Cutting edge
research into potential drug treatments will be led in Dundee following
£8 million investment by the Scottish Government through the Scottish
Funding Council (SFC).
The funding will
go towards the formation of a state-of-the-art robotic drug screening
laboratory at the University of Dundee that will enable new drug therapies to
be developed more effectively.
Cabinet Secretary
for Education Michael Russell made the announcement ahead of a visit to the
University of Dundee, where he will outline his vision for the future of Higher
Education research in an independent Scotland.
He said:
“Scotland’s universities consistently
deliver world beating results. Whether that is our five universities in the
world’s top 200, unmatched by any other country per head of population,
our strong record on citations or the proportion of research assessed as
world-leading – it is an impressive track record.
“Today’s announcement of £8 million
for new equipment, in combination with the European Lead Factory at Biocity in
Newhouse, will put Scottish universities at the forefront of drug discovery
worldwide. This is a hugely exciting development for the development of new
medicines worldwide and I am very proud of Scotland’s role in research,
past, present and future.
“The
Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance (SULSA) has determined that the
University of Dundee will host the centre and it will work with some of
Europe’s top pharmaceutical companies to form a large public-private
partnership in the field of novel therapy research and development, adding
further strength to Scotland’s position in the field.
“Later today
I will outline how our global reputation for research and innovation will be
maintained in an independent Scotland, ensuring our universities can remain
internationally competitive.”
Notes To
Editors
The £8
million has been awarded to the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance
(SULSA) to create a UK National Phenotypic Screening Centre (UK-NPSC) in
Dundee.