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Kully Sunner is Operations Lead for the ION-DRI project as well as Departmental Administrator for the Department of Neuromuscular Diseases.

I was keen to engage with the ION-DRI project from the outset. Creating a new site with innovative ways of working that facilitate world-class research was something that I really wanted to work on and it has provided an opportunity to rethink all the ways of working and improve the systems required in supporting science.  

In 2017, I started applying the knowledge gathered during my career at »Ê¼Ò»ªÈË since 1991 as a Research Technician and later a Lab Manager, before starting to develop my career in administration in 2002.  As a Departmental Administrator for Neuromuscular Diseases, I expanded my capabilities in grant administration, equipping laboratories, recruitment and management of staff. 

I had to apply this knowledge in designing and refurbishing new laboratories in multiple estate projects, including four floors in Queen Square House. Subsequently, I was assigned to lead the reconstruction project of 33 Queen Square for the department.  This was a big project to create a brand-new seven-floor building on the site of the previous house.  Five floors of the new building were allocated to clinical research groups from my department from 8-11 Queen Square.   This project gave me the opportunity to develop my skills in designing clinical research labs and leading on migrating the research groups.  To enable research groups to focus on science, I am always exploring ways and infrastructures to support them - the Grays Inn project has inspired me to achieve this.

Lee Stanyer (Lab Infrastructure Lead) and I did lots of research into how things were run at other universities, as well as visiting places like the Crick for ideas before writing the initiatives.

We have already been able to change a lot of ways of working, for many of them, we’re leading the way across UCL.

 I am always exploring ways and infrastructures to support [researchers] - the Grays Inn project has inspired me to achieve this.“To enable research groups to focus on science, I am always exploring ways and infrastructures to support them -the Grays Inn project has inspired me to achieve this.

For the efficient management of research facilities, Lee and I have introduced an asset management and cross-charging software that streamlines the processes from facility scheduling to automated cross-charging of research grants and effective asset management of equipment whilst reducing the administration burden. 

The ChemInventory software allows research teams to organise their chemical stock and reduce their effort on annual returns while ensuring legal and regulatory compliance. ChemInventory has reduced time spent by researchers looking for stock and minimises stock holdings. 

As one of the leads for ChemInventory software network, I share my knowledge and lessons learnt with sister institutes. 

In collaboration with Steffy Czieso (IoN’s Laboratory Manager) I have developed training materials (SoPs for all IoN buildings and a training video) for management of non-hazardous & hazardous waste.  These are now part of the new starter’s induction.

I've really enjoyed designing the initiatives and seeing an idea on paper come to life.“I've really enjoyed designing the initiatives and seeing an idea on paper come to life.I've really enjoyed designing the initiatives and seeing an idea on paper come to life.I've really enjoyed designing the initiatives and seeing an idea on paper come to life.I've really enjoyed designing the initiatives and seeing an idea on paper come to life.I've really enjoyed designing the initiatives and seeing an idea on paper come to life.

The indirect delivery initiative is one of the project’s biggest success stories. We've led the project and it’s now being rolled out across UCL –the Royal Free, IoO and UCL East are all on board. Working with Steve Shine (Logistics Manager), we had the idea of consolidating deliveries off-site and having them delivered directly to the researchers.  Queen Square House alone used to receive 80 deliveries/day. We've brought that down to 5 allowing us to greatly reduce our carbon footprint. People no longer get phone calls in the middle of experiments to collect parcels.  Instead, they are brought directly to them.

I've really enjoyed designing the initiatives and seeing an idea on paper come to life. I love continuously improving the services by gathering feedback from the working groups that include researchers, lab managers and administrators. 

My biggest challenge in the role has been changing behaviour.  The new site will bring the most change to the way we work, therefore it is vital that staff and students are supported through the change. The vending machines are a good example. People were a bit dubious at first and were instantly reminded of vending machines at gyms!  It’s actually just a fridge with chemicals.

Having them on site now and researchers are only charged for items at the point of vend has reduced the need to bulk buy consumables and decreased product ordering costs.   Researchers have enjoyed the convenience of instant access. Now I'm working towards using artificial intelligence to automate the replenishing of goods in the vending machine. These are the kind of things I enjoy - increasing efficiency and allowing researchers to focus on what they need to get done.

The thing I'm looking forward to is all the pieces of the jigsaw (lab designs, initiatives, migration, etc.) that I have worked on over the years coming together as a working structure to support the scientific community at the new site.