4 April 2005

McCabe highlights unique Scottish life sciences partnership in the US

Four leading Scottish Universities today showcased their world-renowned expertise in life sciences in a unique collaboration in the US.

Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities joined forces to fly the flag for Scotland at their specially-created seminar in Cambridge, Massachusetts - a global hub for life sciences. They will be aiming to secure business opportunities and strengthen US links through the event.

The life sciences industry in Scotland employs more than 25,000 people and has a proud tradition of innovation which includes the discovery of anesthesia, CAT scans and MRIs. Many industry pioneers conduct their research in Scotland.

Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform Tom McCabe launched the event, which was also attended by a line-up of renowned scientists and clinicians, healthcare professionals, researchers and industry leaders from around the world. The seminar is just part of the most ambitious Tartan Week programme to date.

Speaking at the event in the US, Mr McCabe said: "There is absolutely no doubt Scotland is a world leader in life sciences, we have a proud tradition of innovation and discovery from penicillin to Dolly the sheep. This seminar is an unprecedented opportunity for some of our leading experts in life sciences to showcase their expertise in the US.

The Executive is pleased to support this unique collaboration between our Universities. Events like these help the global scientific community build links which may one day lead to collaborative discoveries and save lives - that is what life sciences is all about.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a global hub for life sciences and this specially-organised event will give four of our leading Universities the chance to strengthen the links they already have while hopefully securing new business opportunities.

This is the most ambitious Tartan Week programme to date, with strong emphasis on business and cultural links, and an additional emphasis on health. The involvement of Ministers in Tartan Week is intended to build on ongoing Executive activity in the US where Scotland is promoted and represented by its US Office and where a wide range of activity, including Ministerial visits, takes place throughout the year."

Sir Alan Langlands, Principal of the University of Dundee, who chaired one of the sessions at the seminar, said: "Scotland as a whole has powered its way to a position of international excellence in life sciences. In Dundee we have the most cited bioscientists in Europe, the best scientific workplace in Europe, according to a recent poll of international scientists, and an impressive record on commercialisation including an unique £23 million collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry.

"Scottish universities are working in a spirit of co-operation with the Scottish Executive, Scottish Enterprise and the SDI to strengthen global connections and to catalyse further international partnerships."

The Dundee-led session of the seminar also featured talks from Andrew Morris, Professor of Diabetic Medicine at Dundee and Scotland's leading clinician on diabetes, and Dr Julie Schneider, Technical Program Manager for the US National Cancer Institute.

Martin Togneri, Senior Director of Scottish Development International, added: "This event presents an excellent opportunity to promote Scotland’s considerable expertise in life sciences to a hugely influential audience, and to ensure that Tartan Week celebrates not only the traditional symbols of Scotland but also our modern day strengths.

Scottish Development International has worked work with four of Scotland's universities to stage this seminar, and undoubtedly these combined forces will greatly add to the impact of what I am sure will be a memorable and productive event.

A spokesperson for the Universities group said: "We hope that this exciting and dynamic collaboration will help strengthen the long-standing intellectual connections between Scotland and the US which reach back to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Our life sciences industry is one of the most vibrant in Europe employing over 25,000 people and is underpinned by a globally recognised academic base. Our message is clear: our research is world class and we are a pro-active gateway to Europe for US partners and companies."

NOTES FOR NEWS EDITORS

The Health of Nations, Scotland and America - defining Life Science Partnerships conference in was held the Hotel Marlowe in Cambridge, MA today. The conference is just one of a series of events to be held in Boston and the rest of the US in celebration of Tartan Week.

The event attracted healthcare professionals, researchers and industry leaders from around the world to listen to leading authorities in the Scottish and American scientific communities discuss advances in clinical research and the importance of developing links between the Scottish academic research community and U.S. life sciences companies.

Scottish Development International (SDI) is jointly operated by the Scottish Executive and Scottish Enterprise, the main economic development agency for Scotland covering 93 per cent of the population from Grampian to the Borders. SDI has offices in the UK, mainland Europe, North America and Asia. Additional information can be found on the SDI website at www.scottishdevelopmentinternational.com

Andrew Morris, Professor of Diabetic Medicine at the University of Dundee, leads a translational research team that is making enormous strides in making research work for the practical benefit of patients. His team focuses on the epidemiological and molecular aetiological basis of diabetes complications and he co-ordinates one of the largest and most complete international studies of the clinical epidemiology and molecular epidemiology of diabetes. He has published over 100 original papers and attracted over £6.4 million peer reviewed grant funding. Andrew is chair of the Scottish Diabetes Group and is Lead Clinician for Diabetes in Scotland.

Basic Facts about Life Sciences and Medicine in Dundee:

Dundee scientists have won more than £100m of research funding since 2002.

22 the world's top scientists are working in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Dundee.

A peer-reviewed survey by US published Scientist magazine voted the University of Dundee as the No 1 best institution in Europe and No. 3 in the world to work in as a scientist.

An independent University of Oxford study found that University of Dundee Medical School provides the best training for doctors in the UK.

The University is the lead institute in a consortium of more than 80 medical schools across the world to create the world’s first International Virtual Medical School.

95% of our researchers work in areas of international or national excellence.

An investment seed fund of £3.5m with the Universities of Aberdeen and St Andrews has been created to encourage further business start-ups.

14 spin-out companies have been created by the University - 7 of which have been launched since 2001.

73 licenses in operation, 285 patents granted, and 255 further patents pending.

Life Sciences at Dundee

The new £20m Centre for Interdisciplinary Research (CIR), which will house 250 scientists and support staff, is scheduled for completion in late 2005 and will be integrated with the world famous Wellcome Trust Biocentre - home to more than 500 scientists from 60 countries. Over 70 scientists in the new CIR complex will research the causes of diabetes to identify protein targets for therapeutic intervention. New facilities in synthetic organic chemistry, computational chemistry and compound screening laboratories, aimed at discovering new drugs for the treatment of malaria, sleeping sickness and other global parasitic diseases will also be housed in the CIR.

The School of Life Sciences hosts a unique research consortium of six of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies who have provided £15 m (believed to be the largest such funding to a UK university) in second-phase funding for 'curiosity-driven' research directed by our world-class life sciences team.

Medical Research at Dundee:

The development of a new Clinical Research Centre will attract int ernational clinical academics researching disease prevention, diagnosis and early therapy for cancer, cardiovascular and thoracic diseases, nutrition, diabetes, metabolic disease and neuroscience is being built at the university’s medical school. The Clinical Research Centre will house patient rooms, investigation rooms and day rooms integrated with advanced diagnostic, analytical and imaging facilities.

Interface Science in Dundee

The Universities of Dundee and St Andrews have founded the Institute for Medical Science and Technology which will bring together leading scientists from a range of disciplines including physics, surgery and engineering. The centre will be dedicated to the medical needs of patients, the modernization of healthcare systems and technological advancement. It will develop systems for efficient knowledge transfer from lab to clinic, promoting opportunities for business start-ups and commercialized research.

By Roddy Isles, Head of Press 01382 344910, out of hours: 07968298585, r.isles@dundee.ac.uk