Today we launch the Academy of Medical Sciences Cross-Sector Programme, designed to promote health innovation by bringing together cross-sector innovators and researchers through networking events and a collaborative funding scheme.
The programme connects researchers, health professionals and policymakers working across the life sciences sectors to solve the major issues facing health.
It will address key challenges faced when trying to work across sectors such as difficulties in connecting with the right people and organisations, cultural gaps, limited incentives for career movement and a lack of resource to engage across sectors.
This new programme is at the heart of our new 10-year strategy, to strengthen research by bringing together researchers across sectors to work collaboratively on the biggest health challenges.
It will boost connections in health research priority areas, including data analytics and artificial intelligence for genomics, pathology, drug development, medical imaging and cell and gene therapy.
Professor Paul M Stewart FMedSci, Academy of Medical Sciences Vice President (Clinical) said:
“Workload pressures, balancing family life, cost of travel and even just figuring out the right people to connect with are all very real challenges that make it hard to network beyond your circle. I am excited to see this programme take off and increase porosity across universities, NHS, industry, and other stakeholders. It is essential for the continued success of our life sciences sectors. Enjoy the adventure!”
Professor Jackie Hunter CBE FMedSci, Chair of the reference group overseeing the programme development and delivery said:
“Having a strong and robust network is very important for any individual, but it can often favour people who are more extroverted and willing to put themselves out there. We want to enable people from all backgrounds to connect to new and existing networks and help address barriers to participation. One of the key differentiating features of this scheme is that we will be carrying out a lot of regional activities working with hubs to tap into the real strength of expertise across the UK.”
In the first phase of the programme, we are establishing local networking hubs in the devolved nations and regions of the UK, in partnership with local organisations.
We are delighted to announce that the first of these networking hubs launches today in Wales, in partnership with Life Science Hub Wales.
Sign up now for our first networking event taking place in Cardiff on Thursday 17 November 2022.
Cari-Anne Quinn, Chief Executive of Life Sciences Hub Wales said:
"Life Sciences Hub Wales is delighted to be working in partnership with the Academy of Medical Sciences on this pilot programme that will provide meaningful opportunities for researchers, people working in industry and clinicians in Wales to network, access funding support and above all, collaborate.”
Collaborative funding, the other component of the programme, to support longer term movement of people between sectors will be launching in 2023.