Date: 18 Jun 2009
Aberdeen and Dundee are to share in about 250 new scientific research jobs, it was announced yesterday.
It follows the creation of a new partnership between scientists and academics designed to cement Scotland’s reputation as a world leader in life sciences. The Scottish Academic Health Sciences Collaboration, backed by £15 million from the Scottish Government, will bring together health boards and university medical schools in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. It is estimated that the partnership will create about 250 jobs across several disciplines, including imaging, pharmacy, radiology and tissue banks over the next three years.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: “This new initiative opens up further opportunities for our researchers to work together and in partnership with industry to turn cutting-edge research into real health benefits.
“By speeding up the process of putting industry in contact with the best researchers, it will give Scotland a competitive advantage in the global marketplace.”
The Scottish Government said the partnership would place Scotland at the forefront of turning the latest scientific research into “real health benefits for patients”, including clinical trials and, it is hoped, new drugs and treatments. The move will also put the country in a strong position to win multimillion-pound UK and international health research funding and for greater collaboration with industry. Scottish Enterprise chief executive Jack Perry said universities already carried out “outstanding” medical research.
“There is, however, potential to do more and this collaboration will help to make Scotland even more attractive for those global pharmaceutical and biotech companies looking to take advantage of our world- class science base and expert clinical practice,” he said.
At this stage it is not known how many jobs will be created in Grampian and Tayside. A Dundee University spokesman said: “We welcome this announcement from the Scottish Government.
“The university already enjoys an excellent relationship with NHS Tayside and this will allow us to build on that and develop further collaborations.”
Aberdeen University’s senior vice-principal, Professor Stephen Logan, said he was delighted that the university was part of the new partnership.
“We already have a very successful partnership with NHS Grampian which is hugely helped by us co-existing on the Foresterhill health campus,” he said.
“This new initiative will provide fresh opportunities for Aberdeen to collaborate even further with Scotland’s other universities.”