Health Biohub Discussed at Premier Welsh Conference

During Biowales 2018, held at the Millenium Centre in Cardiff (March 7), conference delegates heard about the progression of a partnership by Swansea University and pharmaceutical company Pfizer to improve health and wellbeing for the people of South West Wales.

Announced at last year’s Biowales event, the agreement included the setting up of an innovation hub at the School of Management on the Bay Campus, focused on therapeutic and technology-based interventions, based on real-world data.

Professor Marc Clement, Vice-President of Swansea University said: “One of the aims of the City Deal is to create a ‘living laboratory’ in this region for health, wellbeing and life sciences. This regional vision is strongly aligned with the UK Government’s recent Life Science Industrial Strategy.

“We see this collaboration with Pfizer as a real opportunity to operationalise our vision and aims with purpose and pace. The collaboration will partner with those City Deal proposals which have a strong community and primary care focus such as the Llanelli Wellness and Life Science Village and the Health Campus developments at both Morriston and Singleton hospitals.

He also announced plans to recruit a Professor, Enhanced Health Innovation, as well as a Digital Technical Consultant.

“We will be working with our colleagues at Swansea University’s Medical School and two local health boards to develop a ‘test and learn’ model to deliver projects which can be scaled up and adopted across the region, Wales and the rest of the UK at pace – the Llanelli Wellness and Life Science Village will be one of the first examples of this work.”

Carmarthenshire Council is the lead partner in the delivery of the Life Science and Wellbeing Village project in Llanelli, which will place particular focus on job creation and regeneration.

Managing Director of Pfizer UK, Erik Nordkamp commented: “We are delighted to have formalised our strategic partnership with Swansea University and look forward to working together to share knowledge and experience. Our aim is to develop innovative approaches to improve patient outcomes, support long-term sustainability of the NHS and maintain a thriving life sciences industry in the UK.

“With Swansea University, we recognise South West Wales as a region with the potential to be at the forefront of excellence in healthcare service delivery, research, education and innovation.”