Patients will see faster cancer diagnoses and doctors will gain new insights into how diseases develop and resist treatments, as part of 3 new research programmes which harness cutting-edge tech to deliver benefits for hardworking people across the country.
Unveiled by Science Minister Lord Vallance, a combined pot of £150 million will support 3 key projects spanning healthcare, clean energy, and the development of state-of-the-art materials, News Cover reports, citing UK government.
This will help deliver on the government’s plans for national renewal, by growing the economy, improving lives, and helping turn the brightest UK research ideas into new businesses.
The investment is part of UKRI’s record £38 billion funding settlement, which will specifically target curiosity-driven research, R&D addressing government priorities, and support for innovative companies to start, scale and stay in the UK.
The UK’s research community has already been backed by a record £86 billion in R&D investment over the coming years, with today’s announcements highlighting how that support is helping researchers go further and faster to deliver positive change and tangible impact for the British public.
One key area is in the treatment and diagnoses of cancer – a disease which will touch all of us over the course of our lifetimes. The earlier a disease is caught, the better a patient’s chances, while the ability for researchers to understand why a treatment works for one person but not others holds the potential to transform care for millions.
Backed by £55 million, a new medical imaging programme will create ‘Centres of Imaging Excellence’ in England, Scotland and Wales. These hubs for cutting-edge med tech will bring together the latest scanning technology with clinical expertise to unlock new insights into how diseases develop and why some infections resist drugs. For patients, this means faster, more accurate diagnoses and treatments tailored to them. For the NHS, it means staying at the forefront of medical science while easing pressure on services.
A project backed by £15 million meanwhile will tap into Britain’s coastline - one of our greatest natural assets - to help generate reliable, clean power. Blue Horizon will expand the European Marine Energy Centre’s world-leading tidal test facilities in Orkney, meaning more companies can trial their turbines in real world conditions, accelerating the journey from prototype to power grid. The investment brings tidal energy closer to becoming a mainstream part of Britain’s energy mix, creating skilled jobs in coastal communities and supporting the government’s mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower.
Scotland’s natural strengths as a renewable energy powerhouse have already seen the country taking on an increasingly pivotal role to deliver growth and opportunity. Lanarkshire’s new AI Growth Zone announced just weeks ago will not only create 3,400 high-value local jobs but will also be powered by on-site renewables. This pioneering approach highlights the potential of renewable energy to power the UK’s science, innovation, and technology ambitions for generations to come.
