Described by the ERC as among the EU鈥檚 most prestigious and competitive grants, today鈥檚 funding has been awarded to the following senior research leaders:

• , Professor of Emerging Optoelectronics, based in the and , to investigate scalable nanomanufacturing paradigms for emerging electronics (SNAP). The program aims to develop sustainable large-area electronics, a potential game-changer in emerging semiconductor markets, that will help reduce society's reliance on current polluting technologies while enabling radically new applications.
• , Chair in Evolutionary Biology, in the School of Biological Sciences, to investigate how genomic complexity shapes long-term bacterial evolution and adaptation.
• , in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Director of the Photon Science Institute to develop a table-top nuclear facility to produce cold actinide molecules that will enable novel searches for new physics beyond the standard model of particle physics.
• Professor Sir Andre Geim, who isolated graphene in 2004 with Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov, to explore 2D materials and their van der Waals assemblies.
• , to lead work into chemically fuelled molecular ratchets. Ratcheting underpins the mechanisms of molecular machinery, gives chemical processes direction, and helps explain how chemistry becomes biology.
• , in the Department of Chemistry and  Swag直播 Institute of Biotechnology, to develop enzymatic methods for peptide synthesis (EZYPEP). Peptides are fundamental in life and are widely used as therapeutic agents, vaccines, biomaterials and in many other applications. Currently peptides are produced by chemical synthesis, which is inefficient, expensive, difficult to scale-up and creates a huge amount of harmful waste that is damaging to the environment. EZYPEP will address this problem by developing enzymatic methods for the more sustainable, cleaner and scalable synthesis of peptides, including essential medicines to combat infectious diseases, cancer and diabetes.
•  , based in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, to explore Top and Higgs Couplings and extended Higgs Sectors with rare multi-Top multi-Higgs Events with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. This project aims at deeper insight into the most fundamental properties of nature beyond our current understanding.

Swag直播 received seven of the 42 grants awarded to UK institutions.

The grant recipients will join a community of just 255 awarded ERC advanced grants, from a total of 1,829 submissions.

As a result of today鈥檚 announcement, the ERC will be investing nearly 鈧�652 million across the 255 projects.

Head of Department for Physics and Astronomy, which received three of the seven grants, said: 鈥淭oday鈥檚 triple award reflects our department鈥檚 continued leadership in pioneering research. We鈥檙e home to Jodrell Bank, host of the Square Kilometre Array Observatory 鈥� set to be the largest radio telescope in the world; the National Graphene Institute 鈥� a world-leading centre for 2D material research with the largest clean rooms in European academia; we lead experiments at CERN and Fermilab; and 鈥� crucially 鈥� we host a world-leading community of vibrant and collaborative researchers like Professors Flanagan, Geim and Peters who lead the way. Today鈥檚 announcement recognises their role as outstanding research leaders who will drive the next generation to deliver transformative breakthroughs.鈥�

, Vice-Dean for Research and Innovation in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Swag直播, added: 鈥淥ur University鈥檚 history of scientific and engineering research is internationally recognised but it does not constrain us. Instead, it鈥檚 the work of our researchers 鈥� like the seven leaders celebrated today 鈥� and what they decide to do next, that will define us.  We are proud to have a culture where responsible risk-taking is nurtured and transformative outcomes delivered, and we look forward to these colleagues using this environment to deliver world-leading and world-changing research.鈥�

, Vice-Dean for Research and Innovation in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, said: "These awards are welcome recognition of the world-leading and transformative frontier science that Swag直播 researchers are delivering. The compelling and innovative research supported by these ERC awards builds on the excellent local environment at Swag直播 and are cornerstones of the University鈥檚 strategy for excellence and leadership in research and innovation. The positive and real-world global impact from these research awards could deliver are genuinely tangible.

"As we enter our third century, the awards made in a highly competitive environment, are evidence that we do so with a continued pioneering approach to discovery and the pursuit of knowledge that our research community was built on."

Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth at the ERC, said: 鈥淭his investment nurtures the next generation of brilliant minds. I look forward to seeing the resulting breakthroughs and fresh advancements in the years ahead.鈥�

The ERC grants are part of the EU鈥檚 Horizon Europe programme.

鈥淭rainee educational psychologists make a significant contribution to England鈥檚 educational psychologist workforce, supporting schools, families and local authorities, in identifying and supporting the full range of children鈥檚 needs. Their commissioned, doctoral research is central to the evidence base for professional practice and is actively disseminated to achieve positive impacts across the whole profession.鈥� 

You can learn more about the Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology, and Swag直播 Institute of Education by visiting .

Northern Gritstone, the investment business focused on university spin-outs and IP-rich businesses in the North of England, has announced a final close of 拢312m, anchored by investments from local authority pension funds.

Northern Gritstone was launched in July 2021 by the Universities of Swag直播, Leeds and Sheffield with the aim of supporting the commercialisation of academic spin-outs in the north of England.

More than 拢150m of the funding commitments have been provided by: Greater Swag直播 Pension Fund; South Yorkshire Pension Fund; East Riding Pension Fund; West Yorkshire Pension Fund; and Merseyside Pension Fund.

These have been boosted by additional investments from the metro mayors for Greater Swag直播, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire, showcasing the strong local support for Northern Gritstone鈥檚 aim to create a hub of technology and innovation in the region.

Chaired by Lord Jim O鈥橬eill and led by Chief Executive Duncan Johnson, Northern Gritstone has also secured the support of a large number of leading institutional investors including M&G, Columbia Threadneedle, British Patient Capital (part of the British Business Bank), Lansdowne Partners, and property investor Bruntwood.

The announcement builds on the momentum that the company has built since its first close in May 2022, which has seen it make initial investments in early-stage businesses and expand its investment team under the leadership of Chief Investment Officer, Marion Bernard.

The company has begun to provide funding to some of the North of England鈥檚 world-class science and innovation based businesses. It has already announced investments in 15 companies in the region across advanced materials, life sciences, health technology and AI as part of deals that have contributed nearly 拢100m in funding.

Northern Gritstone will continue to increase its investments in these areas, tapping into the pipeline of developments in the North of England that include some of the UK鈥檚 most exciting future science and technology-enabled businesses many emanating from the research undertaken at Northern Gritstone鈥檚 partner universities of The University of Leeds, Swag直播 and The University of Sheffield.

In its fundraising Northern Gritstone was advised by Lazard Venture and Growth Banking led by Garri Jones. Its legal advisers are Macfarlanes.

Northern Gritstone Chair, Lord Jim O鈥橬eill, said: 鈥淥ur ability to raise funding on this scale highlights the support for the world-class science and innovation being developed in the North of England.

鈥淩eceiving the endorsements of asset managers, mayors and pension funds shows the broad appeal of Northern Gritstone鈥檚 offering. It is a show of faith in the potential for growth in the northern economy and a significant step in our development of a technology and innovation hub in the region.鈥�

Northern Gritstone CEO, Duncan Johnson, said: 鈥淔or too long, the North of England鈥檚 world-class research and innovation has not received the funding it deserves. Today鈥檚 announcement is a vote of confidence in both the region and our Profit with Purpose philosophy.

鈥淥ur investments have already delivered nearly 拢100m of investment into the North of England, providing support to some of the country's most promising businesses. Our investors鈥� backing will allow us to explore further opportunities across the wider northern venture ecosystem and stimulate growth and job creation in the region.鈥�

For direct enquiries for Northern Gritstone please contact: kate.spencer@northern-gritstone.com

As part of the government鈥檚 Innovation Accelerator Fund, the four projects focus on the very latest technology around genomics, medical diagnostics, advanced materials and artificial intelligence. The bids were coordinated by the Greater Swag直播 Combined Authority and funding is for two years.

The funding, awarded by the (DSIT), has been allocated to innovative projects in sectors where Greater Swag直播 has existing research strengths,

The projects are:

The Swag直播 Turing Innovation Hub, is led by the University of Swag直播, working with a consortium of business, academic and public sector organisations. The project aims to accelerate Greater Swag直播鈥檚 拢5bn digital economy by supporting existing start-ups and creating new ones 鈥� especially in the field of artificial intelligence. It will also help to develop skills in the region with a particular focus on women, and under-represented groups in the industry. The Hub will bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and business, and will have centres across the region from which to coordinate activity. With no city having a global lead in AI commercialisation, the project aims to position Greater Swag直播 at the forefront, which would have a transformative effect on the regional economy and jobs.

Residents in eight out of the ten local authorities in GM spend more of their life in poor health, and instances of smoking and obesity and associated health issues are more prevalent than the national average. The Greater Swag直播 Advanced Diagnostics Accelerator aims to address this. It is led by Health Innovation Swag直播, hosted by Swag直播 University NHS Foundation Trust and partnered with the University. Focussing on liver, heart and lung disease, programme outputs are designed to open market opportunities for local businesses and support NHS cultural change from reactive acute care to proactive community prevention, resulting in better health outcomes and reduced demand for hospital services.

The Development and Validation of Technology for Time Critical Genomic Testing (DEVOTE) programme will be led by Swag直播. It focuses on biomarkers, which are chemicals or signals in the body which can be used to diagnose disease or predict future health. At the moment there is a bottleneck between the discovery of new biomarkers, and their use as a tool to help patients. DEVOTE aims to change all that by developing raid tests which can be used at the bedside by clinicians. This will be done through a partnership between the University, Health Innovation Swag直播 and local businesses. Greater Swag直播 is already a leader in this field and the new funding will create a legacy not only in people鈥檚 health but in a culture which makes new advances in future years.

The Sustainable Materials Translational Research Centre is a partnership between the University of Swag直播, including the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre and the Henry Royce Institute, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, and Rochdale Development Agency. Sustainable materials are urgently needed to help reach global climate goals but there is a lack of capacity to produce these, and to scale up production of new products which use them. Greater Swag直播 is well positioned to solve this problem, with a rich history of developing materials (notably at Swag直播). The project will help connect local businesses to the national supply chain, and to the outstanding materials research in the city, it will support the creation of new businesses, and attract inward investment, with a particular focus on the Atom Valley Mayoral Development zone, bringing new jobs and opportunities to Rochdale, Bury, Oldham and beyond.

Professor Richard Jones, Vice-President for Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at Swag直播 said:  鈥淭he Innovation Accelerator is about taking the great research in GM鈥檚 universities, and translating that into good jobs, inclusive economic growth, and better health outcomes for citizens across the whole of Greater Swag直播. 

鈥淭hese four projects highlight the University of Swag直播鈥檚 research strengths in advanced materials, in digital technologies, and in health sciences, and demonstrate our commitment to working together with business, the NHS, the other GM universities and FE colleges, and local government in the city region for the benefit of the people who live here.

鈥淲e are very much looking forward to working with our partners on these projects, and we welcome the funding to all of the other projects in Greater Swag直播 that has been announced.鈥�

Mayor of Greater Swag直播, Andy Burnham, said: 鈥淕reater Swag直播鈥檚 selection as one of three Innovation Accelerator regions demonstrates the Government鈥檚 confidence in our innovation ecosystem. The projects being backed are undertaking world-leading research to address some of the biggest challenges we face.

鈥淭hey also align with the sectors where Greater Swag直播 has emerging or established strengths, like advanced materials, artificial intelligence (AI) and diagnostics. We look forward to working with partners to ensure this funding supports the growth of our future industries and delivers greater prosperity for our people.鈥�

Minister of State for Science Research & Innovation at DSIT George Freeman said:

鈥淭hrough Record investment in our UK science, technology & innovation sectors, the Innovation Economy is creating new career opportunities in the campuses, clusters & companies of tomorrow.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 why UKRI is putting clusters at the heart of its of its 拢25bn budget up to 2025, and why our 拢100m Innovation Accelerator Program provides 拢33m each to 3 emerging clusters to attract industrial co-investment and become major, globally competitive centres for research and innovation.

鈥淭he Greater Swag直播 Cluster is becoming a world class hub of R+D in AI and advanced computing, advanced manufacturing and Net Zero Cleantech and associated technologies.

鈥淚鈥檓 delighted that local leaders have come together to use our 拢33m to launch such exciting programs with industry and Universities in this exciting area.鈥� 

Nebeyou Bikila Legasse learned about our Equity and Merit Scholarships while browsing the British Council website. The University awards these each year to academically excellent students from Sub-Saharan Africa, in order to empower them to contribute to sustainable development in their home countries and beyond. 

The scholarships are jointly funded by the University and its donors. The University covers students鈥� tuition fees in full, and the generosity of our donors pays for their living expenses, flights to the UK and visas.

Nebeyou obtained his MSc in International Development, and is now working as a project supervisor for an AI company. He has around nine years of experience working with vulnerable communities in local NGOs, including people with disabilities and other groups. 

Telling us about the motivation to apply for E&M scholarships, he explained: 鈥淚 am interested in pursuing knowledge in terms of international relations or international development. I found the course at Swag直播 and the scholarship opportunity to be a good fit.鈥�

He said that his time studying at our University has been unforgettable. Due to Covid, all the study sessions had to be online - yet he was still able to get to know a lot of people, and received a great deal of support from the University.

The situation back in Ethiopia is not so good, according to Nebeyou. As the population grows and cities increase in size in Africa, he focuses on coping with these issues and how to assess urban informality issues and aspects of urban migration. He is also learning more about digital skills that he is currently engaging in, and he therefore hopes to pursue both fields in the future. 

Joanne Jacobs from the University鈥檚 International Office oversees the Equity and Merit Scholarships. She said: 鈥業 am delighted to see that Nebeyou is doing so well, and I'm sure he will continue to make more significant contributions to sustainable development in Ethiopia. Our Equity and Merit scholars really do change lives, but that's only because of their calibre and the hard work and effort they put in. Nebeyou is one of many students we have supported throughout 15 years and we're looking forward to helping other talents in the future.鈥�

Funding has been put in place for an initial three-year period with a view to longer term sustainability via external funding streams.

Student Scholarships

The first element is a scholarship fund to support new students fleeing conflict, including those in Ukraine currently, who are so significantly affected by the war. The detail of the scheme needs to be worked through and will be confirmed as soon as possible.  In addition, the University has a range of support systems for existing students who may be affected.

The student scholarship fund builds on the University鈥檚 existing programmes to support students, whether through its augmented Living Cost Support Fund for existing students or specific schemes to assist asylum seeker students.

Once established, the new scholarship fund will provide annual support for:  

- 10 undergraduate scholarships including 拢11,000 stipend each year for three years, access to NHS surcharge and visa costs, with fees waived.

- 10 postgraduate taught scholarships including 拢15,000 stipend for one year, access to NHS surcharge and visa costs, with fees waived.

The University is also considering how it might provide support for postgraduate researchers and will update on that in due course.

We are initially investing a total of almost 拢5 million of direct costs and waiving of fees.

Scholarships would be available to students globally fleeing conflict zones, provisionally using the Uppsala University Conflict Data Programme database on armed conflict to set the parameters of the scheme. It is being developed with advice from the University鈥檚 Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute (HCRI) over the coming weeks and more details will be announced.

Further details on eligibility criteria and design are being finalised. Funding for scholarship support will begin in September 2022, with some flexibility on allocation in the first year to allow rapid deployment of funds.

Support for staff through CARA fellowships

The University is also committed to supporting the Council for At-Risk Academics (CARA) to provide five, two-year fellowships to support staff fleeing conflict zones The terms of a CARA fellowship allow staff to undertake research and contribute to university teaching.

A programme for professional services staff is also being considered separately.

President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, said: 鈥淥ur University is here to create a safe and inclusive environment for students and staff from the UK and around the world to study, teach, research and above all, thrive.

鈥淲e are providing direct support to new students and staff fleeing conflict, including those in Ukraine or currently displaced as a result of the Russian government鈥檚 invasion. We look forward to providing a whole-hearted Swag直播 welcome in the weeks and months to come.鈥�

All details on the University鈥檚 Ukraine response can be found here, with regular updates on our position, what we are doing, how you can help, relevant news, and connections with our experts on the invasion of Ukraine.

If you鈥檇 like to support students affected by the conflict, you can make a gift to our Living Cost Support Fund . The Living Cost Support Fund exists thanks to generous alumni and donors, and forms part of the package of support available to students who have been directly impacted by the war in Ukraine. The Fund is available to any Swag直播 student facing unforeseen hardship during their studies.

SPRITE+ was created in 2019, as part of the EPSRC鈥檚 Digital Economy programme, to foster engagement between academic and non-academic communities and provide a platform for building interdisciplinary collaborations to address challenges related to the future of digital trust, identity, privacy, and security (TIPS). Its activities include workshops, showcase events, research funding, and other community-building activities across disciplines and sectors.

Since its launch, SPRITE+ has attracted over 750 members from academia, industry, government, law enforcement and civil society organisations, and the support of eighteen Project Partners. Currently, 75% of its members are academic researchers from technical, scientific, arts/humanities and social science disciplines, with over ninety HEIs represented from the UK and beyond.

In its second phase, SPRITE+ will be led by Professor Mark Elliot from the University of Swag直播, with Professor Stacey Conchie (Lancaster University), Professor Deeph Chana (Imperial College London), Professor Vladimiro Sassone (University of Southampton), and Professor Sakir Sezer (Queen鈥檚 University Belfast). The current SPRITE+ Director, University of Swag直播鈥檚 Professor Emma Barrett, will remain as part of the Management Team for phase two.

The additional funding from 2023 will enable SPRITE+ to enhance its research support, including new funding calls to tackle industry-led challenges, 鈥榙eep dive鈥� research projects and horizon scanning exercises. Early career researchers will benefit from enhanced opportunities to develop their skills and engage with stakeholders from industry, government, and civil society. SPRITE+ will also extend its international reach by building new collaborations in Canada, Australia, South Korea and the USA. The new activities will complement and extend the existing programme of sandpits, community building and networking events.

As the UK鈥檚 national NetworkPlus for TIPS, SPRITE+ works closely with other networks and hubs that also cover aspects of digital trust, identity, privacy and security, supporting their work and maximising opportunities for collaboration across disciplines and sectors. Twenty-four high-profile organisations (including organisations from phase one) have already signed up to join phase two of SPRITE+ as Project Partners.

The second phase of SPRITE+ will launch in September 2023, and is funded by the EPSRC for four years.

Paddy Sloan, Director of BBC Children in Need's A Million & Me programme, commented: "#BeeWell is an exciting action research project, sharing our ambition to increase the number of children experiencing good mental health. This award embodies the objectives of A Million & Me, and is an ambitious and innovative initiative that will lead to meaningful action across Greater Swag直播, providing learning about positive youth-led and community-led change for children that will apply across the UK, at a time when it is most needed."

Callum, a #BeeWell Youth Advisor, said 鈥淎s a young person who struggled with supporting their mental health myself, the newest #BeeWell pilot is a tremendous step in the right direction. Most funding for mental healthcare goes towards adults - it attempts to deal with the issues after they appear. Programs like this focus on preventing these problems before they become all-consuming. With youth representation at the heart of #BeeWell鈥檚 projects, I鈥檓 excited to say that young people will finally have a say in their own wellbeing, and it鈥檒l most certainly be for the better."

David Gregson, Chair of the #BeeWell Advisory Board, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e delighted to be entering this exciting partnership with BBC Children in Need鈥檚 fantastic A Million & Me programme. By listening to the voices of all young people wherever they are, we intend to make their wellbeing everyone鈥檚 business. We look forward to working with A Million & Me to do just that.鈥�

Swag直播 was awarded £98 million of competitive Research & Innovation Grants, nearly £10 million more than second ranked Oxford. The number of highly competitive fellowships awarded to Swag直播 was also significantly up.

Universities in the ‘golden triangle’ of Oxford-Cambridge-London are again present at the top of the table of most grants and fellowships won from UK Research and Innovation in 2020-21.But Swag直播 is a clear challenger to the dominance of these long-standing powerhouses, according to data covering competitive funding decisions made by the Research Councils between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021.

In a difficult year for higher education, the quality of our applications by both number and value was up on previous years. One of the key funding successes was the award to The University of the £32m .

Professor Colette Fagan, Vice-President for Research at Swag直播 said: "Research teams at Swag直播 have continued to bid successfully for funding despite the protracted logistical and personal pressures of working though the covid pandemic. I am delighted that we are ranked first for the amount of UKRI research funding secured this year. Thank you to all the researchers and professional service teams involved in winning these bids, and to those preparing our new applications!"

In terms of the key indicator of research and innovation grants won as lead organisation, the following institutions made up the top five:

• University of Swag直播 (119, £98m)
• University of Oxford (115, £89m)
• University of Cambridge (103, £80m)
• University of Edinburgh (110, £77m)
• University College London (123 grants, £70m awarded

UKRI says the data reflects money committed for all competitive funding opportunities during the year but does not include funding such as block grants, studentships or quality-related research funding from Research England.

The Nuffield Foundation has awarded £1.5 million in research funding to Swag直播 as part of a £4 million award to six research teams across five UK Universities to improve the lives of people living with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions by influencing policy and practice.

Musculoskeletal conditions – including arthritis and back pain - affect 18.8 million people in the UK and are the leading contributor to disability in the UK. One in five people in England consult a GP about a musculoskeletal condition every year, which accounted for the third largest area of NHS England programme spending at £4.7 billion in 2013-14.

Despite the huge number of people living with MSK conditions in the UK, there is a lack of evidence on how these conditions progress and their effect on people’s well-being and life chances. Together, the new, interdisciplinary research projects will address this by exploring the impacts of MSK conditions on different aspects of well-being. The research projects will create new datasets as well as exploiting existing data in new and innovative ways.

The research grants are the first to be awarded from the Nuffield Foundation’s dedicated £12.5 million fund for research into MSK conditions. The next call for applications will be launched later in 2020.

Led by Professor Will Dixon, the project is called ‘Assembling the data jigsaw’ in Greater Swag直播. The award is for £1.5 million over four years.

He said: “There is currently no national system to record MSK diagnoses and progression in rheumatology departments. Our team will draw together data regarding diagnosis and treatment by GPs and rheumatologists in Greater Swag直播, social care records, information collected from patients via touch screens in hospital waiting areas, and social media content.

“This innovative data linking will enable us to better understand how common MSK conditions are, how they progress, what treatments are best and who needs which services and when.”

It is one of two projects awarded funding in partnership with the charity Versus Arthritis, who have contributed £250,000 towards the grants.

It will link existing, and new, data in novel ways, to address key research questions and inform policy and practice:

Tim Gardam, Chief Executive of the Nuffield Foundation said: “The Nuffield Foundation is committed to improving people’s lives through better understanding of the issues affecting their life chances. Together these new projects will improve our understanding of the impact of MSK conditions on both individuals and wider society. We are delighted to be partnering with Versus Arthritis to help improve the health and well-being of people living with MSK conditions by influencing future practice, policy and research.”

Amanda Neylon Director of Insight Data and Technology at Versus Arthritis said: “This is exceptional research that will greatly improve our understanding of the effects of arthritis and improve the way people are treated. Meaningful data are key to providing high value musculoskeletal services as it’s essential for understanding the health needs of local populations, the activity performed by services and the outcomes they deliver.

“Our partnership with the Nuffield Foundation is an excellent example of how working with others can maximise the impact of research funding and allow us to achieve more than we could do on our own.”

Swag直播 has been awarded a major £5million funding boost by that will help build a new world-class cancer research facility in Swag直播.

The new building will bring together the largest concentration of scientists, doctors and nurses in Europe to collaborate and accelerate progress for cancer patients. The new facility is due to open in 2022 and will be twice the size of the Paterson building which was extensively damaged by fire in 2017.

The £5million gift will go towards the 'Re-Write Cancer' campaign, a £20million joint fundraising appeal from Swag直播, Cancer Research UK and The Christie Charitable Fund. It aims to help meet the cost of a new £150million cancer research facility.

The building itself will adjoin The Christie NHS Foundation Trust so it can enhance collaboration between the partners and enable Swag直播 to lead the world in recruiting patients to clinical trials within a decade. Such trials are vital to find out if new treatments are safe and better than current treatments. This could see more patients receiving new cancer treatments leading to improved outcomes and survival rates.

President and Vice-Chancellor of Swag直播, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, said: “We are extremely grateful to The Wolfson Foundation for this incredible boost to our Re-Write Cancer fundraising campaign. This gift is testament to the high regard in which the University, in partnership with The Christie and Cancer Research UK, is held internationally in cancer research.”

Construction will take place in the same location as the Paterson building which was home to the Cancer Research UK Swag直播 Institute and other research teams from Swag直播. The new purpose-built biomedical facility will house several hundred members of staff and attract collaborators from around the world.

Professor Nicholas Jones, who is the project lead for the new building, added: “This is an exceptionally generous contribution and we are very excited about the opportunity it gives us to enhance our world-class research and accelerate the development and implementation of new treatments. With this investment and ongoing fundraising we can realise our ambition to be one of the top comprehensive cancer research centres in the world.”

 is an independent charity that supports and promotes excellence in the fields of science, health, education and the arts and humanities. Since it was established in 1955, over £900 million (£1.9 billion in real terms) has been awarded to more than 11,000 projects throughout the UK, all on the basis of expert review.

Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation, said: "We are happy to be continuing our longstanding partnership with the University. Our expert reviewers were hugely impressed by the ambition and quality of the research that will be supported by this new building. Swag直播 has become an international powerhouse in cancer research. There could be few more important subjects - and increasingly it is clear there could be few better places to study this most pernicious of disease areas."

Swag直播 will be a partner in a new transatlantic research alliance announced today (Monday, 21 October) to help more people beat cancer through early detection.

Cancer Research UK will invest up to £40 million over the next five years into the International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection (ACED).

ACED is a partnership between Cancer Research UK, Canary Center at Stanford University, the University of Cambridge, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, UCL and Swag直播. Contributions from the Alliance’s US partners will take potential investment to more than £55 million.

By combining the ‘fire power’ of some of the leading research institutions in the world in early detection, ACED will accelerate breakthroughs, leading to quicker benefits for patients.

A patient’s chance of surviving their disease improves dramatically when cancer is found and treated earlier.

Great strides have been made through existing screening programmes, such as for bowel, breast and cervical cancer, and increasing public awareness and GP urgent referral of patients with suspicious symptoms. However, for many cancer types no screening tools exist and new technologies for detecting cancer have been slow to emerge.

In Swag直播 the funding will support scientists and doctors to take forward new cancer screening projects in the city.

As part of the Alliance, researchers will continue to develop a range of ongoing community early detection projects – from lung health checks in car parks, to ‘pee in a pot’ tests for gynaecological cancers.

Other projects that will benefit from the Alliance are part of the Prevention and Early Detection research theme to drive early detection research from the lab to the clinic. These include work to deliver lung health checks for people who could be at risk of developing lung cancer in some of the city’s most deprived areas.

Another Swag直播 team is developing new biological models to identify how healthy breast tissue becomes cancerous. The hope is that this work could help to reduce overdiagnosis in people who are at low risk of developing breast cancer, by supporting scientists to better identify which changes identified in breast screenings could lead to cancer, and which won’t.

Professor Rob Bristow, a prostate cancer specialist and ACED co-director at Swag直播, says the city is one of the best places in the world for early detection research because of its devolved healthcare system.

He said: “Swag直播’s unique health system makes it easier and faster to involve patients in testing new cancer screening and early detection programmes, which could one day help us identify cancers before patients have symptoms.

“Our vision at Swag直播 is to make early detection a reality for all patients, giving them the best chance of surviving their cancer, or better yet, avoiding it altogether. The best way to do this is to focus the new targeted tests in high-risk populations.

“Additionally, cancer diagnoses must be made earlier as many patients suffer from multiple health conditions including diabetes and heart disease. If diagnosed at an earlier stage, you could improve cancer survival before other diseases limit treatment choice and the chance of cure.”

Understanding the biology of early cancers and pre-cancerous states will allow doctors to find accurate ways to spot the disease earlier and where necessary, treat it effectively. It could even enable ‘precision prevention’ – where the disease could be stopped from ever occurring in the first place.

UK statistics highlight the major improvements in survival that could be achieved.

Five-year survival for six different types of cancer is more than three times higher if the disease is diagnosed at stage one, when the tumour tends to be small and remains localised, compared with survival when diagnosed at stage four, when the cancer tends to be larger and has started to invade surrounding tissue and other organs.

Advances in early detection technologies will help decrease late-stage diagnosis and increase the proportion of people diagnosed at an early and treatable stage, so a future for more patients can be secured.

Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said: “Now is the time to be ambitious and develop effective ways to detect cancer earlier. It’s an area of research where we have the potential to completely change the future of cancer treatment, turning it into a manageable and beatable disease for more people.

“Real progress in early detection can’t be achieved by a single organisation. Benefits for patients will only be realised if early cancer detection leaders from around the world come together. No more siloes, no more missed opportunities; let us tackle this problem together and beat cancer.”

One in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some stage in their lives but the good news is, thanks to research, more people are surviving the disease than ever before. Survival has doubled in the last 40 years in the UK and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress.

The Prime Minister said: “Every two minutes, someone in the UK has their world turned upside down when they are diagnosed with cancer. Thanks to the pioneering work of UK researchers and our world-beating NHS, more people are surviving than ever.

“However, there is more to do to detect and cure this disease earlier. That is why I am pleased to welcome this new UK-US alliance, driven by Cancer Research UK.

“This is the transatlantic partnership at its very best. Our brilliant scientists will be able to work together to develop detection technologies and implement them in our health service, so we can find cancer earlier and ultimately save people’s lives.”

Cancer Research UK’s ‘Right Now’ campaign aims to show both the realities of the disease and the positive impact research and improved treatments can have on people’s lives.

 is one of Swag直播’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

A team of researchers from Swag直播 will help “reveal fundamental rules of life” and, potentially, find improved treatments for diseases such as osteoarthritis and healing wounds.

The team, from the and led by Principal Investigator, Professor Karl Kadler, have been awarded £4.6 million from the  to research the extracellular matrix structure (ECM).

The ECM is a three-dimensional network of extracellular macromolecules, such as collagen, enzymes, and glycoproteins, that provide structural and biochemical support of surrounding cells.

Cells, the fundamental building block of living organisms, rely on an extracellular matrix to provide structure and protect them from environmental forces and are essential for connective tissues such as skin, tendon and cartilage.

This research aims to define the mechanisms that temporally regulate collagen secretion and extracellular matrix structure in the short term across a circadian cycle and, in the long term, across the life course.

Simply put, decoding the how the matrix is maintained and repaired throughout a healthy life course, would potentially improve treatment for wound healing and age-related diseases like osteoarthritis.

Professor Kadler, who is Director of in FBMH, said: “Advances in understanding how tissues develop, are maintained, repaired and age, requires the collective effort of a multidisciplinary team of molecular cell biologists, immunologists, biochemists, circadian clock biologists, wound healing experts and mathematicians, for the benefit of the health science strategy across UKRI, charity funders, and industry.”

The project is one of four new large-scale projects reciving £14million funbidnged from the BBSRC to This leading edge discovery research, funded through the strategic Longer Larger (sLoLa) grants call, aims to make major advances in our understanding of the fundamental biology of living systems.

BBSRC’s Executive Chair, Professor Melanie Welham, said, “Frontier Bioscience is all about pushing forward the boundaries of knowledge, often making unexpected and potentially world changing discoveries. These four projects are supporting interdisciplinary teams, underpinning the importance of collaboration when tackling such complex questions. This investment continues our long-standing commitment to excellence in discovery research that has helped position the UK as a leading nation in bioscience.”

The research team also includes Professor Martin Lowe, Professor Qing Jun Meng and Dr Joe Swift from the University’s School of Biological Sciences in FBMH and Professor Oliver Jensen from the Department of Mathematics in the Faculty Science and Engineering, in collaboration with a team from the University of Bristol.

Air quality research in Swag直播 has received a significant boost with the announcement of funding from two programmes, totalling nearly £2m.

The funding was announced at the launch of two Swag直播-based research projects to help tackle air pollution; the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) air quality supersite, and the Swag直播 Urban Observatory.

The NERC supersite –  – will make continuous measurements of air quality at a higher level of detail than is provided by existing monitoring stations. Dr James Allan, a researcher at Swag直播 said: “The measurements will help us to better understand air pollution in UK cities, in terms of the sources of pollution and the processes by which it evolves in the atmosphere.”

The Swag直播 Urban Observatory will consist of a network of mobile devices that can be deployed around the city to develop and monitor solutions to urban challenges in real world settings. It builds on the successes of smart city projects including Triangulum and CityVerve that have developed data-driven approaches to smart and sustainable urban development in Swag直播.

Data from the two sites is generated in real time, and is open source, something Dr Allan says; “Will be of use to policymakers, allowing them to make the best-informed decisions. The data can also be utilised by the medical research community, helping them to understand the effects of air pollution on people living in the cities.”

Together, the two projects will combine expertise from the , the , the  and . A key aim of the projects is to promote internal and external researchers to come and use the equipment and collaborate with Swag直播.

The funding is being provided by the UKRI Clean Air Strategic Priorities Fund, alongside the EPSRC UKCRIC. Swag直播 is currently the only city in the UK to receive the combination of both of these capital investments.

The launch event was attended by city officials, including Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Swag直播 City Council and Eamonn Boylan, Chief Executive of the Greater Swag直播 Combined Authority and Transport for Greater Swag直播, alongside Friends of the Earth and Public Health England. It is hoped that the plans will help Greater Swag直播 achieve its goal of becoming a green city region.

Eamonn Boylan said: “Greater Swag直播 has bold ambitions to become a world-leading green city-region – it’s at the heart of everything we do. It’s great to have Swag直播 as the home of this new air quality supersite, one of just three in the UK.

“The data and insight it will give us into air pollution and its local sources will be invaluable in helping us reach our goal for a cleaner, greener, climate-resilient city-region that is carbon neutral by 2038.”

A major new health research programme, led by researchers from Swag直播, has been announced today (11 July 2019) to tackle Greater Swag直播’s biggest health challenges, as part of a £135m national investment.

The National Institute for Health Research () is funding the establishment of 15 Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs) across England to develop innovative research projects that will directly improve patient care and treatment.

The NIHR ARC for Greater Swag直播 will become part of from 1 October 2019, bringing together researchers, health and care providers, patients and communities to deliver large programmes of research.

Professor Ben Bridgewater, Chief Executive of Health Innovation Swag直播, said: “Our role is to conduct research that addresses the needs of Greater Swag直播’s 2.8m citizens and accelerate implementation of the findings and proven innovations through our devolved health and care system. This has a direct impact on people’s health and wellbeing, transforms local services and supports the creation of jobs, growth and prosperity for all.

“The ARC’s research activity will be pivotal in finding new and better ways of preventing illness and delivering care, ensuring that Greater Swag直播 continues to be at the leading edge of health innovation, care and treatment.”

Over the next five years, the ARC will focus research on helping older people to stay healthy for longer, supporting people with mental health problems, making better use of technology, organising services to address local needs and ensuring services are sustainable. This will be underpinned by expertise in evaluation and implementation science.

Swag直播's , Director for the NIHR ARC Greater Swag直播, said: “Through the ARC, we will deliver excellent research that addresses key challenges, as well as supporting professionals to translate this into practice. Our broad research themes reflect the specific priorities of Greater Swag直播 and build on our exceptional research capabilities.

“We will work with our partners to translate their priorities into answerable research questions, ensuring that our jointly-produced research is relevant, useful and applicable to local service needs and affects policy and practice within GM and beyond.”

The ARC builds on the work undertaken by the current NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Research in Health and Care () Greater Swag直播, which has carried out applied research and supported its impact in practice over the last six years. This includes improving care for people after a stroke, supporting carers of those requiring end of life care, developing improved access to primary care and improving complex wound care in the community.

Professor Ruth Boaden, Director of the NIHR CLAHRC Greater Swag直播, said:

“I’m delighted that the ARC will continue to develop the work of the CLAHRC. It’s great to see how the ARC’s priorities will be aligned to the evolving needs of our local population in Greater Swag直播. CLAHRC GM is leaving a proud legacy of new knowledge and resources addressing some of the biggest challenges in health care; as well as great relationships, and the development of research skills and capacity among our partners. I am sure that the ARC will be able to build on this excellent work when it starts in October.”

will be the host NHS provider of the ARC and the University of Swag直播 will be the host academic institution.

Scientists at Swag直播 have joined forces with a major US Museum and European partners to explore an extraordinary Jurassic dinosaur site in the badlands of Wyoming, USA.

Scientists from Swag直播 will be the academic leaders on the newly announced $27.5 million (£20m) project to explore, research and eventually exhibit fossils from a recently discovered palaeontological site known as the ‘Jurassic Mile’.

will serve as the Mission Jurassic leader, with Swag直播’s Prof. Phil Manning and Dr. Victoria Egerton as the lead scientists in the project. The team are partnering with in London and the in Leiden, Netherlands. As a result, more than 100 scientists from three countries will join forces to work in the Morrison Formation of Wyoming to reveal new secrets from this enigmatic period of time.

Prof Manning, Dr. Egerton and the team are calling the fossil-rich, mile-square plot of land, “The Jurassic Mile.” There are four main quarries within the multi-level, 640-acre site that offer a diverse assemblage of Morrison Formation articulated and semi-articulated dinosaurs that has also yielded associated animals, fossil plants in addition to rarely associated dinosaur trackways of the Late Jurassic Period 150 million years ago.

“It is splendid that such an important site has been discovered at just the right time, as the science of paleontology is adapting existing and new imaging techniques to unpick the fossil remains of extinct life.” said Prof Manning, “The imaging work that we undertake at Swag直播 is already world-leading and this is a great opportunity to develop this research with other world-class institutions.”

Nearly 600 specimens, weighing more than six tons, have already been collected from this site over the past two years despite the fact that only a fraction of the site has been explored. Included in that are the bones of an 80-foot-long Brachiosaur and 90-foot-long , which have been discovered at the Jurassic Mile. A 6’6” sauropod (Brachiosaur) scapula (shoulder bone) and several jackets containing articulated bones are among the material collected during the 2018 field season. A 5’1” (1.5 metre) femur was revealed at the announcement in Indianapolis on March 25, 2019.

Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, President and CEO of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis stated, “We are bringing together an extraordinary international team for the first time that will critically analyze portions of the Morrison Formation in new ways.” Patchen went on to say, “This project reflects a natural synergy between three world-renowned museums, their research scientists and highly-respected research universities, each providing unique elements to complete one of the most interesting chapters in the evolution of Earth.”

Dr. Egerton from the Department of Earth and Environmental Science explained that, “The preservation quality and sheer amount of plants at the Jurassic Mile is extraordinary. During this period, there were no flowering plants and this site provides significant insight to what these giant animals ate and how they may have grown to be so large.”

’ is the world’s largest children’s museum. Its current exhibit has captivated more than 15 million visitors since it opened in 2004 and inspired new generations of explorers and scientists. There, visitors are introduced to some of the finest examples of past life including a rare mummified dinosaur named Leonardo. The first T. rex ever discovered with a wish bone (furcula) and a with a brain tumor (currently being studied by Prof. Manning and Dr. Egerton) are among other amazing fossils found there. A working Paleo Prep Lab at the museum allows visitors to touch real fossils while paleontologists work on real bones and learn the stories behind them.

 palaeontologist Sir Richard Owen first coined the term ‘dinosaur’ meaning ‘terrible lizard. The Natural History Museum Acting Director of Science Richard Herrington says: “The reports from the first excavations reveal it is an exceptional area for further scientific exploration - from the fossils already exposed, the quality of the discoveries so far and the existence of rarely-associated dinosaur trackways.”

Prof. Anne Schulp from The Naturalis Biodiversity Center stated, "Typical dinosaurs of the Jurassic include well known creatures such as Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus. It would be marvelous if we could bring one of those impressive beasts to Naturalis,”

The Jurassic Mile project is already utilising cutting-edge science from the international team. Swag直播 scientist will use the Stanford Synchrotron particle accelerator along with some of the most powerful computers on the planet, to help resurrect the Jurassic and unearth the lost world and forgotten lives of the Jurassic.

Proposals have been announced to create a world-leading precision medicine campus in , located on the UK’s largest clinical academic campus - .

Greater Swag直播's ground-breaking partnership between academia, industry and the NHS - - has been working with global diagnostics firm on a joint project which will create and support up to 1,500 jobs – adding almost £150m to Swag直播’s economy over a decade. The collaboration will also bring fast-tracked real health benefits to Swag直播 and Greater Swag直播 residents, and ultimately people nationally and internationally, through access to new tests and targeted treatments developed through pioneering research.

The proposals have been welcomed by Swag直播 and Greater Swag直播 civic, academic and health leaders.

Swag直播 City Council today, Wednesday 11 July, approved a one-off investment of up to £21 million, underwritten by life science enterprise zone business rates, as part of a public sector funding package to support a programme of research and development. have already agreed to provide £3 million of loan funding.

This will confirm Swag直播 as a world leader in this vital emerging industry with enormous growth potential. The Life Sciences sector already contributes more than £10.8 billion a year to the UK economy and was identified in the Northern Powerhouse Independent Economic Review as one of the North of England’s key strengths and opportunities and in the government's industrial strategy as a huge opportunity. Swag直播 is already a UK flagship for life sciences, with major innovation hubs in the Corridor Swag直播 Campus and nearby Alderley Park.

Benefits

The benefits for Swag直播 and its people from this one-off investment will be twofold – delivering health benefits for residents by enabling strides to be taken in the prediction and prevention of disease through new diagnostic tests which enable earlier detection of disease and development of personalised treatments, and by supporting and creating jobs in the city’s economy. This investment will directly create around 250 jobs and safeguard an extra 215 while supporting more than 1,000 more indirectly across Corridor Swag直播 – adding an anticipated £140m to Swag直播’s economy over a decade. It will anchor the life sciences sector, acting as a market for related small and medium-sized enterprises as part of an Applied Health Innovation Campus and reinforcing the city’s reputation at the cutting edge of innovation.

Greater Swag直播’s unique health and social care devolution arrangements will enable patients to benefit more quickly from new tests and medicines and access to clinical trials.

Inward investment

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President & Vice-Chancellor of Swag直播, said: “We are delighted by the announcement that Qiagen NV, a major and innovative diagnostic company will significantly increase their research and development activities in Swag直播. This is excellent news for the city region and for Swag直播. This major inward investment demonstrates confidence in the city region and the University. At Swag直播, genomics, personalised medicine and early diagnosis of disease are major research activities, notably in cancer, one of our five ‘research beacons’. Qiagen has great expertise that is highly relevant to each of these areas.

“Attracting companies in the life sciences will add further to the attractiveness of Swag直播 and Swag直播 as a hub of scientific discovery and medical expertise. Our research in life sciences and health is renowned world-wide and we are delighted to welcome expansion of such an exciting global business in healthcare to Swag直播.”

Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Swag直播 City Council, said: “This will help confirm Swag直播 as a world leader in this vital emerging industry with enormous growth potential. This is an opportunity that as a city we cannot afford to miss. It’s a win-win – not just creating a raft of new highly skilled health science jobs and an economic boost but crucially also opening up revolutionary new health benefits for people here. Swag直播’s future success depends on building on our distinctive strengths and life sciences definitely falls into that category.”

Mayor of Greater Swag直播, Andy Burnham, said: “We’ve always led the way in Greater Swag直播, whether it’s cutting edge science and technology, being at the forefront of social change, or pioneering partnerships across different sectors. The NHS was ‘born’ here in Greater Swag直播 in the middle of the 20^th century, 70 years ago and last week we celebrated this. This week we secure our position in 21^st century health innovation with this global deal.”

Step change

Rowena Burns, Chair of Health Innovation Swag直播 and Chair of Swag直播 Science Partnerships, said: “This is a hugely important step change for Greater Swag直播's already strong life sciences sector. The new health innovation campus, with QIAGEN at its heart, will support the continued growth of businesses which are driving the future shape of medicine and health care, and cement our position as a world-leader in precision medicine. This is precisely what Health Innovation Swag直播 was set up to do, and combined with our devolved health and social care system, places us in an incredibly strong position to address the health challenges of the population.

“For MSP, this is a massive testimony to the existing strength of our partnership with QIAGEN, who have already added so much to the City's life sciences community. QIAGEN will now become the flagship for the next phase of our Oxford Road Citylabs campus, being developed by MSP's majority shareholder, Bruntwood, for MSP and our joint venture partner, Swag直播 University NHS Foundation Trust."

Peer M. Schatz, Chief Executive Officer of QIAGEN, said: “These partnerships leverage QIAGEN’s rich expertise in Swag直播 to accelerate innovation as a basis for the development of valuable molecular tests. This is a true win-win situation, bringing together QIAGEN, the global leader in Sample to Insight solutions, with important intellectual assets in the U.K. to accelerate molecular biomarker research and subsequent development of new and promising diagnostic assays.

“We expect this collaborative initiative to serve as an innovation incubator to support translating genomic biomarkers into clinical use and ultimately to yield benefits for our customers and patients everywhere who need advanced diagnostic insights.”

Better care for our patients

Sir Mike Deegan, Chief Executive at Swag直播 University NHS Foundation Trust, said “Securing and expanding QIAGEN's future on the Swag直播 University NHS Foundation Trust site is a pivotal component of our vision to create an internationally-leading research and innovation campus focused on integrated diagnostics leading to better care for our patients. Modern healthcare requires us to handle massive arrays of data from a huge range of technologies in order to come up with the right answer for patients. This has never been clearer than with genomic medicine, QIAGEN's immediate focus, which holds the power to deliver transformative clinical benefits at the level of individual patients--the heart of precision medicine.”

Tom Renn, Managing Director of Swag直播 Science Partnerships (MSP) said: "We are proud to be part of the partnership that has led to this hugely important deal for our great city, and a thrilled that our long-standing customer QIAGEN has chosen our Citylabs 2.0 for their new home as they make this significant expansion. With our Joint Venture partner, Swag直播 University NHS Foundation Trust, we are excited to progress our £60m, 220,000sq ft Citylabs campus extension which will enable the creation of a world-leading precision medicine campus in Swag直播. This is a huge investment in Swag直播 and our Citylabs campus, developed by our majority shareholder and MFT's strategy property partner Bruntwood, will provide the facilities and growth support for world-leading clinical care, research and innovation to flourish. Undoubtedly this will be the biggest deal of the year for the sector in the city."

Cancer

 is one of Swag直播’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

Today, (Monday 21 May), Prime Minister Theresa May visited Swag直播’s Jodrell Bank to deliver a major speech on science technology and to confirm funding for a spectacular new gallery at the world-famous site.

The Prime Minister visited a workshop involving children from the local Goostrey Community Primary School and met University of Swag直播 postgrad and postdoc researchers, before joining a meeting of the Council for Science and Technology (CST).

In her speech, delivered in front of the iconic Lovell Telescope, Mrs May unveiled four new missions as part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy, tackling subjects such as healthy ageing, zero-carbon vehicles, home energy efficiency and using AI to improve disease detection and prevention.

WATCH LIVE: PM unveils a new strategy to ensure the UK remains a world leader in science …

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet)

The speech came as The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) announced that the Discovery Centre at Jodrell Bank is to receive a total of £16.1million for a transformational £20.5m project. £12.1m of the total is thanks to National Lottery players, with a further £4m coming from the Government.

The new ‘First Light at Jodrell Bank’ project will create a spectacular new gallery building that will promote and celebrate Jodrell Bank’s world-leading place in the history of astronomy, and a pioneering chapter in British scientific and cultural history.

As well as the Prime Minister, the event was also attended by Greg Clark (Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy), Sam Gyimah (Minister for Higher Education), Jake Berry (Minister for the Northern Powerhouse and Local Growth), Michael Ellis (Heritage Minister) and Sir Peter Luff (Chair of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund).

Follow for developments as the project progresses.

Swag直播 Museum, part of Swag直播 has received a confirmed grant of £4,215,800 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for a major capital project, it was announced today.

Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, the project will develop and transform the museum by providing new exhibition space, the North’s first South Asian gallery and an improved programme of outreach.

Through ‘The Courtyard project’, will become the UK’s most imaginative, inclusive and caring museum. As the UK’s leading university museum, the museum is committed to becoming an ever more powerful source of inspiration for learning for more people. This transformation, driven by social purpose, will make the museum more relevant and welcoming to all ages and communities.

Work will start in August 2018 and the finished building will reopen in late 2020. The transformation will include;

• A major new Temporary Exhibitions Gallery enabling the museum to become the North of England’s leading venue for producing and hosting international-quality exhibitions on human cultures and the natural world. The 421m2 space will be a new home for blockbuster and international shows, drawing visitors from across the North of England who previously would have had to travel to London to see shows of such scale.

• The North of England’s first large-scale gallery of South Asian history and culture, created in partnership with , bringing together the very best of Swag直播 Museum’s own South Asian collections and world-class sculpture, textiles and artefacts from the British Museum. It will be the UK’s first permanent gallery to explore the stories, experiences and contributions of diaspora communities. At the heart of the gallery will be a unique performance space, dedicated to showing the very best live music, dance and performance from and inspired by South Asia.

• A new Oxford Road-facing entrance, welcome area and shop, to create a more visible and welcoming first impression. Throughout, particular emphasis will be placed on accessible design for older visitors and people with a disability.

• Underpinning the transformation, there will be a dynamic co-created participatory programme to imaginatively address some of the key issues of our time; climate change, ageing, migration and belonging. This will extend the museum’s award-winning volunteering work and be pivotal to changing how we work with and reach new audiences.

News of HLF support marks the second major commitment towards this £12.7 million scheme, following a Treasury in November 2015.

The museum predicts hundreds of thousands of new visitors, including an additional 11,000 school children each year.

Esme Ward, Director of Swag直播 Museum said: “With new world-class spaces for extraordinary objects and stories, more volunteering opportunities and imaginative partnerships, Swag直播 Museum will reflect and explore the needs, interests and opportunities of the diverse communities we serve. The project will develop and transform the museum to bring more wonder and inspiration from around the world to the people of Greater Swag直播 and beyond ‘

Mayor of Greater Swag直播 Andy Burnham said: “As Mayor I’ve pledged to support our thriving cultural institutions across Greater Swag直播. We must continue to invest in our cultural facilities, not only to attract new visitors from the UK and beyond, but for the benefit of people across our city-region. Swag直播 Museum acts as a community hub and through this Heritage Lottery funding this inclusive museum is able to expand and continue to provide opportunities for all communities across Greater Swag直播.”

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of Swag直播, said: “The Museum brings hundreds of thousands of people to our campus each year for both education and enjoyment. I am very pleased that this funding will now allow the Museum to build on this excellent work and create new spaces which will help attract new audiences and offer an even greater range of thought -provoking exhibitions.”

Newly released official statistics show that Swag直播 has attracted the most research income from UK industry of any institution in the country.

The figures, from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), show that Swag直播 attracted £24,831,000 of research income in 2016-2017 from UK industry, commerce and public corporations. This places Swag直播 above other elite universities such as Cambridge, Imperial and Oxford.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Swag直播, Professor Luke Georghiou, said: “We are delighted to be UK business’s favourite university and more importantly to be contributing to jobs and growth through the application of our leading-edge research. The statistics reflect a lot of hard work by our researchers, our business engagement team and their industrial partners.”

The University works with a range of different organisations from large multinationals such as Unilever, Astra Zeneca and Rolls Royce, to local small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This occurs through its Business Engagement Support Team which acts as a gateway to research, recruitment and consultancy services.

Work with strategic partners includes conducting clinical trials on new drugs, developing lightweight materials that make aircraft more efficient, applying digital skills to manufacturing, and understanding how companies can influence their consumers towards more environmentally-friendly behaviour.

One of the other companies which has benefitted from working with the University is Ritherdon, a Darwen-based company which makes steel boxes. The company wanted assistance for simulation of vehicle impacts on their roadside metal cabinets in order to develop a passively safe roadside metal cabinet that would shear away near its base on impact with a vehicle, thereby significantly reducing the risk of serious injury to any passengers.

Following work with the University’s School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, the company now has a patent pending and the relationship has grown to incorporate new projects and external funding.

The University also works with charities. In the case of Tearfund, a Christian relief and development agency, this saw the development of smartphone technology which helps reunite families separated during disasters, directs people to safe places which have supplies and another app which quickly determines if someone is malnourished, using a camera phone.

These partnerships were created through the University’s Business Engagement Support Team, which is made up of staff who work at central and faculty levels and so have close understanding of academic research areas which can contribute to a business’s development. From June the Team will be under the management of a new Head of Business Engagement, Jon Price, who joins the University from King’s College London.

For more information and other case studies visit the Business Engagement website.

Swag直播 has been awarded £150,000 to develop new ways of supporting the wellbeing and mental health of postgraduate research students.

The funding, from the Higher Education Council for England (HEFCE), will allow the University to improve targeted wellbeing and mental health services to and, where needed, access to specialised NHS services.

Swag直播 has almost 4,000 postgraduate research (PGR) students, with over a third of these coming from outside the EU. Because of the different ways in which these students interact with the University and the particular pressures they may come under, the new project will seek to develop more specific policies and services.

These will include: developing a new monthly wellbeing check which will be completed by students and supervisors, and working with the existing PGR Representatives’ Network. There will also be resources, such as mindfulness tools which will be developed with outside specialists and made available to students and staff.

The project will employ two full-time members of staff – one in the Students’ Union and one in the University’s Graduate Education Team.

There will also be extensive consultation and regular meetings with students themselves. Aleksandra Besevic, a member of the PGR Representatives’ Network who is studying consumer behaviour in sustainable fashion, said: “I’m very happy that the University has secured the funding to improve postgraduate wellbeing. I have been working on student wellbeing in the Faculty of Science and Engineering which has made a difference to the community and bringing students together.

“Wellbeing is often overlooked by the students themselves, so it is important to have activities arranged by students for students. I hope this will improve postgraduate wellbeing across the whole University and foster a balanced working environment.”

The money for this project has come from HEFCE’s which provides targeted investment in activities led by universities and colleges. The fund supports a range of student and sector priorities, including innovation in higher education, efficiency and effectiveness, and student interest issues.

The University has already been successful in achieving Catalyst funding for projects around improving support for and another to tackle .

In this round 17 awards were made in total across the sector and Swag直播 was one of only four institutions to receive the maximum allocation of £150,000.

, Associate Vice-President (Research) and Director of , said: “The health and wellbeing of our students is something where the University, working with partners, has been highly innovative. This particular piece of funding will allow us to thoroughly scope out the needs of this group of students and put measures in place which are tailored to their particular needs.”

The project team will include University staff with expertise in wellbeing and mental health, working in partnership with selected external partners from: the Greater Swag直播 Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Vitae, MIND, BluSCI, Six Degrees, Student Minds and the Institute of Employment Studies.

The project is due to finish in early 2020 and results will be shared across the HE sector as new services are implemented.

Speaking about the latest round of funding, HEFCE Chief Executive, Professor Madeleine Atkins, said: “This programme to develop extra support for postgraduate research students is timely, and complements the resources HEFCE already provides to support student safeguarding and to address barriers to student success.

“We are delighted to support these innovative projects in the important area of mental health and wellbeing, and look forward to successful outcomes and the sharing of good practice for the benefit of all postgraduate research students.”

UPDATE: 18 April 2018

The University has also received £50,000 in funding for ‘Passivity, the Bystander and Religious Based Hate Crime’ a new project which will continue the work of and bring people together to discuss, analyse and understand ‘the bystander’ in relation to religious based hate crime.

Alongside the Students’ Union, staff and students will come together to improve religious literacy among students and staff, including myth-busting, support the development of effective role models for students of different religions or beliefs and develop and sustain positive campus relations between different groups.

Eventually the project will support the production of a series of materials and events that will be used on an ongoing basis across campus.

A new £5m donation will allow Swag直播 to establish . It will seek to improve mutual understanding in UK-China relations, and establish a new Chinese culture gallery at the Swag直播 Museum.

The donation, by retired Hong Kong businessman, philanthropist and Honorary Graduate of the University of Swag直播, Dr Lee Kai Hung is a major investment which will promote world-leading research, community outreach activities, and public lectures in Swag直播 and China.

It will also create a new ‘Lee Kai Hung Chinese Culture Gallery’ at , the largest University museum in the UK, displaying artefacts such as ancient bronze sculptures, carved jade and textiles.

With growing links between Swag直播 and China, and the global significance of Chinese policies such as the ‘One Belt, One Road’ strategy, the Swag直播 China Institute is set to play a major role in improving understanding between the China and the UK.

The Centre’s new Director is Professor of Chinese Politics Peter Gries, who has worked extensively on China’s foreign relations.

He said: “The UK and China lie on opposite ends of the Eurasian landmass which is the focus of China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ policy. Swag直播, in particular, has a large Chinese community and historic ties with China which were only strengthened by to Swag直播 and the University in 2015.

“To realise the full potential of UK-China bilateral relations, however, greater mutual trust and understanding are urgently needed. We are therefore extremely grateful to Dr Lee for his generous gift, which is set to put Swag直播 at the forefront of China studies in the UK.”

As well as research, the Centre will have a particular emphasis on working with the local Chinese community and the thousands of Chinese students in the city. It will also seek to serve local businesses and promote peaceful UK-China relations.

Swag直播 has more academics engaged in China and China-related studies than almost any other UK university – working on everything from the arts and humanities to health and science.

It also has a which focuses on teaching Chinese. The new Swag直播 China Institute will be based in its own listed historic building, which will be named in honour of Dr Lee.

Dr Lee said: “The development of China-UK relations is a subject very close to my heart, so I am delighted to be able to help create this Institute at Swag直播. China’s ties with this city, the university and the many Chinese staff and students make this an ideal place to locate the Institute and the China Gallery.”

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of Swag直播 said: “We are very grateful to Dr Lee for this gift, which will greatly increase knowledge in a subject of global significance. Alongside the important research outputs, this gift will enable the greater promotion of understanding between the two countries, not least through the programme of outreach and the new gallery at the Swag直播 Museum.”

Find out more at or

Jodrell Bank has been awarded £4m in the Autumn Statement to go towards a new project to promote the historical importance of the scientific work undertaken at the Cheshire site.

Subject to the approval of a business plan, the £4m completes the fundraising for the £20.5m ‘First Light’ project which combines a celebration of scientific heritage with an enhanced educational programme. The development will include construction of a new gallery, incorporating a spectacular exhibition and immersive auditorium.

‘First Light’ is supported by an offer of £12M from , with generous support from , , the Denise Coates Foundation, and .

currently attracts around 185,000 visitors each year, including 26,000 school pupils on educational visits. The new project is expected to increase the overall visitor numbers to 250,000, and reach an additional 6,000 school pupils each year.

The new facility will help people learn more about the history of the Observatory at Jodrell Bank, including its pivotal role in the development of radio astronomy, its work in space tracking and its contribution to defence during the cold war.

The site was recently selected as the UK’s next candidate for nomination to and has numerous , including the Grade I listed Lovell and Mark II telescopes.

Building on this proud history, the astronomers at Jodrell Bank, part of Swag直播’s , currently operate e-MERLIN, the UK’s national facility for radio astronomy, and the site hosts the international headquarters of the upcoming .

Professor Teresa Anderson, Director of the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre said: “This is fantastic news and provides the final piece in the jigsaw to enable us to move ahead with this very exciting project. We are very grateful to all our funders for their support and are looking forward to creating something very special to celebrate the history of this unique place.

“I’d like to place on record my thanks to David Rutley MP who has been tireless in his support for our plans.”

Mr Rutley added: “I am delighted that the Chancellor has responded so positively to the request for funding for Jodrell Bank’s ‘First Light’ heritage gallery. This is a significant boost to the project and will make a huge difference in enabling this world-leading and iconic site to promote its history and inspire the next generation of scientists. I am very grateful to Professor Anderson and her colleagues for their outstanding hard work to get the project to this stage, and look forward to seeing this great initiative come to fruition.”

Swag直播 and University of Swag直播 Students’ Union have received funding to co-produce an active bystander campaign that will encourage fellow students to safely speak out against harassment and hate crime.

The funding awarded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (), totals more than £100,000. It will bring staff and students together to Speak Up and Stand Up to harassment and hate crime. The campaign, which builds on the success of the , will shine a light on problematic behaviour and encourage people on campus to see it, know it’s a problem, take responsibility and to take action.

Patrick Johnson, Head of at Swag直播 said: “Sadly, these problematic behaviours continue to exist on campuses and in society. We all have the right live in an environment, free from the fear of harassment or abusive behaviour, and here at Swag直播 we take that right very seriously.

“With an emphasis on empowering students as future leaders of our society, this campaign aims to increase knowledge and confidence to recognise, report and safely confront these issues.”

This latest project recognises that these issues are not confined to University campuses. Part of the funding will be used to deliver similar pilot projects in a further education college and a secondary school.

Riddi Viswanathan, Diversity Officer at said: “At the Students' Union we have a zero tolerance policy on hate crime and harassment and as an official reporting centre we encourage people to come forward. However, it is sad to see that many hate crimes still go unreported.

"I welcome this collaborative project with the University and see it as an opportunity to reach out to more of people, on and off campus, encouraging them to speak up and stand up to hate crime and harassment. I am certain that we can build on the successful We Get it campaign and encourage people to step up stand up and be the change.”

This campaign forms part of the HEFCE Catalyst Fund and has been awarded following .

Swag直播 was awarded more than £760,000 earlier this year from the same scheme to advance race and social equality and promote wellbeing to improve outcomes for its students.

Commenting on the latest round of funding, The Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, Jo Johnson, said: “Hate crime of any kind has no place in our society or on our campuses, and we expect universities to take a zero-tolerance approach to this kind of harassment, whether it takes place online or in person.

“I am pleased to see HEFCE supporting the important work of the Universities UK Taskforce, and I am hugely encouraged to see universities working closely with students to develop different approaches to tackling this important issue.”

Swag直播 is to lead a £5 million project which aims to transform the process of turning research into businesses across the North of England.

Announced on Thursday by the Universities Minister, Jo Johnson, the funding will see Swag直播 work with the Universities of Leeds and Sheffield to develop a ‘Northern Triangle Initiative’ (NTI).

The NTI will support the growth of a significantly enhanced, shared intellectual property pipeline, set up a unique regionally-focussed finance vehicle, seek to raise £350 million in private finance to support university commercialisation, and strengthen the entrepreneurial eco-system of the North of England.

In particular the award will allow the partners to collaborate in developing intellectual property projects into business propositions in areas of common strength such as advanced materials, medical technologies and computer science.

Clive Rowland, the CEO of - Swag直播’s Innovation Group - said: “We will use this award to create a significant 'Northern Triangle' funding capability to create a positive collaborative climate and accelerate the amazing commercial potential of the research powerhouses at the universities of Swag直播, Leeds and Sheffield.

“This funding, along with our existing investor partnerships, will help us overcome the continuing challenge of bridging the very risky stage between the laboratory and the market place, where developing prototypes is crucial to attracting venture funding.

“Very importantly, a key feature of this project is to enable us to develop more licensing proposals, which is a very effective way of translating science into business activities, but which has become somewhat a poor relation to the spin-out company route and is of less interest to entrepreneurs.”

The funding forms part of an allocation of £20 million to winners of the Higher Education Funding Council for England () Swag直播ing Capability Fund competition and forms part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy green paper.

The Fund, which was announced in the Government’s Industrial Strategy green paper, supports universities in working together and with external partners to commercialise research, help deliver the Strategy and share good practice and capacity.

It was announced at the HEFCE conference in London where Deputy President and Vice-Chancellor of Swag直播, was also speaking on ‘Universities as Core Partners in Realising the Industrial Strategy’.

Commenting on the award he said: “Swag直播 is proud to be in the top two nationally for the value of our collaborative work with our business partners and always in the leading group for commercialisation of intellectual property through UMI3.

“This award helps to fill an important gap in the Northern regional innovation ecosystem and will enable us to step up our contribution to the economy alongside our partners in Leeds and Sheffield.”

Professor Lisa Roberts, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation at the University of Leeds said: “This is a great opportunity to build on our formidable reputation in commercialisation.

“The Universities of Leeds, Swag直播 and Sheffield are three research powerhouses in the North, and by working together we will have significant impact on the commercialisation of our research.”

Professor John Derrick, Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the University of Sheffield, said:

“The funding for the Northern Triangle Initiative lays the foundations for new advanced science and innovative industry collaborations that will help to deliver real change and create economic growth not only for the north, but the whole of the UK.

“At Sheffield we are immensely proud of our longstanding research-industry links - particularly in advanced manufacturing - and we are looking forward to working with our partner institutions on this inspiring initiative and extending these even further to bridge the gap between the outstanding research undertaken in universities and industry.”

The funding will last for three years and the immediate aims of the project are to work with investors and entrepreneurs to form a dynamic support system and initiate and develop some 75 technology transfer projects across the three partner universities.

Swag直播 is part of a new consortium which will develop new CT and MRI scan techniques and biomarkers to look at the accumulation of compounds in the body caused by drugs and the harm they may cause – potentially improving patients’ safety and the development of new treatments.

The TRISTAN project, (Translational Imaging in Drug Safety Assessment) is a public-private partnership supported by involving organisations across Europe. Swag直播 is a major part of this, receiving funding to develop scanning techniques for so-called imaging biomarkers for drug-induced liver and lung disease.

The researchers believe that by refining these techniques to adapt scans for specific compounds they can spot the early signs of disease, tailor individual treatments and identify problems with new drugs early in their development – potentially saving time and money.

One part of the package will be to develop a trial in rheumatology and patients who have drug induced lung toxicity. By scanning them, the researchers hope to refine techniques to spot this early on and identify which patients are most susceptible.

, a National Institute for Health Research Clinical Lecturer in Rheumatology, who is leading this part of the research in Swag直播, said: "Some drugs can cause inflammation and damage in the lungs. We hope to develop scans that can identify early lung changes so that quick action can be taken to minimise harm to the patient. The scans may also help identify drugs which are at high risk of causing lung problems so they are not developed further.”

Another part of the project will investigate drug interactions and drug-induced liver disease. Specifically the researchers will look for the presence of imaging biomarker gadoxetate in liver cells. This will enable them to develop predictive models to help with the development of new drugs with less safety concerns.

, principal investigator and Reader in the School of Health Sciences/ Pharmacy, is leading this section of the project. She said: “Quite often drugs are far down the line of development before potential harmful side-effects are discovered. Use of imaging biomarkers and predictive models could help identify a drug that is not a good candidate much earlier, saving a lot of money and research time.”

Overall the five-year, European-wide project is budgeted at €24m. TRISTAN is led by Bayer and coordinated by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). Swag直播 will receive around £1.1m. Partners in this part of the work will be the University of Leeds, University of Sheffield/Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

It will also involve Swag直播 spin-out company Bioxydyn, a specialist provider of ground-breaking MRI applications and imaging services.

, a co-investigator and Director of (BRC) said: “Researchers across Greater Swag直播 are working towards a more personalised approach that matches individuals to the treatment most likely to work for them. This grant from the European Commission will complement the funding for our new BRC and support research into the use of advanced imaging biomarkers to better predict targeting of treatment and reduce the risk of side effects.”

Cancer

 is one of Swag直播’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

Swag直播 has celebrated ten years of a scholarship which has seen more than 200 students studying here before returning to their home countries in Africa and Asia to transform communities.

The Equity and Merit scholarships enable students from some of the world’s poorest countries to take a postgraduate course that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford and that gives them the skills to address a specific problem in their home countries.

A celebratory event held yesterday at the University and hosted by Chancellor, Lemn Sissay featured many of the students and graduates funded by the scholarship.

These included from Uganda who studied for an MSc and is leading research to help combat fungal infections associated with HIV associated.

Find out more about a recent journey to visit Equity and Merit graduates and see more videos in Swag直播 Magazine.

The scholarships are jointly funded by the University and its donors. The University covers the tuition fee in full and the generosity of donors covers students’ living costs, flights to the UK and visas.

As part of the celebrations which profiles the amazing stories of students and donors and how they’ve changed lives in their communities, as well as the wider context in which the scheme operates. It includes contributions from leading academics such as Professor David Hulme, Executive Director of the University’s Global Development Institute.

Since Equity and Merit began, a total of 203 scholarships have been awarded to exceptional individuals who have demonstrated both academic excellence and a commitment to the economic or social development of their home communities

Lemn Sissay, speaking at the event said: “This evening’s event is especially meaningful and personal to me. As some of you will have heard me say, my head is in London where I’m based, but my heart is in Swag直播 and my soul is in Africa.

“Equity and Merit brings together the best and brightest minds in Africa and Swag直播 in a mission to build a better world.”

is only made possible through donations. If you are interested in supporting Equity & Merit scholarships, please .

If you would like to consider funding a full scholarship, email supporters@manchester.ac.uk or phone 0161 306 3066.

Recap the event in full here:

Swag直播 scientists are set to receive £1.2million from Cancer Research UK to help transform pancreatic cancer treatment in the UK.

The charity is investing a total of £10million in the PRECISION Panc project – based in Glasgow, Swag直播 and Cambridge - which aims to develop personalised treatments for pancreatic patients, improving the options and outcomes for a disease where survival rates have remained stubbornly low.

Around 1,000 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the North West every year. And sadly currently around 930 people die from the disease in the North West every year.

Scientists from , based at Swag直播, will work with experts at and with researchers across the UK on the project to develop new treatments for pancreatic cancer using a network of clinical trials, aiming to find the right trial for the right patient.

The project aims to speed up recruitment and enrolment of pancreatic cancer patients to clinical trials that are right for the individual patient, with patients being selected based on their individual tumour.

The researchers will use the molecular profile of each individual cancer to offer patients and their doctor a menu of trials that might benefit them.

The first wave of research will establish the best way to collect and profile patient tissue samples. Each patient will have up to five samples taken from their tumour at diagnosis for analysis at the University of Glasgow.

The results will guide clinical trial options in the future.

Three initial trials planned as part of this initiative will recruit a total of 658 patients from a number of centres across the UK - with the scope to add more trials in the future. Patients may also be helped onto suitable clinical trials that are already up and running.

At Swag直播, , an expert medical oncologist treating pancreatic cancer patients based at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, said: “PRECISION Panc aims to transform how we treat pancreatic cancer by matching the right treatment to the right patient.

“Because the disease is so aggressive, patients may be too unwell and receive no treatment at all; or if they are given an option it may be for just one line of treatment, so it’s essential that the most suitable treatment is identified quickly. It’s important we offer all patients the opportunity to be part of research alongside their standard care.

“Christie patients will be invited to participate into the multiple clinical trials developed within the PRECISION-Panc project, once they come on line.”

, Cancer Research UK Swag直播 Institute’s Deputy Director and an expert in so-called liquid biopsies, added: “Repeat tumour biopsies are challenging for pancreas cancer patients and my laboratory is very excited to be working with clinical colleagues to determine if measuring DNA shed from pancreas cancer tumours into the bloodstream can help us select treatments and monitor patients responses.”

, an expert in pancreas cancer biology at the Cancer Research UK Swag直播 Institute, said: “We aim to grow patient’s pancreas cancer cells in the laboratory and understand how different cells within a patient’s tumour interact with each other to promote growth and resistance to drugs, hence discovering new ways to attack pancreas cancer.”

All three researchers in Swag直播 agree that the Precision programme will ensure discoveries from the lab rapidly reach patients, and that data from clinical trials feed back into research of the disease.

Cancer Research UK’s investment will support two of the three clinical trials, preclinical work, assay development, biomarker work and the huge amount of molecular sequencing.

The charity’s funding will also provide overarching support though project management, funding staff, and a steering committee.

PRECISION Panc has been developed over the course of three years through the unwavering commitment of pancreatic clinicians and researchers who see that the patients deserve much more than is currently available to them.

Dr Ian Walker, Cancer Research UK’s director of clinical research, said: “This ambitious project marks a new era for pancreatic cancer. Little progress has been made in outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients over the last 40 years, and we believe that PRECISION Panc will reshape how we approach treatment development.

“ is determined to streamline research, to find the right clinical trial for all pancreatic cancer patients and to ensure laboratory discoveries have patient benefit.”

Rachel Teale, 46, from Worsley, near Swag直播, lost her father Bruce to pancreatic cancer in 2004 at the age of 62.

He had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a year earlier in November 2003 and had been treated at the Christie.

Rachel said: “It’s good to see such a big investment in pancreatic cancer research in the North West. My dad’s last 12 months were filled with pain. He was diagnosed the month my mum retired, and he never got to see his granddaughter, who he doted on, grow up and realise her dreams.

“We need more research to find better treatments so other people don't have to go through what Dad went through, and so others can live to enjoy their retirement and see their grandchildren grow up.”

Cancer

 is one of Swag直播’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

Swag直播 is leading a consortium to investigate advanced technologies, including robotics and artificial intelligence, for the operation and maintenance of offshore windfarms.

The remote inspection and asset management of offshore wind farms and their connection to the shore is an industry which will be worth up to £2 billion annually by 2025 in the UK alone.

Eighty to ninety percent of the cost of offshore operation and maintenance according to the Crown Estate is generated by the need to get site access – in essence get engineers and technicians to remote sites to evaluate a problem and decide what action to undertake.

Such inspection takes place in a remote and hazardous environment and requires highly trained personnel of which there is likely to be a shortage in coming years.

The £5m project will investigate the use of advanced sensing, robotics, virtual reality models and artificial intelligence to reduce maintenance cost and effort. Predictive and diagnostic techniques will allow problems to be picked up early, when easy and inexpensive maintenance will allow problems to be readily fixed. Robots and advanced sensors will be used to minimise the need for human intervention in the hazardous offshore environment.

The use of robots will allow operation in difficult or hazardous environments: sub-sea to inspect cables, in high-voltage environments to inspect high voltage equipment and around the wind turbines to check their mechanical structures. The latest in advanced sensors will be used, for example sonar techniques to assess sub-sea cable wear and degradation in situ. This, along with state-of-the-art system modelling and artificial intelligence, will be used to best assess the data produced.

Swag直播’s , who is leading the three-year project, said: “The UK has world-leading expertise in the technologies and science in this area, but they have often operated separately. The UK have supported this project to bring them together for the first time to make a real step change in this industry.”

The project is a collaboration between the universities of Swag直播, Durham, Warwick, Cranfield, Heriot-Watt and a consortium of companies from the offshore industry. Techniques will be trialled in an offshore test site in Scotland and a project demonstration will be given at Salford Quays, Swag直播.

Energy

 is one of Swag直播’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

Swag直播 has received funding for two new schemes to improve outcomes for Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME students) and those from low socio-economic groups and students that experience mental ill health.

The projects are being funded under the Catalyst Fund established by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

The first, led by Swag直播 in collaboration with has been awarded £768,390. Working with their partner institutions the University of Birmingham and Swag直播 Metropolitan University, and their Students’ Unions; the project will develop a ‘Diversity and Inclusion Student Ambassador Programme’.

Over two years, partners will focus on issues specifically relevant to their student populations. Overall, the programme will work to improve student experience, attainment and other outcomes such as employability for BAME students and those from low socio-economic groups and students that experience mental ill health.

It will use a collaborative model that brings staff and student together as partners and builds on the Black Student Ambassador Programme at the University of Birmingham and the Diversity and Wellbeing Student Ambassador Programme piloted in the Swag直播 Pharmacy School. Led by and , this programme aimed to safely challenge negative stereotypes, increase students’ sense of belonging, and support engagement with wellbeing.

In the new programme, Student Ambassadors will be supported to undertake activities to facilitate inclusive learning environments, enhance student experiences, and engage with wellbeing activities.

Students will be empowered to tackle the negative effects of stereotyping and micro-aggressions and safely challenge racism, harassment and other forms of discrimination on campus through the development of an evidence-based intervention that will encourage them to become active bystanders to events, with training provided to help them chose the best course of action.

Swag直播 has more than 10,000 international students and is ranked top in the English Russell Group of elite universities for the percentage of students from low participation neighbourhoods, state schools and colleges, and people receiving disabled students’ allowance.

The project has two principal investigators, Drs and and co-investigator Cath Prescott from . Dr Edge said: “Swag直播 has a diverse campus and that is one of our strengths. However, research carried out across England in 2015 identified that there are issues in relation to diversity and attainment that universities need to address.

“This project will help us examine what we do here at Swag直播 and to develop new resources and means of supporting our students to maximise their potential. We very much hope that we’ll learn lessons which can be applied more broadly across the sector.”

llyas Nagdee, the UMSU Diversity Officer, said: “We are very excited to be collaborating with the University on this project. We hope that bringing students and staff together using this innovative co-production method will help tackle negative stereotypes and create inclusive learning environments and make a real difference to outcomes for all BAME students and students from low socio-economic backgrounds.”

The other HEFCE funded project at Swag直播 is led by the University of Leeds and has been awarded £500,000. The project will focus on undergraduate and postgraduate students from areas of low participation in Higher Education and BAME backgrounds, to close the gap in student outcomes by helping them progress to, and succeed in, postgraduate study.

Building on research in this area, the project will help the transition of students into postgraduate taught study through online academic skills, support and targeted information, advice and guidance. The other participating institutions are Newcastle University, The University of Sheffield, The University of Warwick and The University of York.

Stephanie Lee, Swag直播’s Head of said: “Widening access to postgraduate study is still a relatively new area of work and it’s great that the University is part of a project which, as well as supporting students, will help grow our understanding of the barriers students from widening participation backgrounds face in accessing further study.”

A £6.7 million financial boost has been awarded to Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust (SRFT) to create a city-wide early translational patient safety research programme, along with its fellow MAHSC partner, Swag直播.

Provided under the (PSTRC) Scheme, this latest award by the Department of Health will be used to fund cutting-edge research by the NIHR Patient Safety Translational Research Centre Greater Swag直播 (Greater Swag直播 PSTRC) for a further five years.

The winning bid was coordinated by the Swag直播 Academic Health Science Centre (), demonstrating the benefits of bringing together clinical and research expertise from across healthcare and academia to deliver both patient safety and patient-orientated, translational research.

The new funding will enable to continue innovative research into patient safety in primary care and across transitional care settings on important issues such as informatics, medication safety and safer care for marginalised groups.

The award builds on the earlier £28.5m investment in Swag直播’s Biomedical Research Centre () scheme and the £12.5m investment provided under the NIHR Clinical Research Facility (CRF) scheme, both of which were announced towards the end of last year.

Greater Swag直播 PSTRC is a partnership between SRFT and the University of Swag直播. It also has strong links with the University of Nottingham, Central Swag直播 University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT) and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust (The Christie).

, who is Director of the PSTRC and Professor of Primary Care Research in the Faculty’s Division of Population Health, Health Services Research and Primary Care said: “We are delighted to receive this investment, which will enable us to build on the world-leading research infrastructure we already have in here in Swag直播.

“It will be a multi-sector partnership and future facing, aiming to focus not just on patient safety retrospectively, but also ways of predicting and preventing patient safety incidents in primary care and in transitional settings. It will help us create a world leading learning health system that will improve safety and reduce costs.”

Chris Brookes, Executive Medical Director at , said: “Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to ensuring that every patient receives safe, clean and personal care and our work with the Greater Swag直播 Primary Care Patient Safety Translational Research Centre contributes greatly to that. This investment will enable us to carry out further work across our integrated healthcare systems.”

Public Health and Innovation Minister, Nicola Blackwood said: “Swag直播 has huge potential to shape global medical research and this Government is backing this talent by investing heavily in their medical research capabilities. We hope this will improve the lives of people in Swag直播 and, in fact, people across England.

“We want every patient to receive the best and safest NHS treatment and care as possible. Investing today in research to improve patient safety is essential for making the NHS the best today, and for tackling the challenges of tomorrow. Swag直播 is one of the leading places in the UK for cutting edge health research and our investments through the NIHR will help our researchers strive for global excellence.”

, MAHSC Director and Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health at the University, added: “This welcome funding boost is as a result of the joined up approach to health care research and services that is a major strength of the Greater Swag直播 region. As a result of working across agencies and forming strong partnerships we can deliver projects like this which ultimately benefit the health of people in the region and further afield.”

A University of Swag直播 scientist is part of a team led by the University of Liverpool working on a £2.6m project to explore how the ecosystems in the Arctic Ocean are being altered by climate change.

Funded by the Natural and Environmental Research Council (), ocean scientists and marine biologists will undertake a three-and-a-half year research project aiming to better understand how climate-driven changes to the Arctic will affect the productivity at the base of the food web and two Arctic seal species, the harp seal and ringed seal.

The project will study Arctic food web structure over the next few years, and also use archive samples of seal teeth collected since the 1950s in the Norwegian Arctic and 1980s in the Canadian Arctic to better understand how climate change has altered food web structure on decadal time scales.

The Arctic Ocean is undergoing unprecedented rates of environmental change, warming fast than any other ocean region. Sea ice is declining by 10% per decade and causing open water regions to expand.

The Arctic Ocean ecosystem is inextricably linked to sea ice, with sea ice derived productivity being an important food source at the base of the food web and also providing a platform for Arctic seals to moult and reproduce.

Not only is Arctic sea ice declining but ocean circulation is changing as species from subpolar regions are migrating into the Arctic and riverine runoff is increasing. The project aims to improve our knowledge of the immediate and long-term consequences of these rapid changes in the Arctic on the marine ecosystem which is currently poorly understood.

A University of Swag直播 scientist, , will be leading a part of the project, working with a PhD student, to study how soil containing carbon which runs off of the thawing permafrost enters the Arctic food web.

Dr van Dongen said: “About half the world’s soil carbon is currently stored in Arctic permafrost. This huge freeze-locked pool is vulnerable to global warming and is being released through thawing, increased river runoff and erosion and transported to the Arctic Ocean. In this project we are attempting to improve our understanding of the fate of this re-mobilised carbon in the Arctic Ocean and its contributions to the Arctic food web.”

Liverpool Ocean Scientist, Dr Claire Mahaffey, who is leading the project, said: “The big challenge is being able to detect if and how climate change is altering the marine ecosystem in the Arctic above the natural ecosystem variability.

“We propose to use stable isotope biomarkers, seal population ecology and mathematical models to develop a new framework to detect long-term change in the Arctic ecosystem. We will also consider the impact of a changing Arctic on seal population dynamics and thus provide some insight into the management of future ecosystem services.”

This research is funded through NERC’s £10million Changing Arctic Ocean; Implications for Marine Biology and Biogeochemistry Research Programme which supports four research projects and involves 15 UK research institutions starting in February 2017.

People interested in applying for the PhD position can find out more on .

Swag直播 is set to receive a major cash injection from Cancer Research UK.

The charity plans to invest around £39 million over the next five years into the , a partnership between , Swag直播 and .

The grant will fund ground-breaking work as part of the development of a unique chain of cutting-edge research hubs around the UK focusing on translational research.

A further £2.75 million investment is planned for the Swag直播 Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, from Cancer Research UK and the .

Funding will also support training of the next generation of cancer researchers - including 45 – to ensure the brightest scientists are attracted and supported in their career in cancer research.

Selected as a major centre

Professor Nic Jones, Director of the Cancer Research UK Swag直播 Centre, based at Swag直播, said: “This funding award is fantastic news for the city and for our Centre and we are especially honoured to be selected as a Major Centre. The award represents a critical investment in the research infrastructure that will equip us with the tools needed to advance the understanding and treatment of cancer.

“This investment will boost efforts to transform treatments through the development of new approaches in personalised medicine.

“Our aim is to transform cancer treatment by optimising the delivery of radiotherapy, and by developing new approaches to treatment where decisions are guided by the specific characteristics of a patient’s tumour. This includes studying and characterising blood samples taken from patients at diagnosis and throughout their journey. We do this to look for markers released from the tumour that can provide key information to help doctors pick the right drug for the right patient.

“We also aim to detect early warning signs of cancer to provide earlier diagnosis, or to give a clear indication if a patient’s cancer has come back after treatment.”

Swag直播 has been chosen, by an international panel of experts, as one of just 13 locations to secure funding in the latest review of the Cancer Research UK Centres network of excellence and one of two to receive major centre status – the highest award.

These research centres draw together world class research and medical expertise to provide the best possible results for cancer patients – getting cutting edge discoveries from the laboratory to patients and learning as much as possible from them to initiate new research ideas and programmes.

Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres

Additionally, the panel chose Swag直播 as one of 18 Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres (ECMCs).

The ECMCs aim to bring better treatments faster to cancer patients in the UK through both the adult and children’s network of Centres. They are hubs where promising cancer treatments - including small molecule drugs, surgery, immunotherapy, and vaccines - are safely tested through clinical trials. These Centres help give people with cancer access to cutting-edge treatments by testing new ways of detecting and monitoring the disease and how it responds to treatment.

Every year, 41,700 of people are diagnosed with cancer in the North West.

Sir Harpal Kumar, chief executive at Cancer Research UK, said: “This is an exciting time for cancer research.

“Cancer Research UK’s projections are that we will reach more than 500,000 new diagnoses of cancer a year in the UK by 2035. By that time, our goal is that three in four people will survive their cancer. Funding these Centres, like the ones in Swag直播, is one of the charity’s most important strategic priorities and one which will help us reach this ambition. This huge investment is only made possible through generous donations from the public and the tireless fundraising of our supporters.”

, President and Vice-Chancellor of Swag直播 said: “Swag直播 is now one of the world’s leading research centres for cancer and this funding represents an important step forward in finding new treatments, carrying out more trials and training the brightest minds to continue this work. Working with our partners at The Christie and Cancer Research UK gives us great strength, bringing together researchers and doctors to make new discoveries that benefit of people here and around the world."

Roger Spencer, Chief Executive at The Christie said: “This investment in research and development of new cancer medicines will be vital to the Swag直播 partnership achieving its ambition to become one of the largest centres for experimental cancer medicine trials worldwide.

“Patients are at the heart of everything we do at The Christie and this funding will enable us to deliver personalised treatments to even more patients. This in turn will translate into better outcomes for our patients.”

More novel clinical trials right here in Swag直播

, Joint Lead at Swag直播’s Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre and Strategic Director of the Experimental Cancer Medicine Team at The Christie, said: “This funding boost will enable us to deliver more novel clinical trials right here in Swag直播 – this will mean cancer patients from the North West will have access to new pioneering drugs as quickly as possible across all major cancer types.

“Specifically, the funding will be used to treat an additional 200 patients per year with the goal that by 2020 over 500 patients each year will have access to pioneering new drugs in experimental cancer medicine clinical trials.”

Nicola Blackwood, Minister for Public Health and Innovation, said: “We want to lead the world in fighting cancer. The work of Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres is crucial in this fight. This next phase of funding from the National Institute for Health Research will help our world-leading researchers to continue to make new discoveries.

“The collaboration between universities, NHS Trusts and the research community is a key reason these centres are successful, and illustrates why the UK is the best place in the world to be a researcher.

“I hope this funding will ultimately lead to more life-saving treatments for patients.”

 is one of Swag直播’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

FInd out more about .

at Swag直播 will receive a major funding boost as part of an £118m injection announced today by charitable foundation, Wellcome Trust.

The investment of over £5m for the Swag直播 site over the next five years will mean the world-class researchers within the Centre can continue to conduct fundamental research into the relationship between cells and matrix to assist with understanding vertebrate development, healthy ageing, and identifying targets for disease intervention.

The Centre, directed by of Swag直播, will also generate new opportunities for clinical research through collaboration with other leading local centres including Swag直播 Academic Health Science Centre, the Biobank, Swag直播 Collaborative Centre for Inflammation Research, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, and the Cancer Research UK Swag直播 Institute.

The Wellcome Centre for Cell-Matrix Research is an interdisciplinary research centre embedded within the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health at Swag直播. It was established in 1995 with the long-term aims of determining the mechanisms underpinning how cell-matrix interactions build mechanically-strong tissues, control normal tissue formation and function, regulate the immune system and cell migration, and how their disruption causes diseases such as fibrosis, kidney disease, and musculoskeletal conditions.

Thirteen Wellcome Centres across the UK along with one in Cape Town, South Africa will receive part of £118m investment, seven of which will be newly established centres while the rest will explore new avenues under a refreshed vision.

, Vice-President and Dean of said: “This investment is fantastic news for Swag直播 and the research community in the UK as a whole.

“Facilities like the Centre for Cell-Matrix Research provide a fundamental source of knowledge and understanding on cutting-edge biological research which is hugely beneficial in aiding our understanding of illnesses and diseases which will probably affect all our lives in some way.

“The funding will mean that our team of dedicated and highly skilled staff can continue their crucial work for the next five years, thus supporting Wellcome with its philosophy to improve human health, and ensuring Swag直播 maintains its position at the forefront of pioneering health research.”

Director, Dr Jeremy Farrar said: “Wellcome Centres play a special role in the global research ecosystem. By creating places where researchers can flourish we can catalyse world-leading research and translation, and amplify its influence and impact.

“At Wellcome we believe in long term support for discovery-driven science, and Wellcome Centres are an outstanding environment for researchers to further our understanding of fundamental biology, accelerate translation to clinical practice, and explore the social and cultural context of medicine."

A highly successful University scheme to train “high flyers” who are likely to become future leaders in academia and industry has been renewed by the Medical Research Council (MRC).

The North West England MRC Clinical Research Training Fellowship Programme in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics is an initiative funded by the MRC and run jointly by the Universities of Liverpool and Swag直播.

The scheme, led by Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, from the University of Liverpool, and Professor Christopher Griffiths , from the University of Swag直播, provides world-class training to develop the next generation of research leaders in clinical pharmacology. This has been identified as a skills shortage priority area for UK across multiple stakeholders including healthcare, academia and industry.

The original scheme, started in 2010, has successfully trained 13 fellows with a focus on personalised medicine and drug safety science.

Just over £3m of funding has been awarded for the renewed scheme, the MRC providing £1.5m, and the Universities of Liverpool and Swag直播 providing £150K each to the scheme.

Partnerships with four major pharmaceutical companies (Eli Lilly, Novartis, Roche, UCB Pharma) have also been formed resulting in each of them committing £300K to the scheme. The aim again is to train 13 high-calibre clinical fellows.

The scheme will focus on three important disease areas of Oncology, Infectious Disease and Inflammation and Repair and each fellow will have the opportunity to utilise expertise in Drug Safety, Stratified Medicine and Systems Pharmacology.

New fellows will develop their research project in collaboration with at least one of the industry partners and will spend time at the industry partner facilities which will foster “without walls” research opportunities.

Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, said: “The renewal of the scheme by MRC, together with the support from four global pharmaceutical companies, is a validation of the success of the initial programme, highlights our strengths in clinical pharmacology and allows us to continue to address the national skills shortage in this important clinical specialty”.

Professor Chris Griffiths, said: “We are delighted that this innovative and collaborative programme with industry has been renewed. It provides unique training in academic clinical pharmacology for fellows from a broad range of medical disciplines such as rheumatology, dermatology and oncology.

"Academic-industrial interfaces, as exemplified by the programme, will be an increasingly important aspect of translational research leading to high quality patient care.”

Dr Nathan Richardson, Head of Molecular & Cellular Medicine, MRC, adds: “The MRC Centre for Drug Safety Sciences at the University of Liverpool, with its strong partnerships with the University of Swag直播 and major pharmaceutical companies, continues to play a leading national role in understanding drug safety and off-target affects. With excellent leadership the Centre offers an outstanding environment to help the UK build a stronger cadre of clinician scientists with pharmacology skills and industry experience. We are delighted to renew our investment through this important training scheme.”

For more information regarding the scheme please visit

In a second boost for Swag直播 in as many months, a single city-wide bid has been awarded £12.5m by the Department of Health to fund the cutting-edge research space, highly trained staff and specialist equipment required to develop and deliver pioneering new treatments across three NHS sites in Greater Swag直播.

This new award is a major achievement for Greater Swag直播 Devolution, demonstrating synergy that can only be achieved by bringing together clinical and research expertise from across health and academia to deliver patient-orientated commercial and academic clinical research studies.

It will enable expansion of existing clinical research capacity across Swag直播 and is hosted by Central Swag直播 University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT) in partnership with The Christie NHS Foundation Trust (), University Hospital of South Swag直播 NHS Foundation Trust () and Swag直播.

Clinical Research Facilities (CRF) at CMFT, The Christie and UHSM, currently facilitate a total of 6500 visits per year from patients and healthy volunteers involved in research studies. They provide 24-hour, seven-day inpatient and outpatient research services, including those for children and infants, with over 50 research beds and 20 outpatient consultation rooms across Greater Swag直播.

Swag直播’s unique proposal will make research more accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds across the city region, as well as expanding the volume and types of research undertaken.

In September, the Department of Health announced under its Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) scheme, which recognises Swag直播’s international reputation and will drive forward research in the areas of musculoskeletal disease, hearing health, respiratory disease, dermatology and three themes (prevention, radiotherapy and precision medicine).

This latest investment is provided under Clinical Research Facility Scheme and will enable the Swag直播 CRFs to support researchers working in these areas and many others, representing major causes of premature death and disability for patients in Swag直播 and beyond. The Swag直播 CRFs are supported by the Swag直播 Academic Health Science Centre ().

Lord Peter Smith, Chair of Greater Swag直播 Health and Social Care Partnership Board said: “This reinforces Swag直播’s strong credentials in experimental medicine. The CRFs will play a key role in working with patients, academic and commercial research partners to implement the Greater Swag直播 Health and Social Care Devolution.”

Professor Nick Webb, Director of the Swag直播 CRF explained: “Our new One Swag直播 approach consolidates assets across our CRFs and will explore novel ways to drive efficiencies and maximise the impact of our research across Greater Swag直播.

“We know that disease burden remains disproportionately high in Swag直播 and especially in socially disadvantaged groups. Working with the BRC and NHS organisations across Swag直播, our focus will be to increase accessibility of research for people of all ages and backgrounds right across the city region and beyond.”

Sir Michael Deegan, Chief Executive at CMFT said: “Experimental medicine studies can be extremely complex and intensive, requiring specialist facilities. This investment will enable us to expand our world-leading research in this area and provide more patients in Swag直播 with the opportunity to trial new medicines.”

, President & Vice-Chancellor at Swag直播, added: “We’re delighted to receive this investment, which recognises the excellent research infrastructure we already have in Swag直播 and will help to further accelerate the translation of basic laboratory research through to treatments that benefit patients.”

Minister for Public Health and Innovation Nicola Blackwood said: “Our investment in this area so far has led to a variety of breakthroughs, including the first new asthma treatment in a decade, and a promising treatment for peanut allergies in children, to name just two.

“We know that such ground breaking clinical research simply would not happen without the support of these Clinical Research Facilities.

“I’m delighted to announce this funding to support the skilled personnel and cutting-edge facilities we need to keep Swag直播 at the forefront of clinical research.”

The Wellcome Trust has awarded £5M over the next five years to allow the Universities of Swag直播, Leeds, Newcastle and Sheffield to combine their strengths in biomedical and health research and create the 4ward North Clinical PhD Academy.

The Academy, in collaboration with The Francis Crick Institute in London, will award and oversee 25 Wellcome Trust fellowships to allow the best clinical trainees from around the country undertake a PhD. Additional bursaries and awards are available to help the next generation of clinician researchers make the all-important transition to a successful postdoctoral research career.

The international selection panel at the Wellcome Trust was particularly impressed by the innovative way in which the universities had come together to create a single collaborative entity in which the fellows will access the best of the combined research supervision, cutting-edge facilities and mentorship.

Professor Neil Hanley, Chair of Medicine at Swag直播, who led the bid with colleagues from Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle, said: "This was a great team effort over two years. The competition was tough and to have won the warm backing of the Wellcome Trust and collaboration of the Francis Crick Institute for our plans really illustrates that by working together we can improve our clinical academic training and research opportunities for the brightest trainees."

Professor Paul Stewart, Dean of Medicine & Health at the University of Leeds and Chair of the overarching 4ward North board was delighted with the news. “This is a tangible example of the national outreach of the Francis Crick Institute – its partnership with the academic excellence of the N4 consortium will deliver a stepwise change in training tomorrow’s clinical researchers”.

Sir Keith Peters, who helped establish the collaboration with the Francis Crick Institute, said: “As the Francis Crick Institute opens its doors at its new campus, it is wonderful to join up with this exciting research opportunity in northern England. Inspiring the next generation of clinicians to undertake research in the best settings is critical and it is a pleasure to be part of the Wellcome Trust 4ward North Clinical PhD Academy.”

Click for further information about the Wellcome Trust Clinical PhD awards.

Today history has been made as a single Swag直播 bid has been awarded £28.5m from the NIHR, bringing lifesaving tests and treatments a step nearer for millions of people.

The bid has only been made possible through bringing together the recognised clinical and research expertise from across health and academia, which demonstrates the connectivity and collaboration that is central to making Greater Swag直播 devolution a success.

The successful bid has been hosted by Central Swag直播 University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with Swag直播 and the partnership also involves The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospital of South Swag直播 NHS Foundation Trust and is supported by . It will see Swag直播 granted prestigious NIHR Biomedical Research Centre status.

This will drive forward pioneering research into new tests and treatments in the areas of musculoskeletal disease, hearing health, respiratory disease and dermatology and three themes (prevention, radiotherapy and precision medicine).

Swag直播’s researchers impressed an international panel of experts with their unique proposals that will accelerate the translation of early stage research into new diagnostic tests and treatments to benefit patients of all ages and backgrounds in Greater Swag直播 and beyond. This will make Swag直播 ideally placed to attract further research investment that will give our patients early access to new and ground-breaking treatments and will deliver wider value to the economy.

Jon Rouse, Chief Officer of , the body overseeing the devolution of the £6bn health and social care budget, said:

"The new partnership approach under devolution means that we have both the opportunity – and the means – to combine the talents of people from a whole range of areas to benefit our population. This hugely welcome funding is recognition that in Greater Swag直播 we can combine the best clinical skills with the best research, innovation and academic talent to take huge steps in improving the health and wellbeing of our people.’

, Director of the NIHR Swag直播 BRC, added: “Working closely with patients, we will use the latest advances in biology, medicine and health technology to better predict disease and likely treatment response. The new diagnostic tests and therapies we develop will enable doctors to offer a more tailored approach and to better personalise treatments to the individual. We are also working on better ways to prevent disease developing in the first place.”

Sir Mike Deegan, Chief Executive of Central Swag直播 University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, explained: “The achievement of a BRC for Swag直播 is a landmark moment which will see £28.5m directly invested into finding new ways of preventing, predicting and treating some of the major causes of premature death and disability,” commented “Bringing together our research expertise has only been made possible by the unique connectivity which devolution provides.”

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of Swag直播, said: “The BRC focuses the research efforts of the University and NHS Partners so that we can address the considerable health needs of Greater Swag直播. As the areas of research being targeted by the BRC represent complex global health issues our work also has the potential to have an impact much further afield.”

Roger Spencer, Chief Executive of The Christie, said: “Having a BRC that focuses on three areas of cancer research is to be warmly welcomed. Together with cutting edge advances in treatment such as the new proton beam therapy unit, The Christie is improving research into cancer which means we will be even better able to serve the health needs of this region.”

Professor Ian Greer, Vice-President and Dean of Swag直播's commented: “This award presents us with a fantastic opportunity to build on our existing, very successful relationships with our NHS partners in MAHSC to help deliver a real step-change in health research across Swag直播.

"All seven research themes are led by academics based in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health; and our ability to deliver tangible benefits under each of the seven areas has undoubtedly been enhanced by the closer alignment of discovery, clinical and health sciences during the creation of FBMH. As each BRC theme becomes established, there will be many opportunities for colleagues across the Faculty to make a contribution and to establish new collaborations with our partner organisations.

“The seven BRC themes, led by Faculty academics, will also help to realise our ambition of developing a truly translational approach to biology, medicine and health, and ultimately have a very real and positive impact on people’s lives.”

The seven research themes

Cancer

Theme 1: Cancer Prevention and Early Detection
Lead:

Around 50% of people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Cancer prevention and early detection strategies are not currently fully leveraged despite having an important role to play in the fight against cancer.

The BRC will help to improve the targeting of these strategies, by developing the early markers needed to diagnose cancer sooner and rapidly identify whether a treatment is having the desired response.

Theme 2: Advanced radiotherapy
Lead:

Radiotherapy has an important role to play in the fight against cancer. Around 40% of those patients cured of cancer have received radiotherapy as part of their treatment.

The BRC will improve the delivery of radiation and develop markers to predict the benefit of different types of radiation and drug-radiation combinations, as well as the risk of long-term side effects,”

Theme 3: Cancer precision medicine
Lead:

The BRC will help the NHS to deliver a more personalised and proactive approach to caring for patients with cancer. Through the precise characterisation of tumours, its research will enable us to develop the diagnostic tests needed to match an individual’s cancer with the drug most likely to have the desired therapeutic effect.

Work will also focus on helping clinicians to anticipate and appropriately manage drug resistant relapse, a common problem faced by patients with cancer.

Musculoskeletal diseases

Theme 4: Musculoskeletal disease
Lead:

Musculoskeletal disorders, such as arthritis and connective tissue diseases, account for over 20% of all GP consultations and are the second most common cause of disability worldwide.

Building on the work of our NIHR Swag直播 Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, the BRC will focus on strategies to prevent arthritis developing in the first place. We are also developing new treatment approaches to arthritis in adults and children and new tests to improve our ability to personalise treatments used. .

Hearing health

Theme 5: Hearing health
Lead:

Hearing loss will soon be the 7^th largest global disease burden. It represents a major public health issue with substantial economic and societal costs. The BRC is focused on the rapid adoption of discoveries into routine clinical practice to improve health and wellbeing, reduce inequalities and provide value for money.

The BRC will help deliver effective and efficient hearing health across the lifespan – from preventing potentially devastating inherited deafness through to age-related deafness.

Respiratory diseases

Theme 6: Respiratory disease
Lead:

Respiratory diseases are the third most common cause of death and the second most common cause of hospital admissions in the UK.

The BRC will build a better understanding of the underlying causes of respiratory conditions and test new drug compounds aimed at novel targets to modify the disease processes involved and improve symptom control in patients.

Research will focus on earlier diagnosis and more targeted treatment, to maximise the likelihood of a good treatment response for an individual whilst minimising the risks of harm from therapies such as antimicrobial resistance.

Dermatology

Theme 7: Cutaneous inflammation and repair
Lead:

Skin conditions and poor wound healding have a considerable impact on many people’s quality of life.

The BRC will identify markers and tools, which can be used to personalise treatment plans and identify opportunities to address unmet clinical need for patients suffering from complex wounds, psoriasis, hair loss and light-sensitive conditions.

Swag直播 has opened the multi-million pound Stoller Biomarker Discovery Centre (14 June), which will identify the unique markers of diseases such as cancer or arthritis. These markers will be developed to ensure the right treatment for the right patient as early as possible.

The Stoller Biomarker Discovery Centre, which is funded by a philanthropic gift from the Stoller Charitable Trust, and in partnership with , will help to industrialise the process of identifying biomarkers – the molecular clues that indicate the presence of a disease or other condition.

By detecting these on a scale never seen before in Europe, University scientists and clinicians will be able to work with health companies and the NHS to produce a greater number of tests and develop new treatments to accelerate the process of curing many of the most serious illnesses faced today.

Medicines have historically been developed for whole populations, but biomarkers help to stratify patients so they get the right treatment for them – not one size fits all. In cancer work already ongoing in the Centre has identified possible tests to detect ovarian cancer earlier, gaining valuable advantage by being able to treat this disease earlier and therefore more effectively.

is the Director of the new Centre. He said: “The Centre is a major step forward in precision medicine. Essentially this is the future of healthcare – getting the right treatment to the right person at the right time and in the right dose.

“Without the knowledge of biomarkers we won’t be able to identify which people need treatment or who will benefit from certain medicines, so this new centre underpins everything we’re doing in precision medicine in Swag直播 and beyond.”

The Stoller Biomarker Centre is located at , in the midst of biotechnology companies, t and Swag直播.

The new Centre is stocked with a large suite of high-end SCIEX mass spectrometers, including TripleTOF^® 6600 Systems with SWATH Acquisition, QTRAP^® 6500+ Systems, and the SCIEX Lipidyzer Platform, for measuring molecules in proteins (proteomics). Swag直播 has also invested in a number of liquid chromatography and automated sample preparation components for the Centre, from SCIEX and other life science companies.

“SCIEX’s mission of innovating integrated, reliable analytical tools to gain scientific understandings that lead to better health, enables our customers to advance precision medicine with scale and speed like never before,” said Jean-Paul Mangeolle, President of SCIEX.

“And it takes more than providing great instruments to be part of a movement as important as precision medicine; it takes strong collaborations with customers, partnerships with industry leaders and teamwork with our colleagues at other the Danaher Corporation life companies, to establish and deploy the most comprehensive proteomics solutions.”

The Centre was officially opened during a special two day conference (14-15 June), which attracted some of the biggest names in medical research such as Dr Leroy Hood, Dr Leigh Anderson, and Professor Jennifer Van Eyk.

The Centre will build on research carried out at Swag直播 including discovering new markers for the earlier detection of cancers – crucial in starting early treatment to save lives. Work to identify new biomarkers for diseases such as arthritis, cardiovascular, Alzheimer’s and psoriasis will also be enhanced.

The Centre will work in the newly devolved healthcare system in Greater Swag直播, as the city-region and major bodies and companies operating within it work to remove bottlenecks such as making the transition from lab to bedside with new tests and drugs.

President and Vice-Chancellor of Swag直播, said: “Swag直播 has become a major hub for precision medicine and proteomics we are very grateful to the funders who have backed the cutting-edge work that is carried out by our scientists.

“As a result of their generosity, The Stoller Biomarker Discovery Centre will start work on addressing some of the biggest issues in medicine in an environment where these discoveries can move quickly to improve people’s lives.”

Researchers at Central Swag直播 University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT) and Swag直播 have been awarded more than £5 million to evaluate the timing of surgery for infants with cleft palate.

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (), a branch of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, has contributed the follow-up grant ($7.6 million) for the TOPS (Timing of Primary Surgery for Cleft Palate) clinical trial.

The money will allow the team of researchers, led by and , to complete the TOPS trial over the next five years.

The international is looking into the timing of surgery for cleft palate in infants and compares the results of surgery performed at either 6 or 12 months. It involves data over a wide range of disciplines such as clinical genetics, speech and language pathology, audiology and orthodontics.

A review of surgical practice across the UK and Scandinavia identified differences in the timing of primary surgery in infants with cleft palate. There is currently no reliable evidence to support that either primary surgery at age 6 months or age 12 months produces better outcomes, however, it is thought that the timing of surgery may influence speech development and for that reason the best possible timing should be assessed.

More than 550 infants with cleft palate were recruited at 23 sites in the UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Brazil between September 2010 and July 2015, with a grant that the NIDCR previously awarded. Babies who participated in the trial received surgery using the same technique (Sommerlad technique) and were randomly assigned to have their surgery when they are either aged 6 months or 12 months. There was a 50:50 chance of infants being in either group.

After surgery, children taking part will be followed up at age 12 months, three years and five years when speech, hearing and physical development will be reviewed.

Professor Shaw said: “The main objective of this trial is to determine whether the timing of the cleft palate surgery has an influence on speech development. We hope that through this study we will be able to offer recommendations to help shape surgical procedures for young patients with cleft palate in the future.

“We also aim to help improve early speech and hearing, and thus the social integration of affected children; to reduce the burden of remedial care and secondary surgery that they and their families presently endure and to reduce the financial costs of care associated with cleft palate.”

The TOPS site at was the first to start recruitment for the study in September 2010, and Swag直播 is hosting the data evaluation meetings planned until 2020.

Swag直播 scientists will play a key role in ground-breaking research into the final stages of cancer.

Researchers from the city’s Cancer Research UK Centre will be collaborating with scientists across the UK, following the announcement today of the charity’s .

Designed to inspire new approaches to beating cancer, the awards will invest in a UK-wide initiative over five years to expand the first national post-mortem cancer study.

Doctors will invite terminally ill patients – most of whom are taking part in clinical trials – to donate samples of their cancer after their death. They will be asked to discuss the issue with their families, before deciding to be part of this pioneering research.

It aims to understand how cancer changes and evolves in advanced stages of the disease to help develop better treatments for cancer that has spread.

Researchers in Swag直播 will join forces with scientists from Leicester, Belfast, Cambridge, Glasgow, and London to roll out the study collecting blood and tissue samples from patients who have died from cancer.

This work will be vital for understanding the evolution and final stages of the disease and the genetics of certain tumours that are hard for doctors to take samples from when patients are alive, like brain tumours.

Scientists will be able to study how tumours develop and spread in advanced cancer, how and why tumours become resistant to treatment and how the body reacts to the disease during the final stages, as well as looking at potential ways to boost the immune system to fight cancer.

Professor Caroline Dive, who will lead the research at , said: “We’re delighted to be a part of this grant from Cancer Research UK. It will help to further our understanding of cancer and give patients the choice to contribute to research after their death that could improve outcomes for others.

“The vital investment in this study will help us complete the whole cancer picture – from diagnosis to end of life – which we need to understand how cancer changes and evolves over time. It’s these changes which make the cancer difficult to treat because it can stop responding to treatment.”

In the same set of awards, the Swag直播 Cancer Research UK Centre is part of a group of research centres which has received funding to work on ground-breaking research into new radiotherapy treatments.

Cancer Research UK’s Centres’ Network Accelerator Awards will invest a total of around £16 million in four projects nationally – including the post-mortem cancer and radiotherapy studies - which are helping to speed up advances in research into hard to treat cancers.

Dr Iain Foulkes, executive director for research funding at Cancer Research UK, said: “Effective partnerships are crucial for delivering the greatest science and boosting advancements in fighting cancer.

“We’re excited to be investing in collaborative and innovative research in Swag直播 and across the UK. It’s by working together and uniting expertise that we will accelerate cutting-edge research and save more lives.”

The post-mortem cancer study is not yet open for patients across the UK.

is one of Swag直播’s research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet.

A University of Swag直播 team is to develop a new vaccine against the Zika virus as part of a new initiative to counter the disease which has spread rapidly across the Americas in the last few months.

The team will create and test a vaccine based on a safe derivative of a pre-existing smallpox vaccine – the only disease to have been successfully globally eradicated.

, Honorary Senior Lecturer at Swag直播 and Fellow of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Consultant in Infectious Diseases at North Swag直播 General Hospital and the Royal Liverpool Hospital will lead the project. and are University of Swag直播 experts involved in the project and the work will be done in collaboration with Professors Miles Carrol and Roger Hewson from Public Health England.

Dr Blanchard said: “As we have seen in the case of Ebola there is now a real need to react quickly to fast spreading tropical diseases. Zika can cause serious illness, but it often has no visible symptoms, so a vaccine for those at risk is one of the most effective ways we have of combatting it.”

Zika virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947 and the disease is mainly spread by mosquitoes, though there have been reports of human to human transmission. It is particularly serious for pregnant women, as it's been linked to birth defects – in particular, microcephaly, a condition where a baby’s brain doesn’t grow properly and it is born with an abnormally small head and serious development problems.

A recent and particularly severe outbreak which began in South America and has since spread north to United States Territories prompted , and to launch a £4m rapid response funding initiative at the beginning of February.

The results of this call for proposals have been announced today and Dr Blanchard and his team were awarded £177,713 to build and test a vaccine as part of this.

It is expected that the results will be delivered within 18 months and although the first target will be the Zika virus, the nature of the vaccine candidate may enable it to combat many infectious diseases simultaneously.

Dr Blanchard added: “We know that there’s an urgent need for this vaccine but we’ll be working carefully to deliver a product which is safe and effective and which can be quickly deployed to those who need it.”

“If we can also use this vaccine on multiple targets then this will represent an exciting step forward in dealing with these kinds of outbreaks.”

The combined impact of dementia, age-related hearing and vision impairment is to be investigated by a new multi-million European research consortium led by Swag直播.

Seven in ten Europeans over the age of 65 suffer from either sight or hearing problems and over two thirds suffer from depression or dementia. When combined together the cumulative impact of these dual or triple impairments is far greater than the individual conditions. The scale of combined sensory and cognitive problems is substantial but poorly understood.

The five year project, led by Swag直播, has been funded with €6.5m from the European Commission’s research programme. The project aims to investigate this combined impact and develop new tools that could improve quality of life and optimise health and social care budgets across Europe.

, an academic psychiatrist from Swag直播, who is the lead researcher on the project, said: “In combination these problems have a much greater effect than each one individually. Imagine if you have dementia which affects your memory or interferes with your recognition of familiar people. When you add visual impairment to that, you can understand why those affected may experience even greater cognitive difficulty or even experience altered behaviour such as agitation or hallucinations.

“The burden on carers – often family members – is also increased as they are required to do much more on a daily basis and we see a greater number of these suffering from burn-out.”

The project seeks to define the scale of the challenges so that authorities across the continent can allocate resources more optimally. At the same time, researchers will also develop online tests, guides and multi-lingual training manuals to help medical professionals diagnose and treat the combined problems more effectively.

Minority groups are particularly disadvantaged with respect to diagnosis and treatment of mental and sensory problems, so researchers will be seeking out people from these groups to participate in the research.

The programme will also trial an intervention of at-home support for people with dual- and triple-impairments. This will be supported by specialist sensory therapists based at and will focus around pragmatic solutions to support both the affected person and their carer.

, a University of Swag直播 audiologist and co-lead of the SENSE-Cog project said: “Millions of people in the UK and wider EU are affected by this combination of problems and it’s only going to get more prevalent as the population ages. That’s why we have to understand the scale of the problem and then equip the public, carers and health care workers with the tools they need to deal with it. If we could reduce disability due to hearing and vision impairment, there is huge potential to improve mental well-being and even delay the deterioration of dementia.”