Scotland's strengths in stem cells
Scotland is at the forefront of cell biology. The cloning of “Dolly” the sheep is one of the defining scientific breakthroughs of the last century and that pioneering tradition continues with ground-breaking, internationally-acclaimed work in stem cells and regenerative medicine.
The advances made by Scottish scientists are continuing to address the key medical challenges of the next century. Scotland is in a unique position in having the science, translational medicine and commercial development for stem cells in the one location.
Key people involved in stem cell research in Scotland, Scottish stem cell research organisations Growing commercial base of Scottish companies working with stem cells
World class researchers
Scotland is home to Europe’s largest and most highly-regarded stem cell research community, including the Institute for Stem Cell Research and the Centre for Regenerative Medicine, which are recognised as world leading centres for stem cell biology with 50 per cent of the UK licences for stem cell research. Key centres for stem cell research in Scotland are conveniently located within 90 minutes drive.
Find out more about Scottish research organisations working with stem cell technology
Growing commercial base
Companies such as Geron, CXR Biosciences and StemCell Services have established commercial operations in central Scotland to be close to these facilities and networks .
Alongside significant developments basic science, Scottish researchers are leading developing of stem cell-based products and therapies. For example, a three-way collaboration bewteen Dundee-based CXR Bioscience, Edinburgh's Roslin Institute and California-based Geron are developing methods to derive standardized functional hepatocytes (liver cells) from hESCs to address the significant unmet need for a reliable predictor of the metabolism, biodistribution and toxicity of drug development candidates.
Find out more about Scottish companies working with stem cell technology
Supportive environment
The supportive regulatory and funding environment, backed by the highest ethical research standards, makes Scotland the ideal location to conduct stem cell research.
Support from government for stem cell research was underlined by the establishment of the UK Stem Cell Bank. The bank is a vital resource for stem cell research, and has helped develop important safeguards for handling and storage of cell lines – the world’s first Stem Cell Bank of its type.
In addition, Scottish Enterprise has committed funds to support activities required to translate stem cell development into clinical practice. This will be co-invested in Scottish projects with the UK Stem Cell Foundation.
Links to clinical research
Pioneering Scottish-based researchers and clinicians are at the leading edge of developing stem cell-based treatments. For example, a collaboration between researchers at the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh and Geron, and clinicians at the University of Edinburgh's Department of Orthopaedics & Trauma are developing procedures for the growth and repair of bone and cartilage. A collaboration between the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh are developing a corneal stem cell programme which may be able to repair damaged corneas (which results in vision loss).
More medical research is conducted per capita in Scotland than anywhere else in Europe. There is a strong local health infrastructure and a thriving contract (CRO) industry. These factors provide a ready mechanism for translating stem cell into clinical benefits.
Availability of skilled research staff
As in many areas of life science research, Scotland has an excellent output of undergraduates and postgraduates who are trained in cell biology. This provides companies locating in Scotland with a ready pool of skilled workers.
Collaborative approach
The Scottish Stem Cell Network links together all the academic, clinical and industry based research groups in Scotland with an interest in stem cell biology and its biomedical applications. Key centres for Stem Cell research in Scotland are conveniently located within 90 minutes drive