The UK life sciences sector has long been a world leader in health research, innovation and developments. Regional centers of excellence are instrumental in driving this success, offering unique ecosystems that foster collaboration, growth and cutting-edge breakthroughs.
In this interview, Gino Martini talks to NewsMed about the West Midlands, a region with a rich heritage in both manufacturing and life sciences. With its diverse population, world-class universities and growing healthcare partnerships, the West Midlands is positioned as a key player in the UK’s life sciences landscape.
Could you start by giving us an overview of why regional centers of excellence are vital to the UK life sciences sector, particularly in the context of the West Midlands?
If you look at the UK’s rich heritage and history, it’s clear that regional hubs, when developed and reinvested in their communities, deliver fantastic results, whether it’s people’s living standards or, in the case of the life sciences, patient outcomes health. For example, in the West Midlands, we have historically been recognized for our manufacturing process, but this region has a long heritage in the life sciences as well. When regional hubs like this thrive, the local population benefits and this benefit spreads to other parts of the country.
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Your recent blog highlighted the West Midlands as a vibrant life sciences ecosystem. What unique advantages does this region have that make it an ideal center of excellence?
The West Midlands has a large and diverse population of around six million people, larger than Scotland, with 40% being ethnically diverse. It is a fantastic environment to develop and test health technologies and therapies that represent a broad cross-section of patients. Our clinical network is also excellent. Birmingham Health Partners, for example, is one of the country’s largest health trust partnerships. We also have world-class research universities such as the University of Birmingham and Aston University. There’s a lot going on here that people outside the area don’t realize.
There is a kind of “water cooling effect” in relation to innovation. During the pandemic, I bumped into someone from Liverpool at the Edgbaston Park Hotel who was measuring the mobile phone signal on campus. We talked and he mentioned a new technology that could boost cell phone signals. This conversation, which would never have happened online, led us to test and adopt the technology at the hotel and apply it to the Precision Health Technologies Accelerator (PHTA). These chance encounters are vital to driving innovation and are a key aspect of what we aim to encourage at PHTA.
How do you see the collaboration between academia, industry and government in the West Midlands contributing to its success as a life sciences hub?
Collaboration between academia, industry and government is critical. A great example is what we are doing with PHTA. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Birmingham, working closely with private partners such as Bruntwood SciTech to develop innovation spaces such as the Birmingham Health Innovation Campus, where we are based. Such public-private partnerships are essential to spur growth. Government also plays a key role in creating the right environment for these partnerships to flourish, something I think we need to see more of across the UK.
Image credit: PHTA
What challenges do regional centers like the West Midlands face in maintaining and expanding their influence in the national and global life sciences sector?
One challenge is that the West Midlands is often thought of as a production area and people overlook its important contribution to the life sciences. There is also a tendency for regions to compete rather than cooperate, which can hinder progress. We need to move beyond a silo mentality and encourage supra-regional clusters. We should strengthen links with other regions to create strong, collaborative scientific groups rather than competing for resources and recognition.
How does the West Midlands life sciences ecosystem compare to other regional centers in the UK such as the Golden Triangle (London, Oxford, Cambridge)? Are there specific areas where it excels or needs further development?
The West Midlands has easily comparable assets to those in the Golden Triangle. We have excellent universities, hospitals and research institutes, but we do not always have the same level of recognition. The Golden Triangle is known to investors and we need to do more to promote what is happening here. One area where we contribute significantly is providing more room for scaling. There is a lack of life science labs and space for SMEs, but initiatives like the PHTA are addressing this.
We also see unique advantages in the way we encourage collaboration. For example, Oxford Science Enterprises, which translates IP into valuable results, has created a fund to invest in companies. We are taking a similar approach with a venture capital fund called Midlands Mindforge, which will be transformative for our region.
What role do regional centers of excellence play in driving innovation and economic growth across the UK life sciences sector?
They play a critical role in improving patient outcomes by strengthening partnerships between research universities and healthcare institutions. Such partnerships lead to better health outcomes and national resilience. In times of crisis, such as the pandemic, having multiple centers of excellence across the UK would allow us to respond more effectively.
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How can the success of the West Midlands as a life sciences hub be replicated in other regions across the UK, particularly in areas currently under-represented in the sector?
Success here can be replicated elsewhere. What is happening in Birmingham is similar to what has been achieved in Manchester or Edinburgh. One of the key factors is co-housing.
In the West Midlands, hospitals, universities and research parks are all close by, creating a tight-knit ecosystem that fosters collaboration. Other regions can study this model and adopt similar approaches to encourage growth in the life sciences.
What role should government policy play in supporting and expanding regional centers of excellence in the life sciences? Are there specific initiatives or policies that you think could make a significant impact?
Government policy is key and must provide the right environment for businesses to thrive. This includes more support for business zones, better tax incentives and a focus on investment zones. I believe that fields such as the life sciences should be given preferential treatment in terms of support because they can bring enormous economic benefits. A coherent strategy, with life science parks benefiting from business interest relief and other incentives, would attract more investment and encourage companies to grow and succeed.
How can industry leaders and organizations such as the BIA further empower regional centers like the West Midlands to ensure they continue to thrive and contribute to the UK’s world leadership in the life sciences?
The BioIndustry Association (BIA) does great work supporting regional centers. They have recognized the need to expand their presence beyond London and are hosting events in places like the West Midlands, which is an important step. By continuing to promote areas like ours, they can help spread awareness and attract more investment to life science hubs across the country.
Looking ahead, what are your hopes and expectations for the future of the West Midlands as a life sciences hub? How do you imagine it will develop in the next five to ten years?
I hope that in five years’ time, when people think of the West Midlands, they will think of life sciences first and manufacturing second. I want to see young people here have the same opportunities in the life sciences as those in London or Cambridge. We also aim to attract international investment and bring life sciences skills back to the UK. We’ve already seen signs that international companies are looking at the UK life sciences industry with renewed interest, so I think the future is very bright for the West Midlands.
About Professor Gino Martini
Professor Gino Martini is an accomplished academic and industrial pharmacist with extensive experience in oncology, rare and infectious diseases and drug development. He is the CEO of PHTA, the University of Birmingham’s life sciences research accelerator, where he supports growing businesses through connections with industry leaders and commercialization expertise. PHTA is located at the Birmingham Health Innovation Campus (BHIC), a new life sciences park which will create 10,000 jobs and contribute over £400 million to the regional economy when fully operational.
About PHTA Ltd
The Precision Health Technologies Accelerator is the University of Birmingham’s signature life sciences research unit, providing ~70,000 sq ft of state-of-the-art laboratory, incubation and collaboration space at the No. 1 BHIC.
Working alongside Birmingham Health Partners, PHTA offers access to a wide range of expertise in clinical research, trials and health data, as well as opportunities to collaborate with clinical-academic opinion leaders. Its bespoke facilities include wet and dry labs, a prototyping and small-batch Makerspace and business incubation space.
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