Ken Snowden
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With continued success over the last few years, Scotland's life sciences sector is thriving and has a very promising future
in sight. The country's growth in this sector can be attributed to major breakthroughs in several research areas and international
partnerships. With continued advances in science, however, come several changes to the life sciences globally. Methods of
diagnosing and treating diseases will undoubtedly change as a result of the sequencing of the genome and as the genetic basis
of more and more diseases is revealed. The use of nanotechnology will allow more targeted drug delivery, and new technologies
are allowing medical devices to be less invasive and more site-specific. Other major shifts have included increased outsourcing
of R&D and the integration of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to meet the rise in demand of un-met medical needs
more efficiently. Scotland is eager to capitalize on these global changes as many of country's strengths lie in these very
areas.
Scotland's life sciences sector comprises more than 590 organizations, with nearly 29,500 employees. The country is making
significant contributions to biomedical research and is already recognized as a leader in stem cell research, neuroscience,
cancer research, genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics. With a strong research base, an excellent academic community, and
home to many of the world's leading experts in their respective fields, Scotland is and will continue to be a premier choice
for research partnerships and global expansions.
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS
Recently, Invitrogen Corporation (
http://www.invitrogen.com/) announced that it would integrate all of its existing sites in Scotland to create a European "super-center." This facility
will also be the company's European headquarters with approximately $17 million invested in its development. With its solid
history of cutting edge research, a supportive life sciences cluster, and a highly qualified base of workers, Scotland was
the optimal choice for Invitrogen's European headquarters.
In April 2006, another major announcement was made that will solidify Scotland's role as a leader in not only developing innovative
treatments for some of the world's most debilitating diseases, but also for speeding up the process of bringing them from
bench to bedside. This deal, worth approximately $95 million, was signed by Wyeth Pharmaceutical Co. (
http://www.wyeth.com/) to develop the world's first Translational Medicine Research Collaboration in Scotland. Through the use of biomarkers in
monitoring the progress and response to treatments of various diseases, translational medicine allows researchers to develop
new drugs more rapidly. With the participation of Scotland's four leading clinically based medical schools (Dundee, Edinburgh,
Glasgow, and Aberdeen), along with Wyeth, Scottish Enterprise, and the National Health Service Boards in Grampian, Greater
Glasgow, Lothian, and Tayside, the magnitude of this partnership is unparalleled.
STEM CELL RESEARCH
Perhaps one of the most challenging but ultimately promising areas of study in this century is stem cell research. Scotland
is already well distinguished in this field and will continue advancing the applicability of stem cells in treating several
of the world's deadliest diseases.
Aside from being home to many of the top stem cell experts and having an unmatched academic environment, the country has a
favorable regulatory environment, funding support from its government, and some of the most advanced research facilities in
the world.
In late 2006, Roslin Cells (
http://www.roslincells.com/) was founded, a non-profit company that will be commercializing human stem cell lines. What is unique about Roslin's offering
is that these human stem cell lines will be sold worldwide with unencumbered intellectual property rights, accelerating the
process of developing medicines and treatments.
