Friday 17th November 2017, 4:00pm
Article featured as part of The Scotsman: Life Science Series.
There are many opportunities but our greatest strength is in the triple
helix: academia, industry and the NHS, working hand in hand and becoming
a strength which we can propagate around the world.
We have a number of research-intensive universities in Scotland – in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen – and they add tremendous value.
We have real strength in our SMEs across biotechnology, precision medicine diagnostics, smart health data and medtech and they are ready for great success in Scotland.
It’s this collaboration between the universities, SMEs and the NHS that
gives Scotland a huge advantage – but we need an extra push. We need to
boast, to tell our story better, to get people to come here and buy
what we have. The excellence of the Scottish life sciences sector is
not yet well-known enough globally.
"Animal health, agriculture and aquaculture (A3) make up three of the seven sub-sectors of Scottish life sciences. Scotland punches well above its weight internationally in life sciences. Easter Bush already has the highest concentration of animal health expertise anywhere in Europe."
"With an extra 2.7 billion people on the planet projected by 2050, the market drivers are clearly there for Scotland to innovate in food security, which with environmental security and cyber security make up the three biggest challenges and threats for our generation and generations to come."
"With Roslin Innovation Centre as the gateway to Edinburgh University’s Easter Bush Campus, in the Midlothian Science Zone, Scotland is uniquely placed to be world leading in this specific Triple A category."
"By taking advantage of this opportunity and realising such an ambition, A3 will be contributing its own fair share towards reaching Scotland’s life sciences sector £8bn goal by 2025."
John Mackenzie, Chief Executive Officer, Roslin Innovation CentreRoslin Innovation Centre
The University of Edinburgh
Easter Bush Campus
Midlothian EH25 9RG
