10 March 2009

Clinical Research Centre opens its doors to the public

Friday, 13th March, 2009. 10am - 4pm.

Members of the public will have the opportunity to view the exceptional work carried out at Tayside’s Clinical Research Centre when the £13 million facility hosts an open day this Friday.

Visitors to the CRC, which was developed by the University of Dundee in collaboration with NHS Tayside, will be able to see around the custom-built, state-of-the-art facilities including consulting rooms and equipment.

They will also be able to speak to staff, find out more about clinical research, learn about CPR and take part in a range of health checks including blood pressure and BMI measuring.

The open day will highlight the work of the centre and takes place at the CRC, which is located at James Arrott Drive behind the multi-storey car park at Ninewells Hospital , between 10am and 4pm.

Cameron Glen, Business Development manager at the CRC, said the open day was aimed at raising awareness of the new centre and highlighting the importance of clinical research.

'We want to make sure that the people of Tayside have the opportunity to see our new facilities and meet our staff to discuss any questions they may have about clinical research,' he said.

'The open day is part of a national Clinical Research Facility programme and were hoping to explain why clinical research is a good thing, how people can be sure it is safe and ethical and how they can find out more and ultimately help. Our hope is that it will encourage future recruitment to forthcoming projects.'

Mr Glen added that stalls offering information about particular trials and how they work will be on display around the centre as will some of the devices invented in Tayside and Scotland to improve medical care.

The Clinical Research Centre was officially opened in July last year by Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing. It began welcoming its first patients a few months earlier in April.

Acting as a hub for clinical trial activity it links to satellite units elsewhere in Tayside and Fife and aims to carry out studies focusing on cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and neuroscience to name a few, in order to improve prevention, earlier diagnosis and improved treatments for these diseases.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk