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New facility will 'improve lives' through next generation of medical technologies

Work is getting underway on a new facility, which will focus on the development of innovative products and advanced materials to meet future healthcare needs.

Medical Technologies Innovation Facility
How the Medical Technologies Innovation Facility will look at NTU's Clifton Campus

It is part of Nottingham Trent University’s dual-site £23m ‘Medical Technologies Innovation Facility’ (MTIF) and is being created on the Clifton Campus, home to the School of Science and Technology.

The multidisciplinary research and development building will integrate the work of scientists, engineers, clinicians and entrepreneurs, who will work collaboratively to develop products and materials.

As part of the dual-site MTIF project, plans have also been submitted for a facility dedicated to pilot production and commercialisation. Planned for the Boots Enterprise Zone in Nottingham, this will provide access to laboratories, clean rooms, technologies and expertise for processing, prototype development and preparing manufacturing processes.

A key aim of MTIF is to improve patient care by speeding up medical product development and getting innovations to market as quickly as possible – critical for business survival, growth and profitability.The MTIF project – which will receive up to £9.7million support via the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership – will form strategic alliances with a range of organisations to help ensure effective support to companies and researchers.

Once launched it is expected to become a major specialist innovation asset within the developing Midlands Engine.

To mark the beginning of the work – which is due to be completed by summer 2020 – representatives from the university, partners on the project and a range of stakeholders attended a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday (May 3).

Nottingham Trent University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Edward Peck, said: “I know that many people associate universities - and NTU in particular - with teaching the next generation who will play the major role in our continued prosperity. However, our contribution to the economic vibrancy of the City and County goes well beyond teaching, driving research and innovation that grow companies and create jobs. MTIF is a prime example of this contribution.”

Professor Mark Biggs, Head of the College of Science and Technology at Nottingham Trent University, said: “MTIF will improve people’s lives through the development of the next generation of medical technologies. It will support industry and enhance the regional economy in the areas of life sciences and healthcare, key priority sectors for the UK Government. The technologies that will emerge from this initiative will improve the lives of people across the UK and beyond.”

Sajeeda Rose, Chief Executive of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Life Sciences is a key LEP sector, with the area hosting many bio and healthcare services businesses. I’m pleased to see the development of NTU’s planned Medical Technologies Innovation Facility reach this next stage. It’s a great example of the private sector and a LEP area university working closely together, to help innovative businesses to expand.”

The MTIF building on the Clifton Campus has been designed by Midlands-based architectural practice Maber and Henry Brothers have been appointed to build the new facility.

  • Notes for editors

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    Nottingham Trent University (NTU) was named University of the Year 2019 in the Guardian University Awards. The award was based on performance and improvement in the Guardian University Guide, retention of students from low-participation areas and attainment of BME students. NTU was also the Times Higher Education University of the Year 2017, and The Times and Sunday Times Modern University of the Year 2018. These awards recognise NTU for its high levels of student satisfaction, its quality of teaching, its engagement with employers, and its overall student experience.

    The university has been rated Gold in the Government’s Teaching Excellence Framework – the highest ranking available.

    It is one of the largest UK universities. With nearly 32,000 students and more than 4,000 staff located across four campuses, the University contributes £900m to the UK economy every year. With an international student population of more than 3,000 from around 100 countries, the University prides itself on its global outlook

    The university is passionate about creating opportunities and its extensive outreach programme is designed to enable NTU to be a vehicle for social mobility. NTU is among the UK’s top five recruiters of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. A total of 82% of its graduates go on to graduate entry employment or graduate entry education or training within six months of leaving. Student satisfaction is high: NTU achieved an 88% satisfaction score in the 2018 National Student Survey.

    NTU is also one of the UK’s most environmentally friendly universities, containing some of the sector’s most inspiring and efficient award-winning buildings.

    NTU is home to world-class research, and won The Queen’s Anniversary Prize in 2015 – the highest national honour for a UK university. It recognised the University’s pioneering projects to improve weapons and explosives detection in luggage; enable safer production of powdered infant formula; and combat food fraud.

    The D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is one of 38 LEPs across England. D2N2’s private sector-led Board represents business, local authorities, skills and training providers, and voluntary and community organisations. It promotes economic growth and jobs creation in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire; using UK Government and European funding. Its website is at www.d2n2lep.org. Local Enterprise Partnerships are playing a vital role in driving forward economic growth across the country, helping to build a country that works for everyone. That’s why by 2021 Government will have invested over £12billion through the Local Growth Fund, allowing LEPs to use their local knowledge to get all areas of the country firing on all cylinders.  Analysis has shown every £1 of Local Growth Fund invested could generate £4.81 in benefits.

    Nottingham Enterprise Zone in total comprises 113 hectares of former industrial land. Planning consent has been granted to:

    • Build 675 new homes
    • Provide 80,000 square metres of employment space for offices and laboratories for health, beauty and well being businesses
    • Provide 21 hectares of green space

    The enterprise zone is one of four sites in the wider Nottingham & Derby Enterprise Zone, which is strategically managed by the D2N2 LEP and its partners.

    About the Nottingham Enterprise Zone

    In March 2011, the Boots site in Beeston, Nottingham, was awarded Enterprise Zone status by the UK Government. Enterprise Zones are designated areas with incentives to encourage the creation of new businesses, which will contribute to the growth of local and national economies.

    The Nottingham Enterprise Zone is comprised of part of the Boots site in Beeston and three other smaller sites – the Beeston Business Park, the Nottingham Science Park and the MediPark site (at Queens Medical Centre) which together make up 286 acres (116 hectares).

    The Boots site in total consists of 279 acres (113 hectares) and Walgreens Boots Alliance’s vision is to create a UK centre for innovation in health beauty and wellness in Nottingham. The site will offer a cost effective, high quality, centrally located site for health and wellness businesses such as business incubators, start-ups and small and medium enterprises. As well as existing buildings suitable for redevelopment, the site also includes around 100 acres (40 hectares) of brownfield land suitable for development.

    About Boots UK

    Boots UK (boots.com), the UK’s largest pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer, is part of the Retail Pharmacy International Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise.

    With 2,485* stores in the UK, its purpose is to champion everyone’s right to feel good. Boots UK is committed to providing exceptional customer and patient care, be the first choice for pharmacy and healthcare and offer innovative 'only at Boots' exclusive products such as No7, a leading UK skincare brand, Soap and Glory and Liz Earle. Created almost 170 years ago, the Boots brand is still at the heart of the communities it serves.

    *As of 31 August 2018, excluding equity method investments

Published on 8 May 2019
  • Subject area: Sciences including sport sciences
  • Category: Press office; Research; School of Science and Technology