The Precision Medicine Catapult has announced that Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester and Oxford will be the initial locations for its regional centres of excellence network
Each centre will act as a hub for regional precision medicine activities within the UK-wide network
The centres of excellence will work on locally driven programmes and use the Precision Medicine Catapult network to develop innovative technologies and solutions for broader use across the UK’s healthcare sector.
Precision medicine uses diagnostic tests and data-based insights to understand a patient's disease and select treatments with more predictable, safer, cost-effective outcomes.
The centres will work collaboratively with government, academia, health systems and SMEs to identify and resolve barriers to building a leading UK precision medicine industry.
Activities across all centres will include support of major clinical and data programmes such as testing of new precision medicine-ready clinical trial models and the development of NHS adoption routes.
The Precision Medicine Catapult will work with government initiatives, industry and regulators to build new diagnostics, IT and e-health systems
John McKinley, CEO of the Precision Medicine Catapult, said: “As well as growing the UK's strong position in precision medicine, we believe our network will deliver health and economic impact at a local and national level.”
Universities and Science Minister Jo Johnson, said: “The UK is a world leader in the life sciences and that’s in no small part thanks to innovative firms and academics across the country.
“These centres of excellence will join together a network of researchers to develop precision medicine technologies that will save lives and support growth in our world-class life science industry.”
Ruth McKernan, Innovate UK chief executive, said: “Understanding which types of patients will benefit most from treatments requires effective use of diagnostic testing and data-based insights.
“The Precision Medicine Catapult’s reach to patients for clinical trials purposes will be enhanced through the national network of centres of excellence.”