A breath of fresh laboratories open
27 October 2008
The Medical Research Council’s chief executive Sir Leszek Borysiewicz has opened new laboratories at the MRC-Asthma Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, paving the way for further developments in the prevention and treatment of asthma and allergy.
The new laboratories are part of a £10m investment from King’s College, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation Trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity in asthma and allergy research.
The expansion of the MRC-Asthma Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma will allow scientists to focus on environmental and respiratory health and the impact of the low emission zone in London.
Sir Leszek Borysiewicz said: “The potential for this centre to lead the way in asthma and allergy research across the world is inching closer with the opening of new laboratories. The MRC’s collaboration with King’s College, Imperial and Asthma UK in establishing the centre has enhanced our insight into asthma and allergy and the expansion of facilities means we have taken another positive step towards creating new and improved treatments.”
The main aim of the centre, established in 2005 through a partnership between the MRC, Asthma UK, King’s College, Imperial College and their partner NHS Trusts, is to speed up the process of translating fundamental discoveries into new treatments for patients.
Centre director Professor Tak Lee, who has recently been awarded a grant to investigate the link between pollution and asthma, said: “Allergic diseases have increased three-fold in 20 years and asthma affects one in 12 of population in UK. The numbers of children with asthma have risen by six-fold in 30 years which costs the NHS £889m annually. We are truly in an epidemic of asthma.
“Our national centre was established to find the reasons and identify new treatments. We have made very good progress in a very short time and I am optimistic that real benefits to the patient will come through very soon. The new state of the art research facilities will provide a terrific boost to our endeavours and I am most grateful to our partners for placing their confidence in us.”
Geoffrey Shepherd, Chief Executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity which awarded £1.25 million towards the laboratories, said: “We are delighted to have been able to contribute to these high-calibre laboratories which will enable investigations into the growing problem of asthma and allergies.
“We are committed towards supporting research at King’s College London which will have national and international significance, and I am confident that the eminent researchers based here will continue to break new ground in these state of the art facilities.”
Notes:
- The opening of the new research laboratories will be at King’s College London, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital on Monday, 27 October.
- The new facilities in the centre will consist of three larger laboratory spaces with an air conditioned 'en suite' facility, and a seminar room.
- King’s College London
King’s College London is one of the top 25 universities in the world (Times Higher 2008) and the fourth oldest in England. A research-led university based in the heart of London, King’s has 19,700 students from more than 150 countries, and 5,400 employees. King’s has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. The College is in the top group of UK universities for research earnings and has an overall annual income of approximately £450 million. An investment of £500 million has been made in the redevelopment of its estate.
King’s has a particularly distinguished reputation in the humanities, law, social sciences, the health sciences, natural sciences and engineering, and has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped modern life, such as the discovery of the structure of DNA. It is the largest centre for the education of healthcare professionals in Europe and is home to five Medical Research Council Centres – a total unsurpassed by any other university.
King's College London and Guy’s and St Thomas, King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts are working together to create a world-leading Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC). Our AHSC brings together an unrivalled range and depth of clinical and research expertise, spanning both physical and mental health. Our combined strengths will drive improvements in care for patients, allowing them to benefit from breakthroughs in medical science and receive leading edge treatment at the earliest possible opportunity.
- Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity
- charity has awarded £1.25m to the establishment of this new centre.
