Technology Innovation Centres

Appendix B: UK Complimentary Centres and National Assets

1.1. Complimentary Centres

UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI):

· This £600 million collaboration between the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, Wellcome Trust and UCL will be an interdisciplinary medical research institute. UKCMRI will encourage ground-breaking research across a range of scientific disciplines and facilitate the translation of discoveries into treatments as quickly as possible. [1] However it is not currently known whether UKCMRI will have any major involvement with the regenerative medicine community plus the centre itself will not be completed until 2015.

1.2. Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine incorporating the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine (MRC CRM). [2]

· Brings together world-leading basic stem cell research and established clinical excellence to deliver a ‘bench-to-bedside’ approach in addressing the challenges posed by degenerative diseases.

· The MRC Centre in Cambridge brings together leading researchers in two Cambridge faculties (School of Biological Sciences and School of Clinical Medicine) and enables them to translate their individual research into clinical use by providing them with dedicated stem cell research resources and a forum for collaborative interactions, including state-of-the-art stem cell culture facilities, seminars and a training programme.

· EPSRC has made significant investment in research infrastructure in regenerative medicine including the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Regenerative Medicine. This Loughborough University led partnership including Nottingham and Keele universities, has focuses on upstream (TRL1-4) industry collaborative research to enable the regulated manufacturing and supply of regenerative medicine products.

· The EPSRC and TSB funded Innovation and Knowledge Transfer Centre in Regenerative Therapies and Devices in Leeds facilitates collaboration between companies, engineers, scientists and clinicians to develop innovative biomaterial-focussed technologies that help the body repair and restore function. The IKC invests resources in TRL 3 and 4 to bridge the specific gap in proof of concept studies.

1.3. Other UK national assets

National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC)

· The NIBSC role is to play a major national and international role in assuring the quality of biological medicines through product testing, developing standards and reference materials and carrying out applied research. It supports health policy development and implementation through provision of expert evidence-based advice and technical support and is an important component of the Department of Health’s risk management strategy for public health. [3]

1.4. UK Stem Cell Bank

· The UK Stem Cell Bank was established within NIBSC to provide a repository of human embryonic, foetal and adult stem cell lines as part of the UK’s governance for the use of human embryos for research. Its role is to provide quality controlled stocks of these cells that researchers worldwide can rely on to facilitate high quality and standardised research.

1.5. NHS Blood and Transfusion Service

· NHSBT manages the consent, collection, and delivery to patients of over 2,000 adult heamopoetic (blood) stem cell transplants and 13,000 human tissue allograft p.a; giving it a unique position to support the growing regenerative medicine market. The delivery of viable treatments is supported by a strong research function, including driving innovative technology development in collaboration with universities. Utilising its knowledge and facilities it also provides contract manufacture services to SMEs and clinicians.

1.6. Office for Strategic Co-ordinated Health Research

· OSCHR’s mission is to facilitate more efficient translation of health research into health and economic benefits in the UK through better coordination of health research and more coherent funding arrangements. [4]

1.7. NHS

· The greatest potential asset the UK has for any form of medical research is the NHS. The ability to access a centralised patient population with the potential to work with a single centralised system would provide researchers with ability to recruit and monitor patients easily.