The University was delighted to be joined by the Minister for Life Sciences, George Freeman MP, on the 11th November to discuss our vision for Life Sciences at Birmingham. 

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Demonstrating our ability to deliver the full circle of translational medicine to improve the lives of patients, the day included a tour of our integrated medical and Life Sciences campus and a chance to meet expert researchers across Birmingham Health Partners- an exciting collaboration between University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, University of Birmingham and Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Highlighting our expertise in the fundamental sciences which underpin our bench to bedside approach, the Minister visited the new Phenome centre, an £8M facility which  enables the application of metabolomics to study human diseases and ageing in large scale studies.  

From basic science to the delivery of clinical trials, Mr Freeman met with Professor Charlie Craddock at the Centre for Clinical Haematology, one of the most active academic and clinical haematology practices in the world. The centre hosts an early phase clinical trials portfolio which serves one of the largest catchment areas in Europe.

Completing the translational circle, the Minister visited the new Institute of Translational Medicine (ITM), home to the Centre for Rare Diseases. The ITM is a new £24m facility, which translates laboratory discovery into improved and personalised enhanced treatments for patients across a range of major health issues including cancer and liver disease. 

Mr Freeman also visited Birmingham’s NIHR / Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility (CRF) based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and met with patients at Birmingham Children’s Hospital to discover the impact Life Sciences research is having locally and further afield. The CRF provides high-quality clinical environments where patients can take part in experimental and complex clinical research studies.  

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The University, working closely with our NHS partners, will be instrumental in delivering the region’s aim to position Birmingham as one of the leading national contributors to the Life Sciences sector. We are ideally set up to deliver this, being at the heart of a campus that includes not only internationally leading scientists within the University but also outstanding clinicians and access to patients within our superb hospitals.

We have £400m of current funding in Life Sciences supporting research into big issues such as cancer, ageing, brain function, chronic and rare diseases, trauma and antibiotic resistance, as well as helping us understand the role of the environment, emerging agricultural technologies, exercise, and nutrition in maintaining health.