The Medical Research Council is to invest £28 million over five years in a partnership with the University of Glasgow to fund a new multidisciplinary centre of excellence in virology research. The University of Glasgow will contribute an additional £10m.

The new Medical Research Council – University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research will create a leading virology research hub with international standing by combining the expertise of the existing MRC Virology Unit in Glasgow and the University of Glasgow’s Institute of Comparative Medicine. Scientists from the University and the MRC unit will work closely together to shape the research vision for the new centre.

Staff from the NHS, government agencies and commercial collaborators will also contribute to research in the centre and a new Director will be sought. The Directorship will be a joint appointment between MRC and the University of Glasgow.

It is expected that the Centre will be located in a new building on the University’s Garscube Campus. This would enable Researchers based there to share expertise, build upon existing collaborations and strengthen virus research capability in the UK overall.

After a UK-wide call for bids to host the centre, applications from twelve universities were received. A panel of international virology experts judged that the Glasgow submission represented the strongest case and recommended it for support. The Council of the MRC made the funding decision at its May 2009 meeting.

Research programmes at the Centre for Virology Research will tackle questions about viruses at all levels from the fine details of virus structure to the spread of viruses in human and animal populations. As viruses continually evolve, the centre will investigate new approaches to virus detection as well as the development of antiviral drugs and vaccines. While recent events have brought acute infectious diseases such as influenza to the fore, viruses are also important as causes of serious diseases such as liver failure or cancer following life-long chronic infection. To meet these challenges the Centre will gather and build expertise on many virus types and will provide a key resource for advanced training of the next generation of scientists and clinicians in all aspects of virology.

Professor James Neil, who led the joint University of Glasgow/MRC Virology Unit bid, said: “An important feature of the new centre will be the integration of human and animal virus research.  Many of the emerging threats to human health come from viruses that can jump from animals to humans, and the strategy of combining expertise across these fields is timely.  

“We welcome the opportunity to bring the expertise of the current MRC Virology Unit to the facility at Garscube and look forward to working together to ensure that the Glasgow centre is recognised as an international as well as a UK leader in this field”

Professor Chris Preston, who led on behalf of the MRC Virology Unit in the joint bid, said: “This is an exciting development in a longstanding association between the MRC and the University of Glasgow.’’

“Within the centre, the Unit’s research programmes will derive great benefit greatly from collaboration with University and NHS colleagues who specialise in complementary aspects of human and animal virology.’’

“A major theme of the centre is the integration of basic, applied and clinical research to devise new treatments, an approach that aligns with MRC’s strategic aims for medical research in the UK.”

Welcoming the announcement, Principal of the University of Glasgow, Sir Muir Russell, said: “Virology research has long been a great strength at this University and the MRC’s decision is a resounding vote of confidence in the University of Glasgow.’’

“With this investment, virology will take its place alongside the existing world-class research themes at Glasgow University, namely cancer, cardiovascular and immunology. I welcome the Medical Research Council investment and look forward to the establishment of the Centre for Virus Research.”

Scottish Government Health Secretary, Nicola Sturgeon, said: “The new Centre for Virus Research will place Scotland at the cutting edge of critical international research and the work undertaken here will potentially benefit millions of people worldwide. It is well-deserved recognition of the world-class research already going on at the University and the MRC Virology Unit, and a substantial achievement for Scottish science.’’

“Among their wide-ranging investigations, experts here in Glasgow will study the Hepatitis C virus – work which will complement the Scottish Government’s £43 million Hep C Action Plan. These researchers will also build close links with virologists working in our NHS, further cementing the links between clinical practice and research.”

Chief Executive of the Medical Research Council, Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, said: ‘‘Medical Research Council support for The Centre for Virus Research is a strategic investment in interdisciplinary virology that will help to build capacity in virology research and train scientists to tackle the health problems posed by viruses now and in the future. It will build on a long history of MRC virology research in Glasgow and take this into a new, exciting, multidisciplinary partnership with Glasgow University.’’

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To arrange an interview please contact the Medical Research Council press office on 020 7637 6011 or email press.office@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk, or the University of Glasgow press office on 0141 330 3535 or email s.forsyth@admin.gla.ac.uk

 

Background information

In June 2006 the MRC Research Programme Group began a strategic review of virology funding ahead of the forthcoming retirement of the MRC Virology Unit Director Professor Duncan McGeoch who will step down in September 2009.

In June 2008 the MRC launched a call for proposals inviting applications for funding for a new multidisciplinary centre for virology research. Twelve submissions were received and three were shortlisted for full application. The proposal for a partnership between the University of Glasgow and the MRC Virology Unit was successful.

First published: 1 July 2009