UK government to invest £29m into bioscience project

The UK government has revealed plans to provide £29 million ($36 million) of funding to the Roslin Institute, part of the University of Edinburgh.

The investment, which was announced yesterday, April 11 by business secretary Greg Clark, is part of a total £319 million investment commitment to bioscience.

Over the next five years, the investment is intended to cement the UK as a “world-leader in science and innovation”.

Clark said in a statement: “Science, research and innovation are at the heart of the industrial strategy which is why we’re providing more than £4.7 billion of additional funding over the next five years, including the £319 million for bioscience research.”

He added: “The Roslin Institute is a great example of Scotland’s world-class bioscience sector and exactly the sort of project our industrial strategy will support.”

The investment to Roslin will be used to further scientific knowledge, particularly around controlling infectious diseases and helping researchers develop solutions to modern healthcare challenges.

Melanie Welham, CEO of Roslin’s biotechnology and biological sciences research council, said: “Keeping the UK a global hub of vibrant research and innovation requires strategic investment in excellent research.”

She added that alongside other disciplines, bioscience is vital for ensuring that UK research and innovation remains competitive.