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Bioscience Innovation and Growth
Team
There
has been a long history of collaboration between Government and
Industry to help the development of the biotechnology sector.
But when Lord Sainsbury, Parliamentary Under Secretary of
State for Science and Innovation and Lord Hunt from the Department of Health met
representatives from the BioIndustry Association (BIA) in summer
2002, it was agreed that it was timely to take a more detailed
look at some of the major issues currently affecting the sector.
All parties are determined that the UK should maintain and
develop its position as a global leader in the biosciences –
second only to the USA.
Therefore
DTI, DH and the BIA set up the Bioscience Innovation and Growth
Team (BIGT) in December 2002.
The Chairman of the Steering Group is Sir David Cooksey
(Advent Venture Partners), a leading UK
venture capitalist
The
task of BIGT will be to identify any barriers that could
significantly hold back the growth of the bioscience in the UK and
make recommendations to how these obstacles can be overcome.
These recommendations will help influence the future shape
of Government policy
A Steering Group has been formed
which has identified a number of areas for the Innovation and
Growth Team to look at in depth. These include finance and
investment, biomanufacturing, the European Market and NHS/Industry
partnerships.
The UK Prime Minister has led the
strong government support for the biosciences. In a speech that he
gave to the Royal Society last year on why ‘Science Matters’
he commented;
“The biosciences are, rightly,
drawing much admiring attention at the present time.” He went on
to say, “I want Britain and Europe to be at the forefront of
scientific advance.”
The
BIGT Report was published in
November 2003.
For
further information please go to the Bioscience
Innovation and Growth Team page on the BIA website.
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