About Neuron Pod

Centre of the Cell’s Neuron Pod is a striking 23-metre long and 10-metre high free-standing structure, located at Queen Mary University of London’s Whitechapel campus.

Their original embryo-shaped STEM Pod was the first science education centre in the world to be located within working biomedical research laboratories. Neuron Pod provides an additional multi-functional space for live science shows, hands-on workshops, experiments, debates, films and exhibitions.

Neuron Pod is designed by the late Professor Will Alsop OBE RA at aLL Design, creator of STEM Pod and the surrounding Blizard Institute, which has won numerous design awards. Its design is inspired by images of a nerve cell, following on from the four pods inside the building that were inspired by other cells or molecules.

Construction of Neuron Pod began in April 2018, and involved welding together 13 large steel sections, each arriving one by one through the Dartford Crossing, with some requiring police escort due to their size.

Funders of the £2m project include the Wellcome Trust, Queen Mary University of London, Barts Charity, Wolfson Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, Hobson Charity and Gosling Foundation.

Design and construction also involved Total Construction, Littlehampton Welding and AKT II.

Professor Fran Balkwill, Director of Centre of the Cell, Queen Mary University of London, said

“Neuron Pod will allow us to fulfil our potential and offer so much more to our visitors. What’s really important to us is that it increases our ability to interact with the local community. It will be exciting to see how this space evolves and we’re hoping it will become a space where people can let their imaginations run riot.”

To view the timelapse of Neuron Pod, which captures the onsite construction, and a video from AKT 11, which tells you the story behind the structural design of the Neuron Pod, please click on the videos to the right.

Click to see a timelapse of the Neuron Pod construction

Click to hear the story behind the structural design of Neuron Pod

Contact Us

Venue Address:
Blizard Institute
4 Newark Street
London E1 2AT

Office Address:
Centre of the Cell
Garrod Building (Office 2.23)
Turner Street
London E1 2AD

Booking Enquiries:
Tel: 020 7882 2562
Email: info@centreofthecell.org
Online: