UofG to lead two prestigious new research alliances
The University is to host two of three new collaborative research alliances in Scotland, with a focus on two of the biggest challenges currently for world health: nutrition and food security; and lifelong brain health.
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) have launched the Alliances for Research Challenges (ARCs), marking the beginning of a new approach to collaborative research in Scotland.
The challenges each alliance will address include some of the biggest questions facing governments across the world, such as how to manage food supply chains and how to help people maintain good cognitive health in old age. Each alliance will receive up to £600,000 funding for four years from the SFC.
The Scottish Alliance for Food is led by Professor Emilie Combet from the School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing: “Creating a fairer, healthier, more sustainable food future is a key priority to ensure health of people and the planet. We are delighted that, with support from the Scottish Funding Council, we will be able to leverage the passion and commitment from a broad group of professionals across sectors and disciplines to innovate and develop research projects focused on delivering impact.”
The Brain Health Alliance is led by Dr Terry Quinn from the School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health: “This is an important time for brain health research, we have new drugs, new services and the promise of new research investment specific to ageing. Scotland is ideally placed to capitalise on this and has potential to become the world leader in brain health research. With the support of the Scottish Funding Council, I am excited about bringing together researchers, clinicians, policy makers and people with lived experience to create new research projects in the brain health space.”
Jamie Hepburn is Scotland’s Higher Education Minister: “ARCs will connect Scotland’s research excellence to national challenges and will build on our unique collaborative ethos and world-class universities to prime the Scottish landscape to respond to challenge-focused research funding opportunities. I look forward to hearing more about the innovative solutions being developed in areas ranging from healthy ageing, quantum technologies, managing our food systems, and energy transition and sustainability as the ARCs progress.”