North of England experts showcase region’s excellence in tackling AMR at BIO

A delegate of experts from the North of England will be showcasing their excellence in tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to an international conference in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Brought together by the Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA), the 14-strong delegation will demonstrate the region’s excellence in AMR, health research and clinical trials, while celebrating 70 years of the NHS to the global audience in attendance at the BIO 2018 International Conference.

Health science is £17.5 billion of the North’s £304 billion output and is forecast to grow by 44.6% by 2030. Around 570,000 people are employed in health sciences across the North – 7.5% of the region’s workforce.

Experts from the AMR Centre in Alderley Park, the Centre of Excellence in Infectious Diseases Research in Liverpool, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and leading academics from the University of Manchester and York will be speaking at a breakfast event on 4 June and at a seminar taking place on 6 June.

“The North of England has the largest cluster of companies working in antimicrobial resistance in the country,” explained Professor Ian Greer, vice president of the University of Manchester chair of the Northern Health Science Alliance who is speaking at the AMR seminar. “We’ve got great opportunities for international industry to come into the North of England and to work with researchers, SMEs and the NHS to look at not only AMR but areas such as digital health, cancer, ageing and personalised medicine

“To be selected for a seminar at BIO International Convention, the biggest of its kind in the world, is a great honour and reflects the excellent work the North is doing.”

The NHSA, which represents eight universities, eight teaching hospitals and four academic health science networks across the North, is delivering the breakfast event with the UK Department for International Trade and sponsored by Alderley Park and the seminar together with the government’s Northern Powerhouse team.

“We are delivering the strongest North of England programme ever to BIO International Convention — showcasing the opportunities available in health innovation to global leaders in industry,” said Dr Hakim Yadi CEO of the NHSA. “It’s time the North’s capabilities in health science – and the opportunities is offers for global industry — are showcased to the world, building new trading partnerships to benefit the health and wealth of not only the North but the whole UK.”

While BIO is taking place there is an opportunity for applications to be submitted for the CARB-X 2018 Funding Round 2, which is fuelled by the UK’s Global AMR Innovation Fund (GAMRIF). This is open for applications between 1 and 8 June. Expressions of Interest are welcome through the online portal only and must be submitted by 5 pm ET 8 June. CARB-X is the non-profit public-private partnership accelerating the world’s largest pipeline of new antibiotics, vaccines and other products to prevent and treat life-threatening bacterial infections.