New UK cell therapy centre

The UK's Technology Strategy Board is calling for expressions of interest (EOI) in a new technology and innovation centre for cell therapy from organisations that may want to lead or form part of the centre.

The centre will be based in the UK and support the development and commercialisation of cell therapies and advanced therapeutics, as well as the underpinning technologies for manufacturing, quality control, safety and efficacy challenges for these new treatments. The ultimate goal is to enable more effective commercialisation of this new technology and wealth generation for the UK.

It will be the second technology and innovation centre to be established as part of the UK government's £200m programme to set up a network of centres over the next four years.

The Technology Strategy Board believes these technology and innovation centres will be drivers of future economic growth, attracting substantial investment to establish world-leading capability and global impact, in pre-commercial development. They will provide access for business to the best technical expertise, infrastructure, skills and equipment, which individual companies cannot afford to invest in on their own.

They are likely to be funded on the basis of one-third core funding from the Technology Strategy Board, one-third from competitively won collaborative R&D grants co-funded by business and one-third from business contracts.

The new centre will complement and draw on other programmes of national investment delivered by the Technology Strategy Board as well as linking into and accessing EU programmes.

Register interest and download the EOI form. Alternatively, organisations wishing to work with the new centre once it is established should email: centres@tsb.gov.uk. The deadline to register for EOI forms is June 9, 2011. Forms must be submitted by June 16, 2011. The deadline for receipt of full applications is September 2, 2011.