DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
News Release issued by The Government News Network on 9 April 2008
Twelve new
Biomedical Research Units will be at the forefront of a £45
million drive to prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as
heart disease, asthma and obesity, Public Health Minister, Dawn
Primarolo announced today.
The new NIHR (National Institute for Health Research) Biomedical
Research Units will focus on "translational research"
that will take advances in basic medical research out of the
laboratory and into the hospital clinic - meaning patients will
benefit more quickly from new scientific breakthroughs.
The Units will work in major areas of ill-health and clinical
need which have traditionally received relatively limited amounts
of research funding: heart disease; deafness and hearing problems;
gastrointestinal and liver disease; musculoskeletal disease
(including arthritis); nutrition (including obesity) and
respiratory disease (including asthma).
The new units will also help to ensure that the UK retains its
position at the top of the international league table for
biomedical research.
The Biomedical Research Units will complement the existing twelve
NIHR Biomedical Research Centres in London, Oxford, Cambridge,
Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle. Together, these are among
the most outstanding centres of medical research in the world.
Each Biomedical Research Unit will receive £3.75 million over the
next four years (representing a total investment of £45m),
enabling these smaller, but excellent, research groups to increase
significantly their ability to undertake translational research.
Dawn Primarolo said:
"People who suffer from illnesses such as asthma, arthritis
and hearing problems will really benefit from these new NIHR
Biomedical Research Units.
"The new funding will also enable high quality research to
flourish in smaller centres across the country. This will
strengthen our drive to put the UK at the forefront of vital
health research and contribute to the nation's international
reputation as a centre for excellence."
Professor Sally C. Davies, Director General of Research and
Development, Department of Health said:
"Each new NIHR Biomedical Research Unit is a partnership
between an NHS Trust and a university, which will enable some of
our best health researchers and clinicians to work together. I
believe the funding will really help to develop this
country's capacity to carry out translational research in key
areas of unmet health need."
Notes to Editors
1. The Biomedical Research Units were selected by an
international expert selection panel, that was chaired by
Professor John Savill, Vice-Principal and Head of the College of
Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, and
employed an independent, transparent and objective process of
expert peer review.
2. The panel members were:
Professor Sir John Savill (Chair)
Vice Principal and Head of the College of Medicine &
Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh
Professor Jan Carlstedt-Duke
Dean of Research, Karolinska Institute, Sweden
Professor Garret FitzGerald
Director, Institute for Translational Medicine &
Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Professor Dermot Kelleher
Head of School of Medicine & Vice Provost for Medical
Affairs, Trinity College Dublin
In attendance
Professor Sally Davies
Director General for Research & Development, Department of Health
Dr Russell Hamilton
Director, Research & Development, Department of Health
Observer
Dr George Sarna
Research Strategy Manager, Medical Research Council
3. Further information about NIHR Biomedical Research Units is
available at http://www.nihr.ac.uk/infrastructure_biomedical_research_units.aspx.
4. To be successful, the NHS/University partnerships had to
demonstrate an international reputation for their basic medical
research in the priority areas and expertise and track-record in
translating that research into the clinic and ultimately
benefitting patients.
5. The research to be undertaken by the NIHR Biomedical Research
Units will aim to improve diagnosis and/or treatment in the
following key areas:
* Heart failure
* Coronary artery disease
*
Tinnitus
* Hepatitis C
* Hearing and learning in early
childhood
* Osteoporosis
* Asthma
*
Osteoarthritis
* Nutrition and obesity
* Chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
6. The National Institute for Health Research provides the
framework through which the research staff and research
infrastructure of the NHS in England is positioned, maintained and
managed as a national research facility. The NIHR provides the NHS
with the support and infrastructure it needs to conduct
first-class research funded by the Government and its partners
alongside high-quality patient care, education and training. Its
aim is to support outstanding individuals (both leaders and
collaborators), working in world class facilities (both NHS and
university), conducting leading edge research focused on the needs
of patients. More information about the National Institute for
Health Research is available on its website at: http://www.nihr.ac.uk.
7. The National Institute for Health Research's progress
report "Transforming Health Research the first two
years" can be downloaded from the NIHR website at: http://www.nihr.ac.uk/about_progress_report.aspx.