Pharos Institute

The Pharos institute was a scientific organisation experimenting with advanced technology.

21st century
In the 1980s, there was a Pharos Project, which was tasked with communicating with alien civilisations; it is not known whether that organisation was related to the Pharos institute. (DW: Logopolis)

In 2009 they were investigating the potential of the MITRE headset to amplify telekinetic energy. However the institute had been infiltrated by a Slitheen, Korst Gogg Thek Lutiven-Day Slitheen, who was manipulating the researchers so that the headset could be used for destruction.
 * The technology behind the MITRE headset is unknown, but it may well have originated off-world.

Sarah Jane Smith broke into the institute and stole a headset for Mr Smith to examine. Korst and two other Slitheen, working in collusion with Mr Smith, took Luke Smith hostage and wired him into the stolen headset. The resultant telekinetic power nearly brought The Moon into a collision course with the Earth, but disaster was finally averted by Mr Smith, whom Sarah Jane had disabled with a virus and reprogrammed. (SJA: The Lost Boy)

Another ongoing project from the institute was the research of meteorites for signs of alien life. They had found some clues in martian meteorites and in 2009 had the Weserbergland Meteorite on loan for research. This allowed the entity known as the Pied Piper to come to London. (SJA: The Day of the Clown)

One of the scientists working at the institute was Professor Rivers. The institute was also assisted in it's research by Nathan Goss, an arrogant boy genius who was in fact Korst Gogg Thek Lutiven-Day Slitheen of the family Slitheen in disguise.
 * An "original" of Nathan Goss may or may not have existed.

The institute also sent out workers to investigate Ashen Hill Manor. (SJA: The Eternity Trap)

They were investigated during the 456 invasion. (TW: Children of Earth)

Sometime after the investigation at Ashen Hill Manor, a member of the Slitheen Family stole a Matter Compressor from the institute so it could crush Earth's Carbon into a gigantic diamond. (SJA: The Gift)

Staff

 * Celeste Rivers (SJA: The Lost Boy, The Day of the Clown, The Eternity Trap)
 * Toby Silverman (SJA: The Eternity Trap)
 * Nathan Goss (SJA: The Lost Boy)

Technology and acquisitions

 * MITRE headsets (SJA: The Lost Boy)
 * Jeggorbax asteroid (SJA: The Day of the Clown)
 * Paranormal energy readers (SJA: The Eternity Trap)
 * Portable computer systems (SJA: The Eternity Trap)
 * Portable CCTV cameras (SJA: The Eternity Trap)
 * Matter compressor (SJA: The Gift)