Plans advanced for £15 million health research centre

Proposals for a major new laboratory complex supporting life sciences and medical research at the Universities of Dundee and St Andrews are at an advanced stage.

Plans for the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research - which could be a major focus for the study of diabetes and health/lifestyle issues such as nutrition and exercise - go before the University's planning and resources committee in May.

The University's international reputation for life sciences - awarded a 5 star rating in the latest Research Assessment Exercise - has been the catalyst for a cluster of bio-related companies in Dundee where over 2,000 people are now employed in the biomedical sector. The new centre could bring a further 180 new jobs.

The proposed £15 million centre has been initiated on the back of £4 million of funding from the government's Science and Research Infrasctructure Fund (SRIF). It is planned for the city centre campus where it would connect with the Medical Sciences Institute and Wellcome Trust Biocentre.

The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research (CIR) would bring together and consolidate research in molecular physiology, cell signalling and signal transduction therapy and the resources needed to support them. A key feature of activity in these areas is drug discovery and development - a field which also offers significant commercial spin off opportunities. The Signal Transduction Unit alone, is currently the focus of an eight million pound collaboration with a handful of global pharmaceutical companies interested in developing new drugs.

Talks are taking place with a variety of outside interests including Dundee Council and discussions are ongoing with Scottish Enterprise Tayside.

Head of Life Sciences Professor Peter Downes spoke of the "unassailable logic" of bringing together the resources and activities in one centre: "This ambitious and exciting proposal would underpin a wide range of research activities and act as a catalyst for the development of successful and growing areas of research and commercial spin-offs. Diabetes is one of the world's major health issues and its prevalence is growing at an alarming rate. Here in Dundee we have some of the leading diabetes researchers as well as scientists involved in cutting edge studies of exercise and nutrition. Currently they are dispersed between Ninewells and several points at the Dundee campus. Bringing them together in one centre not only makes sense from the point of view of practical support it could also take research in this field onto a new plane. By examining the disease in its entirety from the fundamental molecular level through to the effect of diet and exercise, drugs and treatments a centre like this could expect to make a major contribution to the understanding and ultimate cure of diabetes."

The centre also supports the developing partnership between the Universities of Dundee and St. Andrews by making key research facilities available to scientists from both institutions.

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