Pushing back the boundaries of life science

Based in the North West of England it’s very hard for the EPM team not to be excited about industry news that this region of the UK is becoming a hotspot for UK life sciences

Last year there were reports that over 1,000 life science companies had made the region their home, employing over 38,000 people and bringing in in excess of £10bn in turnover a year.

The UK is a key player on the global life science field. Within that the North West is taking a lead through its ability to provide medical and pharmaceutical breakthroughs. Offering the key ingredients needed to make this happen – expertise, academic input and infrastructure – the region was recently singled out by PwC claiming that the “rejuvenation in the North of England demonstrates how the coming together of the right pieces of the puzzle is having a positive impact on UK life sciences”.

Of course, this isn’t the first area in the UK that has been hailed as offering life science expertise. For years, the London-Oxford-Cambridge-triangle has been discusses as a hotbed for life science talent and innovation. More recently West Sussex has hit the headlines with plans to create a life science and health hub.

The UK isn’t alone in having these regions. Similar areas in Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden have been held up as offering focussed life science expertise. Individual regions attracts like-minded companies with the aim of developing pharmaceutical and medical products. Opportunities for collaboration allow further innovation and scientific creativity. As our industry becomes increasingly global, opportunities for knowledge-sharing and collaboration become clear.

Best practice, research & development and scientific breakthroughs are to be encouraged and observing the experience of the UK, regions with a dedicated focus not only bring expertise to the fore but they boost the area’s economy and attract young professionals into long-lasting and rewarding careers. This is highly exciting. The country we live in is largely immaterial. As an integral part of our industry we should be encouraging the dialogue between companies working in these regions and shouting about the developments being carried out. The growth of science hubs is fantastic new and we should be relishing the future innovation they will foster.

Whatever our geographical location, as an industry we should be looking at ways to commercialise academic research, putting clinical research at the heart of innovation in our respective healthcare systems, encouraging adoption in the wider healthcare sector and promoting our regions as solid investment centres to deliver life science expertise.

In the ‘Strategy for UK Life Science One Year On’ report, David Cameron commented: “We recognise that in order to win the global race, we need to do more to make the most of the UK’s strengths in the life sciences sector: our universities, clinical research base, industry and the NHS. By more closely integrating the UK’s unique advantages, we can attract new investment to our shores, and create new jobs and economic opportunities in an increasingly competitive industry”.

These principles don’t have to be UK-centric. These goals can be applied across Europe to create profitable, innovative hotspots. We should use 2016 as the year to highlight the ground-breaking work life science companies are carrying out and the talent pushing back the boundaries of possibility.