Education Secretary Michael Russell will today (Wednesday 20 August 2014) announce £14 million capital investment in Scotland’s Innovation Centres.

The investment will further improve the links between education and industry, building on £110 million already committed to the sector. Developed in partnership with the Scottish Funding Council, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Innovation Centres are collaborations between universities, businesses and others to enhance innovation in and across Scotland’s key economic sectors.

Mr Russell will meet staff at the Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre in Inchinnan, which develops state-of-the-art support for pharmaceutical research and disease management.

Professor Anna Dominiczak OBE

The Education Secretary said: “The Innovation Centre collaborations already in place will help develop the skills that Scottish business needs to succeed in the global marketplace in a range of sectors. By using Scotland’s exceptional research base, we are able to respond nimbly to opportunities for potential growth.

“This is an exciting time for the centres, which are developing practical solutions to challenges faced by industry. Today’s announcement of £14 million for capital investment will build on the £110 million already committed.

“I am also meeting with the new chairs of the Centres to hear about their latest developments and the fresh opportunities being explored. The potential of these partnerships is incredible – bringing together the research excellence within our universities and the entrepreneurship within our business sector to deliver real social and economic benefits.”

Dr Mark Beggs, Chief Operating Officer of the Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre, said: “This additional investment is extremely welcome and will further help in the development of our approach to the treatment of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, inflammation, multiple sclerosis and neurology.”

Professor Anna Dominiczak, Regius Professor of Medicine, Vice-Principal and Head of College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences at the University of Glasgow and one of the lead partners in the Stratified Medicine Scotland innovation Centre, said: “The Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre is a once in a lifetime opportunity to combine our strengths in academic research, the presence of major pharmaceutical companies on our doorstep, the NHS and government support to produce world-leading innovations for treatment of chronic diseases.

‌“Scotland is uniquely well placed to be global leaders in this exciting field and our researchers are already working with sequenced human genomes to produce the most appropriate treatments for individual patients who are suffering from debilitating illnesses. That is the essence of stratified medicine and we are very grateful for the continued support and encouragement that we receive from government, industry, the NHS and academic partners.”

Laurence Howells, chief executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said: “SFC is pleased to add £14 million to its investment in Innovation Centres for state-of-the-art equipment. The Centres’ work will have real impact – better healthcare and medicine for our families; more sustainable food through improved fish farming; more energy-efficient homes through developments in construction. Through the Innovation Centres, research from our world-leading universities is helping industry develop new products and processes that will benefit our day-to-day living.”

Find out more

Media Enquiries: peter.aitchison@glasgow.ac.uk / 0141 330 7350

Background:

The Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre brings together industry, NHS and Higher Education Institution partners to develop state of the art capability to support the needs of pharmaceutical research and development and healthcare delivery in the management of chronic diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and neurology. 

Including today’s £14 million capital investment, the Scottish Funding Council has committed a total of £124 million to the programme of Innovation Centres over 6 years. To date, this SFC funding has been approved for: 

  • Stratified Medicine Scotland – £8 million.
  • CENtre for Sensors and Imaging Systems – £10 million.
  • Digital Health Institute – £10 million.
  • Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre – £10 million.
  • The Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre – £11 million.
  • Oil and Gas Innovation Centre – £10.6 million.
  • Data Lab – £11.4 million.
  • Construction Scotland Innovation Centre– £7.5 million. 

The Innovation Centres also draw funding from a number of public sources as well as contributions from industry.

First published: 20 August 2014

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