Chancellor George Osborne has today (22 July) announced a £16m funding package to build a state-of-the-art Imaging Centre for Excellence (ICE) at the University of Glasgow.

The new centre will dovetail with existing facilities and expertise to apply advanced imaging technologies to aid the understanding and treatment of a range of human diseases.

ICE imaging centre‌Funded by the UK Government, the ICE facility will offer greatly enhanced medical imaging technology, most notably in the areas of brain imaging and stroke. ICE, together with the Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre (SMS-IC) will be a core of clinical academic and industry facilities at the £1bn New South Glasgow Hospitals Campus.

The ICE facility will house a £7m 7-Tesla MRI scanner and around 260 staff, including academic clinical researchers, industry partners and support staff.

It will be the first facility of its kind to be located on a clinical site of this scale in the UK and it will unite world-leading clinical academic expertise in stroke, cardiovascular disease and brain imaging, already based at the University of Glasgow.

Speaking at the Commonwealth Games Business Conference, hosted by the University of Glasgow, Chancellor George Osborne said: ““The UK Government will invest £16m in the Stratified Medicine centre of excellence at the impressive new South Glasgow Hospitals Campus.

“This is a hugely exciting new technology that has the potential to develop treatments for diseases such as cancer diabetes and dementia. It’s a major investment in Glasgow’s growing life sciences industry.”

Professor Anna Dominiczak Vice-Principal and Head of College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow said: “ICE will be critical to the long term ability of healthcare systems around the world to meet the growing challenges of an ageing population and advanced treatment options.

“It will be the first facility of its kind to bring together NHS, academic and industry partners under the same roof to develop and apply advanced imaging technologies that will aid our understanding and treatment of a range of human diseases.

“The advanced imaging technology will also dovetail the world-leading clinical academic expertise in stroke, cardiovascular disease, and brain imaging, already based at the University of Glasgow, helping secure the city’s position as leaders in the field of Stratified Medicine.”

Robert Calderwood, Chief Executive of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “I am delighted that the funding package is now in place to secure this state-of-the-art development which, when open, will sit alongside some of the most advanced clinical facilities in Europe which are being provided by the Scottish Government.”

The ICE building is designed to allow direct ambulatory access for patients, and the building will be linked to the new Clinical Research Facility to allow clinical trials to benefit from the advanced imaging technologies It will secure Glasgow’s competitive position in the field of Stratified Medicine and will be key in the fight against health problems associated with an ageing population and advanced treatment options.

Notable clinical research leaders currently working at the University of Glasgow working in these areas include:

  • Professor Keith Muir and team, who are undertaking the world’s first clinical trial of neural stem cell therapy for disabled stroke patients and are devising advanced imaging methodologies to improve prognosis in early stroke.
  • Professor Colin Berry who is at the forefront of research in myocardial infarction (MI, heart attack) including imaging oedema and microbleeds not detectable with 3T MRI imaging and very important in treatment and prognosis for MI.

Media enquiries: nick.wade@glasgow.ac.uk / 0141 330 7126

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First published: 22 July 2014

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Related links:

Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre

Prof Keith Muir

Prof Colin Berry