A CENTRE specialising in the fields of industrial and medical applications has been named an Historic Chemical Landmark by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).

The Grove Centre, formerly Amersham Laboratories, was one of three sites nominated by the RSC this year. The award was handed over to the White Lion Road, Amersham centre, last Thursday to honour its pioneering work in the life sciences as a major centre for the development of the medical and industrial applicaations of radioactivity in the UK during the past 60 years.

Dr David Giachardi, chief executive of the RSC said: "We were delighted when GE Healthcare welcomed our proposal that an Historic Chemical Landmark plaque be placed at the Grove Centre to commemorate its achievements in the fields of industrial and medic applications.

"Work undertaken at the site in the 1940s played an important role in the war by making advances in military aircraft luminous instrumentation. Since then, in the war on cancer and other life-threatening conditiions, the site continued to contribute by initiatives from which countless numbers have gained benefit."

GE Healthcare president and CEO, Sir William Castell, said: "The Grove Centre is a site that has not only a great scientific heritage, but also a rich national heritage.

"It has proven itself a world-class leader in the application of chemistry and will continue to make future contributions to the life sciences indsutry.

The Grove Centre's original site was called Chilcote House, a six-seven acre country house bought for £600 and since its beginnings has been an epicentre of technological advancements in chemistry.

Breakthrough products include the first commercial RIA (radioimmunoassay) kit to measure the insulin level of diabetics, and the world's first commercial cyclotron, which provided a reliable and secure supply of isotopes.

The company has received 14 Queen's Awards to date, nearly half for Technological Innovation.

Amersham plc was acquired in April, 2004 by the General Electric Company.