In the world of life sciences, Scotland’s cities are taking the lead and delivering impressive and lasting results. Across the country, projects are being developed that are testament to the varied skills and talents of our people. We are a country that moves with the times and seizes opportunities, which is great news for investors.
In Glasgow, Bruntwood SciTech, a joint venture between investor and developer Bruntwood and Legal & General, has revealed plans to double its investment into Glasgow, totalling £60m. Bruntwood SciTech is developing the Met Tower as a city centre hub for digital and tech start-ups and businesses. You’ll probably know the building. It’s the former College of Building and Printing that overlooks George Square with the huge “People Make Glasgow” sign. It’s dominated the Glasgow skyline for decades and now it’s being transformed into a 200,000 sq ft office and co-working facility.
And the demand for such a project is clear. The science and technology sector now accounts for nearly 30% of all jobs in the city and that figure is set to grow.
Meanwhile in Aberdeen, the £40 million ONE BioHub will be the centre of life sciences activity in the North East. It’s a brand new facility, having opened in May, and it will provide high quality lab and office facilities that will offer a place where academics and researchers can meet up and collaborate with businesses to create exciting and innovative projects. The Scottish Government’s Innovation Minister Richard Lochhead launched the new centre, saying:
ONE BioHub will be a tremendous asset for the North East and the whole of Scotland. It will allow the already thriving life sciences cluster in the region to continue growing, innovating and succeeding. This includes important work in developing innovative treatments for conditions like Alzheimer’s Disease and cancer.
Richard Lochhead, Scottish Government’s Innovation Minister.
In Dundee, the BioDundee project will bring businesses and academic groups together to boost life sciences and healthcare in the city and beyond. Dundee boasts two top class universities and a range of businesses that are making the city a Scottish hub for life sciences.
And in Edinburgh, exciting things are happening in the city’s BioQuarter, with the opening of the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult, or CGT Catapult for short. The project is a series of laboratories that specialise in cell and gene research. And it will focus on developing technologies to combat diseases such as cancer by providing the resources and space that scientists need to succeed.
Edinburgh has become a world-leading hub for stem cell research, and this new space, located in the University of Edinburgh’s Institute of Regeneration and Repair, will build on and support the region’s academic strength. The space also includes a Universal Design Lab which has been designed for scientists with and without disabilities to work side by side. The new labs were opened by Michael Matheson, Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, who said:
I am thrilled to be opening the new Edinburgh Laboratories for the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult. Their innovative work is not solely focused on industry and research, but working closely with the NHS and academic partners, to ensure our health care systems are prepared for the future.
Michael Matheson, Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care.
Inverness Campus also support’s the growth of the life sciences sector across Scotland. The Innovation Centre, is the result of a collaboration between Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and UHI and has been supported with funding from the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal and the European Regional Development Fund. The centre helps encourage collaboration between academic researchers, industry and the health sector, supporting the development of new products, processes and services to improve healthcare.
And there’s good news on the jobs front in Glasgow and Stirling, as German pharma firm Merck is creating 500 posts as part of a £30m investment in two drug testing sites. This means the firm will now employ more than 1,200 people in the two cities. David McClelland, Managing Director for Merck’s Scottish sites, said:
The biosafety testing services at our sites in Glasgow and Stirling have been experiencing strong, double-digit growth for several years.
This investment is a significant announcement for Merck in Scotland and an acknowledgment of the great work of our on-site teams.
David McClelland, Managing Director Merck’s Scottish Sites
So it’s clear that the future is very bright for life sciences in Scotland and our cities are set to benefit.
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