Sunderland becomes home to new high-tech healthcare hub
Sunderland is now home to one of five new government-backed healthcare hubs using groundbreaking technology to diagnose illnesses faster.
The hubs are based in Sunderland, Exeter, Southampton and London and are being backed by more than £52m in government funding delivered through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
The hubs will focus on developing high tech tools which can help diagnose patients quicker and offer tailored health guidance.
The funding was announced by Minister for Science, Innovation and Investment Chris McDonald during his visit to the Northern Ophthalmic Research and Innovation (NORI) hub in Sunderland on Thursday, November 5.
Mr McDonald said: “Sunderland has long been a centre of innovation and scientific endeavour – from glassmaking to shipbuilding – and now in the pioneering use of technology to diagnose illnesses like diabetes and heart disease earlier.
“Earlier diagnosis means better outcomes for patients and less pressure on our NHS – and technology has a vital role to play.
"These healthcare hubs offer a powerful example of how scientific research can improve lives, whether that is using scans to catch heart disease earlier or using AI to assess head injuries quicker."
Sunderland’s newest hub will use AI to spot early signs of diabetes and heart disease hidden in routine eye scans, meaning patients will be diagnosed and able to access treatment far sooner.
This pioneering technology could help address some of the most pressing health issues in the North East, which currently experiences some of the “worst health outcomes” in England.
Matthew Campbell, interim pro vice-chancellor for health and co-director of NORI, said: “This investment creates a new health innovation ecosystem for the North East, bringing together Sunderland’s clinical and research infrastructure, Durham’s complementary scientific expertise and an exceptional network of civic and industry partners.
"We now have the scale to develop technologies, test them in real-world healthcare settings and take them into national and international markets.”
Professor Charlotte Deane, executive chair of the engineering and physical sciences research council at UKRI, said: "These five new hubs will improve the lives and livelihoods of people and patients right across the UK.
“They build on proven investment from our previous hubs which are already translating research into real benefits, advancing knowledge through cutting-edge health research, including the world's first AI-assisted brain tumour surgery.”