Top medic opens research institute extension

The Government’s chief medical officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, opened the extension yesterday as the Institute held its inaugural conference.

Professor John Wright, the Institute’s director, said: “Dame Sally’s visit is testimony to how fast and how far medical research in Bradford has travelled in the past few years.

“In her role as the director general of research and development and chief scientific adviser for the Department of Health and NHS, she has been delighted at the research successes of Bradford.”

The new extension, which is in the grounds of Bradford Royal Infirmary, will house 70 research staff from NHS trusts in Bradford and academic staff from the universities of Bradford, Leeds and York.

Dame Sally said: “Through the National Institute for Health Research we have transformed health research in this country.

“A key part of that has been to encourage partnerships between researchers based in leading academic institutions and the NHS.

“I hope this new research facility will play an important role in the region.

“Research is vital in providing the new knowledge needed to improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities. It is even more important when resources are under pressure because it identifies ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating disease.”

The institute is a partnership between the primary and secondary care NHS trusts in Bradford and Airedale and the universities of Bradford, Leeds and York.

Since its inception five years ago, research income from national and international funding bodies has grown to £5m a year.

It is the second biggest recruiter of patients to research studies in the region.

Prof Wright said: “We are developing a world-class centre for medical research for the benefit of local people.”