Partnership focused on accelerating medical research

Heriot-Watt University and the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI), the UK’s leading industry association, have formed a partnership that will see over 150 academics in the university’s new Global Research Institute in Health and Care Technologies working alongside multinationals and SME’s to nurture an industry-wide spirit of co-creation. 

Aiming to increase the profile of Heriot-Watt, which has research bases in Scotland, Dubai and Malaysia, as a hub of academic excellence, the collaboration will take a "triple helix" approach, engaging academia, health systems, and industry partners throughout Scotland and the UK with a commitment to understanding the challenges innovators face in HealthTech research and commercialisation and working to identify opportunities to overcome them through supported processes and policy lobbying.

As the largest employer in the broader Life Sciences industry, employing 154,000 people in 4,465 companies, with a combined turnover of £34.3bn, the HealthTech community plays a key role in supporting delivery of healthcare and is a significant contributor to the UK’s economic growth.

Steve McLaughlin, Vice Principal and Provost at Heriot-Watt University said:

“This collaboration is an important step in advancing our global research in health and care technology solutions. We will work together to co-develop research, address regulation, enhance data and insight, while meticulously championing patient privacy and protection.

“The ABHI provides valuable insights into market trends and cross-territory landscapes. By leveraging our combined international connections, we aim to support innovators in accessing global markets and attracting foreign investments to Scotland.

Peter Ellingworth, Chief Executive, ABHI, said:

"Scotland boasts some of the world’s finest universities and institutions like Heriot-Watt continue to excel across key disciplines like engineering and life sciences, as well as burgeoning areas like quantum technology. Growing HealthTech credentials, like the Medical Device Manufacturing Centre, are helping to translate academic capabilities into HealthTech solutions, and ABHI is well placed to aid in accelerating this journey.

“By fostering such collaborations, we can drive sustainable innovation, enhance patient care, support economic growth, and ensure that groundbreaking technologies reach the market more efficiently.”

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