UK launches stem cell centre

King's College London is set to launch the Centre for Stem Cells and regenerative medicine.

The centre, which will be based at Guy's Hospital in London, will bring together the cutting-edge stem cell research currently taking place across the College and its partner NHS trusts, as part of King's Health Partners. King's hopes to drive collaboration between scientists and clinicians through the centre, to translate the potential of stem cells into clinical reality for patients.

Professor Robert Lechler, vice-principal for Health at King's and executive director of King's Health Partners, said: "Our work at King's Health Partners, an Academic Health Sciences Centre, is focused on translating scientific research into clinical treatments for patients much faster. As the use of stem cells in regenerative medicine is emerging as a key priority for research in the UK, I am excited about what we can achieve through the Centre for Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine at King's."

Professor Fiona Watt, former president of the International Society of Stem Cell Research, has been appointed as director of the centre, and from January 2012 will co-ordinate existing stem cell research at King's as well as establish her own research programme.