Launch of UKRI Research and Innovation Infrastructure Roadmap
Science Minister Sam Gyimah announces launch of UKRI Research and Innovation Infrastructure Roadmap and ISCF funding for medicines.
New Science Minister Sam Gyimah announced the launch of the UKRI Research and Innovation Infrastructure Roadmap, and £70 million of funding to create new manufacturing centres to help speed up the development of new medicines, in a speech given at Imperial College London on Monday 22 January.
The Research and Innovation Infrastructure Roadmap Programme will comprehensively map UK research and innovation infrastructure, showcasing our abilities whilst identifying any gaps in infrastructure that we can address to boost the sector.
The Infrastructure Roadmap will be the first major piece of work that UKRI will undertake. It is expected to be finished in 2019 and will feature:
- large scientific facilities and major equipment
- collections, archives and scientific data
- e-infrastructures such as data and computing systems
- communications networks
The £70m funding for new medicine manufacturing centres forms part of the government’s commitment to build a country fit for the future through a stronger economy and fairer society. It will create innovative new medical solutions, including using virtual reality to aid rehabilitation and investing in digital speech therapy solutions for stroke and brain injuries. The government’s investment in high tech medical research will in turn boost jobs, enhance the NHS and ensure better care for people when they are unwell.
The funding for the ISCF Leading Edge Healthcare Challenge allocation is made up of:
- £21 million for Advanced Therapies Treatment Centres
- £15 million for Medicines Manufacturing collaborative research and development round 1 competition
- £8 million for Digital Health Catalyst round 1
- £5.6 million for Viral vector production for Cell and Gene Therapy
- £8 million for Digital Health Technology Catalyst round 2 Рfunding competition opens 15 February 2018
- £10 million for the Medicines Manufacturing challenge round 2 Рfunding opens 12 March 2018
Chief Executive designate of UK Research and Innovation, Sir Mark Walport said:
“One of UK Research and Innovation‚Äôs key tasks is to make sure that the UK‚Äôs businesses and researchers are ready and able to seize the opportunity presented by the Industrial Strategy. So I‚Äôm very pleased that alongside today‚Äôs substantial investment in leading edge healthcare manufacturing technology, we are also starting the process to map out the UK‚Äôs nationally and internationally important research and innovation infrastructure. This will enable us to make sure we are getting the absolute best out the infrastructure we already have, and identify what else we will need to stay competitive in the next 10 to 15 years.”