said: “It was good to be a part of something like that, and seeing the real world application.

“My mentor was friendly and we’re going to keep in touch.”

Emma is applying to do Biology at university.

Both students have received certificates for their placements and for the Gold Crest Award which a special report had to be written for to gain.