Bangor Institute for Health and Medical Research Launch

Bangor University is launching the new Institute of Health and Medical Research on Thursday February 25th 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Building on an established foundation of research excellence, the new Bangor Institute for Health and Medical Research (BIHMR) will facilitate more interdisciplinary research that spans discovery in the laboratory through to research that solves complex health problems in the real world. In this way, BIHMR will contribute to improvements in local health and healthcare, as well as making an impact across Wales, the United Kingdom and internationally. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor John G Hughes will open the event. He will be joined by several prominent figures including the Welsh Government’s Chief Scientific Advisor, Professor Julie Williams, CBE and Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ruth Hussey, OBE. Prof Williams will outline the current state of Health Research in Wales and Dr Hussey will outline the Health Challenges Wales faces in the future. Prof Jo Rycroft Malone, Chair of the National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research and Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research at the University, will discuss the University’s success in health and medical research recognised in the last evaluation of research across UK Universities. Professor Malone will highlight the ways in which BIHMR will contribute to the nation’s health agenda. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Prof Clare Wilkinson, BIHMR lead said “This is a very exciting time to be involved in health and medical research. BIHMR will draw together existing excellent groups, and also provide a mechanism to attract additional research funding in the future. But for me the most important part of this initiative is the real world impact on the lives of patients across the UK and beyond. We already have numerous examples of research from Bangor changing practice in a wide variety of health settings; this will enable us to reach further and wider than ever before.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To sustain and grow excellence in health and medical research, BIHMR will provide a focus around which a critical mass of academics from across different scientific and professional disciplines can form new collaborations. It will provide more opportunities for interdisciplinary working in clinical and applied research, and give Bangor and Wales a higher profile in this important area. Working closely with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, BIHMR will contribute to a strong NHS research environment in north Wales, with particular concentration on areas of excellence, for example in dementia, cancer and rehabilitation, and areas where Bangor teams have developed new methods for doing top quality research. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​