250 million MRC commitment to world-leading UK laboratory
Thursday 25 March 2010
The Medical Research Council (MRC) today celebrated the Government’s commitment of funding to the UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI), the planned state of the art biomedical research institute in central London. £250 million funding will be allocated to the MRC by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) following a successful investment bid. This will be in addition to the £47million already spent by the MRC on the UKCMRI site, totalling the MRC’s contribution to around £300million.
This allocation is still subject to approval of the Business Case towards the end of 2010 and agreement with project partners to ensure value for money, but it confirms the Government’s commitment to the project and will enable the partners to commit their funding.
UKCMRI is a partnership of four of the world’s most influential and respected scientific research organisations: Cancer Research UK, the Medical Research Council, UCL (University College London) and the Wellcome Trust. Its aim is to discover and develop a new understanding of, and treatments for, the illnesses which affect all families, such as cancers, heart disease and stroke, flu and other infections.
UKCMRI will be constructed on 3.6 acres of land, to the north of the British Library in the St Pancras and Somers Town area of north London.
Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, Chief Executive, Medical Research Council said:
“It’s crucial that the importance of investment in medical research is widely recognised, even in today’s choppy economic waters. This commitment will reap huge economic rewards for the UK’s future. We know, for example, that for every £1 invested in cardiovascular disease research alone, around 39p is generated for the economy, every year, forever.
Answering the big questions about how to tackle diseases like cancer, flu and malaria, and exploiting the promise of regenerative medicine, needs bold science. The MRC investment in UKCMRI will help to maintain the UK’s position at the forefront of global biomedical research, attracting the brightest scientific minds to these world class facilities. Many of the cures, vaccines and drugs of the future will be born inside the walls of UKCMRI. In years to come, I’m sure we’ll see this as a landmark investment.”
The Prime Minister Gordon Brown said:
"This unparalleled collaboration between four globally recognised research institutions will help secure Britain's status as a world-leading destination for medical research. It will work to deliver the life-saving treatments of tomorrow and translate research discoveries into competitive advantages for the UK economy. UKCMRI will inspire a new generation of scientists and as we set out in the budget is proof of this government's commitment to invest in the sectors and jobs that we need for the future."
Sir David Cooksey, Chair of the UKCMRI Steering Group said:
“'We welcome this confirmation of investment by the Medical Research Council in the vital UKCMRI project. UKCMRI will be focused on enhancing Britain's position at the forefront of medical research discoveries and translating them into enduring benefit for the patient, for the NHS and for our economy.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
1. Further comments from UKCMRI partners are available on request.
2. For almost 100 years the Medical Research Council has improved the health of people in the UK and around the world by supporting the highest quality science. The MRC invests in world-class scientists. It has produced 29 Nobel Prize winners and sustains a flourishing environment for internationally recognised research. The MRC focuses on making an impact and provides the financial muscle and scientific expertise behind medical breakthroughs, including one of the first antibiotics penicillin, the structure of DNA and the lethal link between smoking and cancer. Today MRC funded scientists tackle research into the major health challenges of the 21st century. www.mrc.ac.uk
3. About UKCMRI. The UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI) is an unprecedented partnership between four of the world’s leading biomedical research organisations: Cancer Research UK, Medical Research Council, University College London and the Wellcome Trust. It will carry out research of the highest quality using the latest technology to advance understanding of human health and disease. UKCMRI will be constructed on 3.6 acres of land at Brill Place, to the north of the British Library in the St Pancras / Somers Town area of north London. For more information visit www.ukcmri.ac.uk
4. Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading charity dedicated to beating cancer through research. The charity’s groundbreaking work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives. This work is funded entirely by the public. Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival rates double in the last thirty years. Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of more than 4,800 scientists, doctors and nurses. Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to beat cancer. For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 020 7121 6699 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org
5. The Wellcome Trust is a global charity dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health. It supports the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities. The Trust’s breadth of support includes public engagement, education and the application of research to improve health. It is independent of both political and commercial interests. www.wellcome.ac.uk
6. UCL (University College London): UCL is London's leading multi-disciplinary university, with 8000 staff and 20,000 students from 150 countries engaged in world-class teaching and research. UCL is the fourth-ranked university in the 2009 THES-QS World University Rankings and one of Europe's largest and most productive centres for biomedical science. It is ranked second in the world for neuroscience and behaviour, with more than twice as many publications and citations as any other European institution. In 2008 it established UCL Partners, Europe's largest Academic Health Science Centre, with four key partner hospital trusts - Great Ormond Street, Moorfields, the Royal Free and University College Hospital. www.ucl.ac.uk
For more information please contact:
MRC
Grace Money
Telephone: 020 7670 5139
Email: Grace.Money@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
BIS
Laure Thomas
Telephone: 020 7215 5938
Email: Laure.Thomas@bis.gsi.gov.uk
UKCMRI
John Davidson
Telephone: 020 7611 2087
Email: John.Davidson@ukcmri.ac.uk
