Research Institute for Medical Cell Biology at the new Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh: establishment of linked basic and clinical research facilities for reproductive biology, inflammation research and cardiovascular biology. (360G-Wellcome-064637_Z_01_Z)

Research Institute for Medical Cell Biology at New Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh Intended Use of Facilities Construction of the new Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (NRIE) on a Greenfield site in SE Edinburgh (at Little France) and consequent closure of the existing city-centre RIE have provoked the need to re-establish vital links that currently exist between clinical and basic biomedical science. The establishment of this new state-of-the-art teaching hospital also provides the University of Edinburgh with a unique opportunity to create a modern research Institute where fundamental research at the cellular and molecular level can be integrated with clinical research on human conditions that are of major importance, especially to the Scottish population. This initiative will bring together three leading international interdisciplinary research centres (IRCs) with substantial external funding amounting to ~£15M p.a. which are currently scattered across multiple sites within the city of Edinburgh, frequently in accommodation that is outdated and ill-suited for purpose. The central purpospes of the new Institute will be to: i) Secure clinical-basic research interactions essential for these IRCs to remain at the international forefront of clinical research. ii) Create an unrivalled intellectual and training environment fostering the "critical mass" necessary to address research themes in medical cell biology central to the pathogenesis of reproductive, inflammatory and cardiovascular disorders. iii) Provide shared, leading-edge technological facilities focusing on priorities addressing the "post-genome challenge", including genetic manipulation of cell and tissue function (including gene thereapy), macromolecular analysis and integrative physiology.