£30m deal to keep stem cell research at Centre for Life
Nov 27 2008 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal
MEDICAL experts last night signed a £30m deal to keep Newcastle at the cutting edge of research for the next 25 years.
Stem cell work will continue to be pioneered at the city’s Centre for Life after the multi-million pound deal was signed off by university bosses.
A 25-year lease deal between the centre and Newcastle University means world-class scientists will continue investigating treatments for potentially fatal diseases.
The deal will allow the University’s Institute of Human Genetics and the North East England Stem Cell Institute to continue their groundbreaking work.
Much of the work involves potential cures for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and diabetes using stem cells from early embryos which can be used to grow new cells to replace those destroyed or damaged by the diseases.
Since the Institute moved to the Centre for Life in 2001 it has attracted dozens of the world’s leading scientists to Newcastle.
Chief executive Linda Conlon said the benefits of the lease agreement would be felt across the city.
She said: “We have been here almost 10 years now, the science centre opened in 2000 but there was a presence already in 1998. And what we have achieved in that time has been beyond our wildest dreams.
“The fact that Newcastle University has committed itself to up to 25 years more of working here will open the way for our success to go even further.
“What we are doing here is really quite unusual. In other towns and cities the research and academic world is almost separate both from the rest of the town and from each other.
“Here, instead of being spread out on business parks we are working together under one banner and the spark that has created has been incredible.
“And the other benefit comes from being a part of the city. When I look out of my window I can see the city going on around us and it is great that we are right at the centre of that.”
Ms Conlon said the university’s decision to keep the research based at the Centre for Life was not a reflection on plans for a £700m Science City development.
With stem cell and aging work both now unlikely to be carried out in the complex, due to be built on the former Scottish and Newcastle brewery site, questions have been asked as to just what role the huge development will fill.
Last night, Ms Conlon insisted the city was on track to meet its ambitious science targets. She said: “The Centre for Life work is really a microcosm of the Science City project.
“The former brewery site and the development there will eventually transform Newcastle, but even now we are turning it into a city of science.”
Professor Chris Day, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the medical faculty at Newcastle University, said the agreement opened the way for new state-of-the-art laboratories to be built.
He said: “This expansion will allow for more research programmes and help move the science forward to treatments and commercial applications.
“We hope to have the first of the new labs available at the end of next year.”
For previous stories about the stem cell issue, click the links below
