GBSLEP in life sciences sector push

THE Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) has announced the launch of a new Life Sciences Commission as a step towards attracting businesses from that sector into the region.

Chaired by Birmingham businessman Graham Silk, who is also co-founder of the Cure Leukaemia charity and Patients4Data, the commission will involve a wide range of stakeholders including hospitals and other related NHS partners, universities, industry, central government and the GBSLEP’s private and public sector partners.

The new commission will be looking to unlock the potential that exists to grow the life sciences sector in the Greater Birmingham region, which will be further enhanced by the opening of a new Institute of Translational Medicine (ITM) in Birmingham in June.

Birmingham is fast becoming recognised as an important centre for the life sciences sector – especially in the Edgbaston area which has been christened the Edgbaston Medical Quarter (EMQ).

Steve Hollis, deputy chairman of the GBSLEP, said: “The launch of the Life Sciences Commission is particularly exciting and will allow us to build on Birmingham’s current success in pioneering life sciences services in the UK. 

“This vitally important work will accelerate the delivery of personalised healthcare for a range of major issues including cancer and liver disease.
 
“As well as positioning our city as a life sciences centre of excellence, helping to provide the best treatments for the improvement of the health of the nation, Birmingham’s life sciences focus will also go a long way to creating more jobs and delivering further growth for our region.”
 
Minister for life sciences George Freeman said: “Bringing together industry with the assets and capabilities of our universities and the NHS is not only revolutionising the way we look at getting better treatments and medical innovations into the health service, it boosts economic growth and creates jobs.

“With its excellent universities, its infrastructure to accommodate accelerated clinical trials and its large and diverse patient population, Birmingham is in a strong position to become a hub for the life sciences, so I welcome this commission by the GBSLEP to look at how best to grow the life sciences sector in the city and the wider area.”
 
Commission chairman Silk said: “Given Birmingham’s pre-eminence in the area of accelerated trials, its forward thinking vision in creating the Institute of Translational Medicine and with one of the largest one-hour catchment area of patients in Europe, this commission will identify and create a roadmap that will significantly assist in expanding and stimulating life sciences activity in the region.

“In addition, the creation of a sustainable throughput of new treatments will deliver a massive improvement to patient outcomes not only locally but across the world.”