Boffins set to converge on city
THE high point of Manchester’s year as the European City of Science 2016 arrives this weekend with 4,500 scientists from more than 90 countries visiting for the EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF), Europe’s largest gathering of researchers, innovators, policy makers and educators.
Manchester Science Partnerships (MSP) is one of the principal sponsors of the five-day festival at Manchester Central between July 23 and 27.
It’s the first time ESOF has been held in the UK and the event brings together the international scientific community to discuss developments and discoveries.
The programme includes more than 150 seminars, workshops and debates from leaders in the field – including Nobel laureates and prominent scientists.
MSP’s involvement includes hosting a masterclass on anti-microbial resistance (AMR), the grave threat to public health posed by the rise of drug resistance. MSP’s Alderley Park bio campus is to be the base of a new public private organisation, The AMR Centre, which will both conduct and fund research into new drugs and diagnostics.
Rowena Burns, chief executive of MSP, said: “ESOF has come at the perfect time for Manchester and we are very proud to be a key partner, involved in showcasing all that our region represents in terms of innovation and scientific discovery.
“No one could say that 2016 has been uneventful and there are many uncertainties ahead. Manchester is a global place and has long been a centre of research and scientific breakthroughs. There’s a belief in collaboration here that goes beyond borders.
“Manchester will continue to focus on its opportunities, collaborating with partners internationally to drive economic growth and our flourishing science sector.
“Our work in the digital technology sector with public, private and academic partners on initiatives such as the £10m Internet of Things city demonstrator – CityVerve and the new joint venture with Cisco – the Mi-IDEA innovation centre, shows MSP’s support for British innovation, digitisation and the UK business economy as a whole.”
The main science programme at ESOF has a number of strands which have a strong resonance in Manchester – including ‘Healthy Populations’.
Burns said: “The devolution of Manchester’s £6bn NHS and social care budget has created a unique opportunity for joined-up thinking around keeping people healthy and well. MSP is very much involved and has a role to play as a knowledge broker – connecting people, businesses and helping ideas off the ground.”
The MSP team will also be hosting an international media tour of Alderley Park.
Burns added: “World class science happens at Alderley Park and we are delighted to respond to the opportunity to showcase its equipment, facilities and customers.”
