The Department of Chemistry’s plans for a new £22.8 million Chemistry of Health Centre have received the thumbs up from the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund (UKRPIF), who have approved the department’s full funding bid for £17.6 million.
The Centre will be located on the south side of the existing building and will house the Centre for Protein Misfolding Diseases, a Chemistry of Health Incubator, and the Molecular Production and Characterisation Centre.
These facilities will not only enable fundamental discoveries in the molecular processes underlying human disease, but will also promote their translation into clinical and commercial applications.
Translation of research into benefits for society
“I am incredibly excited about this news,” said Head of Department Daan Frenkel. “As a University and a Department we have a huge responsibility to make sure that our research gets translated into real benefits for society.
“This is particularly true in health: the dramatic increase in age and life-style related diseases calls not just for ground-breaking chemical discoveries, but for private-public partnerships that will translate discoveries into treatments.
“The Chemistry of Health Centre is the embodiment of this philosophy -- it will be a game changer.’
The 2815 m2 Centre will provide the infrastructure for specialised laboratories, analytical facilities, and an innovative Chemistry of Health Incubator which will host and support academic-industrial partnerships. The opportunities for research will have both immediate and long-term benefits for human health and the UK economy.
Major breakthroughs
Professor Chris Dobson, whose research into the fundamental causes of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases earned him the 2014 Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics and the 2014 Feltrinelli Prize, said “I could not be more delighted by this wonderful news. There have been really major breakthroughs within the Chemistry Department here in Cambridge in the context of human health, and particularly in understanding the fundamental origins of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
“These breakthroughs have come from the collaborative activities of a number of research groups working together, and with other partners, to understand the underlying nature of these conditions. The Chemistry of Health Centre will enable us to make a giant step forward in translating this work into future treatments to combat these rapidly proliferating and truly devastating conditions."
Funding for the bid
The bid is one of seven projects funded by the current round of the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund. To be eligible for the bid, the Department of Chemistry and University of Cambridge successfully secured more than double the government funding from industrial and charity co-investors, making this a truly collaborative project.
Madeleine Atkins, Chief Executive of HEFCE, said, “The UK Research Partnership Investment Fund has enabled universities to develop world-leading facilities and opportunities for continuing to deliver exceptional research, as well as leveraging in more than £1.3 billion of private investment.
“I am delighted that HEFCE is able to support a further seven projects, and the budget announcement of additional funding for UKRPIF is excellent news. UK universities tackle major national and global challenges, and make a major contribution to economic growth. The funding offers a further opportunity to enhance the nation’s research infrastructure and further develop partnership work.’
It is expected that the Chemistry of Health Centre will be ready to host researchers by December 2017.
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