Cheaper medicines will be available - and new drugs developed more quickly - following a multi-million pound research project led by the University of Strathclyde in Scotland.
A 11.4 million pound cash injection, supported with 22.8 million pound industry and charity contributions, was announced today. It will boost the world-class research underway at the Strathclyde-led EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Continuous Manufacturing and Crystallisation (CMAC).
Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal of the University of Strathclyde, welcomed today's announcement of the 11.4 million pound award, made by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) under the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF).
"Strathclyde is leading an international technological collaboration with global firms including GSK, Novartis, AstraZeneca and Cancer Research UK. This national facility is an excellent example of Strathclyde's ability to deliver innovation by working creatively with industry and our academic partners at the Universities of Bath, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Heriot-Watt, and Loughborough," McDonald said.
"The Centre's internationally-leading research team are working pre-competitively to establish a world-class facility to accelerate innovative technology delivery and establish new supply chains for medicines. The funding award announced by HEFCE today will further strengthen the contribution of CMAC to economic growth, and will maximise its impact on the international competitiveness of a vital UK manufacturing sector."?
In addition to Strathclyde's award, HEFCE announced funding for four other projects involving the University of Cambridge, University College London, the University of Manchester and the University of Sheffield.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, said: "The spending review is about making choices, and for me science is a personal priority. By bringing together our Nobel Prize winning scientists, our world-class companies and our entrepreneurial start-ups, we can drive innovation and create the economic dynamism Britain needs to win in the global race.
"We are making difficult decisions on things like welfare so that we can invest in areas like science. And today, I can announce five new projects through our 300 million pound UKRPIF - using public money to secure private investment so our world-class science also delivers jobs and growth," he said.
"The UK's world-class universities are at the forefront of our economic recovery. It's vital we do everything we can to encourage collaboration with the private sector and boost funding for research. These excellent projects will not only deliver new knowledge and applications for industry, but will accelerate growth and foster innovation between the research base and business, keeping the UK ahead in the global race," Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts said.
