We were delighted to host the Minister for Health and Secondary Care, Andrew Stephenson CBE MP, on Friday 5 January for a tour of the UK DRI at Edinburgh.
Minister Stephenson was shown around the UK DRI Centre, which is based within the University of Edinburgh, by Prof Siddharthan Chandran (Director of the UK DRI), Prof Giles Hardingham (Centre Director of the UK DRI at Edinburgh), Prof Sir Peter Mathieson (Principal and Vice Chancellor, University of Edinburgh) and Prof David Argyle (Head of the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh).
As part of his visit, Minister Stephenson met UK DRI scientists of all levels, who are taking a variety of scientific approaches in their research, from working with zebra fish and human stem cells in the lab, to running an innovative clinical trial, MND-SMART. The Minister also visited the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, where Prof Chandran is Director, to see first-hand how the UK DRI’s research links directly to clinical practice.
met scientists of all levels during the visit
The UK DRI at Edinburgh is home to 14 UK DRI Group Leaders, who are working to understand how the brain’s cells and systems work together to maintain brain health over many decades, how this delicate balance is disrupted, and how this process can be slowed or stopped to alter disease progression. Scientists at the UK DRI at Edinburgh conduct world-leading discovery science, examining the complex interactions between cells of the brain, the immune system and blood vessels of the brain, to pave the way for new treatments.
The Centre is located in the Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh’s evolving health innovation district, which co-locates groundbreaking medical research, clinical practice, and entrepreneurship in the life sciences. Prof Chandran explained how the UK DRI takes advantage of this setting to integrate discovery science with clinical practice to drive progress for patients.
Article published: 9 January 2024
Banner image: Copyright UK DRI Ltd.