Review of UK health research funding
Office for Strategic Coordination of
Health Research
Demographic change
Medical research
1.7b by 10/11
EPSRC
Delivery Plan
2008-2011
Towards
Next
Generation
Health
Care
1
Digital
Energy
Economy
NanoScience through
Engineering to application
Essential Platform for the
Knowledge Economy
and much of the
Rest of Science
Securing the Future
Towards
Better
Exploitation
Key Issues (I)
The Big Picture
› UK Healthcare Model – “get sick, get well” – not sustainable
economically or socially
› Ageing population and demographic change (~1/4 of the
population over 65 by 2050)
Cooksey Review Findings
› Strong basic research but insufficient translation in the UK
› Insufficient strategic coordination between organisations
responsible for basic and applied health related research
› Existing drug development model is too slow
Key Issues (II)
Translational gaps
 Discovery/design to preclinical development
 Full development to adoption/delivery
EPSRC
› Limited high level strategic engagement between EPSRC and
public & private funders of health research (especially charities)
› Limited linkage to clinical researchers on EPSRC responsive
mode grants
Towards Next Generation Healthcare
What is it?
EPSRC, working in partnership, to support strategically
important healthcare and ageing research for the benefit
of UK citizens, where:
 engineering, physical sciences and mathematical
sciences can make a meaningful contribution
 we can accelerate exploitation of research outputs
for health and socioeconomic benefit
Physical
Engineering Sciences Biology
Clinicians
Life
Sciences
Interface
Medical
engineering
Towards
Next
Generation
Welcome
Healthcare Translation;
MRC
Development
Fund
5
Strengths in the EPSRC Portfolio
› Medical imaging and diagnostics
› Medical modelling
› Tissue engineering
6
Previous and ongoing investments
 From Medical Images and Signals to Clinical Information IRC
 Multidisciplinary Assessment of Technology Centre for
Healthcare (MATCH) IMRC
 Tissue Regeneration and Replacement Portfolio Partnership
 Tissue Engineering IRC
 Regenerative Medicine Grand Challenge
 Ageing research - Extending Quality Life (EQUAL) initiative
 Steady increase in medical engineering responsive mode
What does TNGH include?
Research contributing to:
 predictive, pre-emptive and personalised healthcare
 ageing and the impacts of demographic change
Strategic partnerships to support large scale,
multidisciplinary research linked to clinical need
CR-UK,
Wellcome Trust
People support through existing LSI Doctoral Training Centres and
fellowship signposting
7
Strategic alignment with and possible co-funding of
programmes led by other funders
HTD, NEAT,
NPRI
Cross-council programme on ageing: lifelong health
and well-being
MRC, BBSRC,
ESRC, AHRC
Assisted Living Innovation Platform
TSB, DH, ESRC
CR-UK – EPSRC Strategic Partnership: the
application of imaging science to cancer research
The partnership will support preclinical and/or clinical
centres & programmes to facilitate the improved
detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer
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8
EPS expertise (e.g. medical imaging) linked to
clinical need, with pull-through of technology to
clinical practice
Full submissions have now been invited
Interviews in June
Wellcome Trust-EPSRC Strategic Partnership:
Biomedical Engineering Centres
The partnership will support centres of excellence that
integrate EPS with clinical or biomedical research
to deliver innovative solutions for healthcare
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Call out now
Closing date for outline submissions 30 May
Up to £45m available for 3-5 centres
Other current opportunity in TNGH
New Dynamics of Ageing – call four
› Programme grant applications invited
› Closing date 26 June
› Led by ESRC
10
Upcoming Opportunity in TNGH
Lifelong Health and Wellbeing
› Second-stage initiatives being developed (MRCled)
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Upcoming opportunities in Other Programmes
Nanotechnology for Healthcare
› Town meeting held on 3rd April
› Funding activity being planned (call due out in
June)
Information Driven Healthcare
› Novel ICT contributing to better treatment and
healthcare delivery
› One round of feasibility studies funded
› Further activities being planned
12
Opportunities beyond EPSRC
› Establishment of an Office for Strategic Coordination of Health
Research
 Alignment between MRC and NIHR
 Articulation of health research priorities for the UK
13
›
Establishment of a joint MRC/NIHR Translational Medicine
Funding Board
›
MRC Development Funding Scheme
 Funding for specific development- drugs, devices,
diagnostics – open to research supported by other funders
 Possibility of a stage gate process
For further consideration
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Discussion on the strategy and activities
›
Synergies with UCL strategy
›
Opportunities and challenges over the horizon
- latter half of the current Delivery Plan
- longer term (e.g. next spending review!)