Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre appoints chairman
The global life science entrepreneur, Dr David U’Prichard, will take on the role at the £20m Innovation Centre. The centre, developed by Health Science Scotland (HSS) and industry, brings together experts from academia, industry and the NHS to rapidly develop safer, more effective therapies and diagnostic tools for chronic diseases. The World Economic Forum estimates the global economic market for chronic disease treatments could reach $47 trillion over the next 20 years.
Dr U’Prichard is currently president of US-based pharmaceutical and biotechnology consulting firm Druid Consulting LLC, chief scientific officer at BioMotiv LLC and a member of the corporate boards of Life Technologies Inc, Cyclacel Inc, and Iroko Pharmaceuticals LLC..
Originally from Rothesay, Scotland, and now based in Philadelphia, USA, he has pharmacology degrees from the University of Glasgow and the University of Kansas. He has held academic appointments at Northwestern University, The Johns Hopkins University and the University of Pennsylvania and is an Honorary Professor at the University of Glasgow. He is also an author of more than 100 primary and review publications and has served as a member of various editorial boards.
Dr U’Prichard said: “I am pleased and proud to be taking up the role of chairman of the SMS-IC, which offers industry a game-changing opportunity to tackle the global challenge of chronic disease via stratified medicine.
“As a graduate of the Scottish university system and a GlobalScot, I’m particularly pleased by the prospect of working closely with Scotland’s world-class researchers and companies.”
Professor Anna Dominiczak of the University of Glasgow and the HSS Board , said: “We’re delighted that Dr U’Prichard has taken on the role of chairman at the SMS-IC following an intensive worldwide search for the perfect candidate.
“Dr U’Prichard is internationally respected for his achievements in numerous listed companies in the pharma/bio sector, and his experience in health science research and development and venture creation and company development."
The Centre will be located at the new South Glasgow Hospitals Campus, due to open in 2015. This location, at the heart of the hospital campus, whilst connected to the entire NHS Scotland and medical research infrastructure, will provide unique access to sequenced human genomes linked to clinical data. This will support pioneering research in stratified medicine for chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, and respiratory disease. In addition, the co-location of industry with academic researchers and clinicians will act as an accelerator for new developments in genomics, biomarker and companion diagnostics and bioinformatics products. The SMS-IC will invest in developing academic entrepreneurs in Stratified Medicine and will provide industry-led post-graduate courses in Applied Genomics and Bioinformatics.
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