Clinical Research Centre opened by Health Minister

The new £13million Clinical Research Centre at Ninewells Hospital, developed by the University in close partnership with NHS Tayside, was officially opened in the summer by Nicola Sturgeon MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing and Deputy First Minister.

At the official opening ceremony Ms Sturgeon pledged £1.6million for a PET-CT scanner at the centre, which will bolster medical research studies by tracing any changes in cancer cell activity.

'Research remains at the heart of the modern NHS and ensures great strides are made in patient safety and providing the best possible care,' the Deputy First Minister said.

'Screening for breast cancer, developing pioneering child immunisation programmes and opening blocked heart arteries by balloon surgery are examples of important developments which are now routine.

'These developments have radically changed the way healthcare is provided in Scotland and improved the health of our population.

'That is why I am delighted to open this exciting new research centre and pledge funding for a PET-CT scanner. Both will be vital to building on Scotland's golden reputation for world-class healthcare solutions.'

Professor Alastair Thompson, Director of the Clinical Research Centre and a leading researcher in breast cancer based at the University, described the announcement as 'wonderful news.'

'The scanner complements the other features which we have built in to the clinical research centre and underlines the unique nature of this facility,' he said.

'With the magnificent help of the public across Tayside and north-east Fife we have been able to establish a great platform for medical research into some of the most serious diseases.

'What this centre does is give us a purpose built facility capable of taking that research on to a new level. It will make us more efficient in our research, gives us greater capability to run more complex trials, and will give real benefit to patients in this area.

'What we have here is an outstanding facility of its type in the UK and right up there with the best in the world.'

The new centre is set to transform clinical research activity in Tayside, which already has a world-class reputation in biomedical research. The CRC, which opened its door to patients in the Spring, will be the hub for dozens of clinical studies and research projects run every year in Tayside, leading to clearer understanding of disease, earlier diagnosis and better treatment for patients.

The CRC will provide access for patients to new treatments and will further develop research and treatment in key areas including cancer, cardiovascular, diabetes, and mental health. It has already started taking patients involved in some of the clinical research studies being run in Tayside.

CRC Operations Manager Dr Charles Weller said the new centre would link into the Scottish Clinical Research Network, complementing existing facilities in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

'This centre ensures that Dundee and Tayside play their part in ensuring that Scotland remains at the forefront of clinical research,' said Dr Weller.

The CRC will function as a 'Research Hotel', where researchers in experimental medicine can book beds or other facilities to conduct their patient-based projects.

The state-of-the-art three-storey facility is sited on the northeastern point of the Ninewells building, near to the multi-storey car park. It includes dedicated facilities to conduct patient-orientated research in a variety of ensuite bedrooms, small investigations rooms and open ward areas.

The ground floor of the building houses a medical imaging suite which will house the PET/CT combined scanner and an MRI scanner, which will be used both by the University for research purposes and the NHS for patient treatment. Unique in the UK, an operating room inter-connecting between the two scanners will allow novel procedures and treatments to be developed and evaluated.

The building has been funded by the University, NHS Tayside and a donation from the Souter Foundation, with additional support from Scottish Enterprise Tayside and the Chief Scientist's Office.

It is physically linked to the core laboratory of the Translational Medicine Research Collaboration, which is being built at Ninewells, and the Hospital itself. It will complement a number of other initiatives at Ninewells including the Health Informatics Centre and the Institute for Medicine, Science and Technology.