Innovation in healthcare is a high-growth area, as healthcare services worldwide face growing demand amid limited resources. Scientific and technological advances are providing an opportunity for novel strategies for treatment, prevention and healthcare delivery ─ and ultimately for improving patient outcomes.
Precision medicine – where treatment and prevention strategies are tailored to the patient’s specific genetic, disease or environmental characteristics – is a key area of innovation. Researchers are harnessing advanced genomic, imaging and information technologies to develop more efficacious, safe and cost-effective treatment, in a move away from the traditional ‘one size fits all’ approach.
Why Glasgow?
With high-quality health data and records, a unified NHS, a strong life sciences industry, and a world-leading academic research base – Scotland is the best place in the world to develop and deliver precision medicine and build international collaborations of scale.
Glasgow’s thriving life sciences sector, underpinned by a robust partnership of academia, industry and the NHS, provides ideal conditions for health innovation to flourish. With four universities, the largest acute hospital complex in Western Europe and a world-leading talent pool, the region produces and attracts international leaders in precision medicine, medical technology, and translational medicine.
The Glasgow BioCorridor ─ a biomedical cluster linking industry with public sector and academia ─ houses 230 life sciences companies, representing up to half of all life sciences enterprises and medtech companies in Scotland. The region is also home to world-class R&D centres of excellence, including the University of Glasgow-led Imaging Centre of Excellence, Clinical Innovation Zone, and Precision Medicine Scotland – Innovation Centre at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) site.
Health innovation in the region is further supported by world-class infrastructure and facilities, including novel imaging technology and access to a patient base of 2.8 million. The New Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre at Inchinnan, Renfrewshire, will accelerate adoption of novel manufacturing technologies for small molecule pharmaceuticals and fine high value chemicals. The region is also home to one of the largest pathology laboratories in Europe, and a large bio-repository for high-quality clinical samples.
- Developments led by the University of Glasgow will create £25m gross value added for the economy and 125 new jobs.
- The Imaging Centre of Excellence (ICE) at the QEUH includes 22,000 square feet of co-working space to maximise opportunity for innovation and economic impact.
- The new Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre (MMIC) in Renfrewshire alone aims to attract more than £80m in R&D investment by 2028.
- The Industrial Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research in Digital Diagnostics (iCAIRD) will create new jobs centred around AI and digital technology in healthcare.
- Development of platform technology for precision medicine diagnostics by BioClavis at the QEUH is anticipated to create 40 new jobs.
- The region’s focus on driving international research excellence and an early competitive advantage will provide opportunities for inward investment and regional growth.
Case Studies
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