A special ground breaking ceremony held today (Monday April 18, 2005) marks the start of work on Scotland's new world centre of excellence for research into cancer.

Professor Peter Holmes, Vice Principal Biomedicine, University of Glasgow and Professor Karen Vousden, Director, Beatson Institute dug out the first soil on the site, which will house the new £15 million centre at the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute in Glasgow.

The University of Glasgow and Cancer Research UK are jointly providing the bulk of the funds to finance the project, which will transform Scotland's research environment and bring a number of distinct benefits for the country's cancer patients.

These include:

* Better coordination between scientists and doctors, in finding new and improved treatments for cancer

* Rapid development of basic science into application for the benefit of patients

* Improved training of cancer doctors, helping them to introduce new treatments into the clinic more quickly

* Recruitment of the highest quality research staff, including the attraction of top names from around the UK and from abroad

The new building, due to be complete by the end of 2006, will house 240 cancer researchers and provide world-class research facilities, accelerating the process of understanding the disease, identifying new therapies and bringing them to patients.

Award-winning architects Reiach and Hall have designed a state-of-the-art research building with abundant natural light and communal space, providing the best possible conditions for collaborative research.

Professor Karen Vousden, Director of the Beatson Institute and one of Cancer Research UK's leading scientists, says: 'It's really exciting to be part of such a big development which will be a melting pot of some of the country's most talented cancer research scientists and doctors.

The new facilities will allow these experts to work side-by-side on translating basic science into something more clinically useful to give the best possible chance of making progress against the disease.'

Professor Peter Holmes, Vice Principal Biomedicine, University of Glasgow, says: 'This new facility will attract international cutting edge research to Glasgow for the benefit of the West of Scotland and the wider community.

'It reflects the ongoing commitment of the University to cancer research and will see Glasgow firmly positioned as a world leader in this field.'

Mary Beaton, Project Manager for the site comments: "Situated alongside the University's Vet School and Small Animal Hospital, the new Beatson Institute for Cancer Research's building should combine state-of-the-art architectural design with academic excellence. This is clearly an exciting addition to the University of Glasgow's Garscube Estate in Bearsden."

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For more details contact the University Press Officer Mike Findlay on 0141 330-3535.

First published: 18 April 2005