UKCMRI reveals scientific vision
8 December 2009
UKCMRI is a groundbreaking project to create a world-leading biomedical research institute in central London. It aims to use interdisciplinary and innovative approaches to elucidate the basic biology underlying human health.
The Centre seeks to achieve four key goals:
Research excellence: Effective multi-disciplinary working requires the substantial critical mass possible at UKCMRI. The Centre's broad research remit will address fundamental problems relevant to cardiovascular and circulatory disease, cancer, infection, immunity, tissue and organ development, degeneration and regeneration, and diseases of the brain and nervous system. It will build on recent advances in human genetics and genetically diverse population studies to investigate human biology.
Training and developing future scientific leaders: UKCMRI provides an outstanding opportunity to develop a new approach to biomedical scientific training. The Centre will recruit researchers of truly outstanding potential and encourage creative and high-risk research projects. It will develop a world-class graduate student and postdoctoral training programme, providing integrated scientific training from PhD through to group leader level.
Supporting the nation's biomedical research endeavour: UKCMRI will act as a catalyst to promote better networking, collaboration and fluidity, supporting the biomedical research endeavour throughout the UK. The Centre will work with its neighbour the British Library on joint research projects and to develop bioinformatics resources.
Fostering Innovation and Translation: UMCMRI will set a high priority on ensuring that its scientific advances will be speedily exploited for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease. The Centre will place a major emphasis on technology development as an integral part of its activity. Its broad scientific portfolio will create an attractive environment for end stage development and testing of new technologies.
For more information about UKCMRI, visit the web site.
"UKCMRI will probably be the most exciting project for UK biomedical research in the next 50 years," said Sir Paul Nurse, Chairman of Scientific Planning at UKCMRI, Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine and President of Rockefeller University in New York. "Its ambition is immense and the promise of what can be achieved will excite and energise the global scientific community."
"UKCMRI will provide the best facilities for the best scientists to make important discoveries about human health and disease," said Sir Mark Walport, Director of the Wellcome Trust.
"Scientists working at the centre will have the opportunity to turn fundamental discoveries about mechanisms of disease into new diagnostic, preventative and therapeutic strategies in everyday clinical practice."
UKCMRI is funded by Cancer Research UK, the Medical Research Council, University College London and the Wellcome Trust. The Centre will be constructed at Brill Place, to the north of the British Library in the St Pancras/Somers Town area of north London. Work is scheduled to begin on the site in early 2011, for completion in late 2014 or early 2015.
Image: External view of UKCMRI building. Credit: UKCMRI