Birmingham medical research centre given £31 million by NHS
Birmingham's Biomedical Research Centre has been given £31 million diagnosis and treatment of illness across a variety of high-priority disease areas including cancer, mental health and dementia.
The centre, which is part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research, will invest in scientific expertise which supports access to innovative technology and novel research projects.
Health and social care secretary and deputy Prime Minister Thérèse Coffey said: "The pandemic has highlighted the importance of our booming research sector and the potential it has to not only strengthen health and care services, but lead to lifesaving developments.
"This additional funding will harness the UK's world leading innovation and allow research centres up and down the country to attract experts in their field and conduct research that saves lives."
She added: "From helping develop the Covid vaccine to discovering world-first treatments, these centres have already delivered ground-breaking research and will continue to help us tackle some of the biggest health challenges we face, including cancer, to ensure the NHS continues to deliver world-class care."
Over the past nine years, the NIHR BRCs have supported almost 60,000 experimental medicine research studies progressing innovative and faster diagnosis, as well as developing the Oxford AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine – the world’s first approved Covid-19 vaccine.
Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Executive of the NIHR said: "This huge investment into early stage health and care research and patient safety innovation recognises the strength of expertise in these areas across the country, and gives our best researchers more opportunities to improve care and treatment for patients nationwide.
"These investments showcase our scientific excellence, ensuring that the UK benefits from the latest innovations and advancements in research and enables a strong and competitive research workforce to be further developed. They are crucial to ensuring that patients receive the highest quality, safest care."
