Improving the nation's health

Last Updated January 30th 2012

Medical Research Scotland is one of the largest and most comprehensive independent research charities in Scotland. We aim to invest in the future of Scotland's biomedical research and help to maintain its well-deserved international reputation for pioneering medical research. We do this by supporting young doctors and scientists carry out research and establish careers in their chosen health-related fields. Unlike most medical research charities, our funding isn't restricted to any one disease or condition, we simply support high-quality research that aims to improve the understanding, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of all diseases and disease mechanisms.

New PhD Studentship Awards

The first Medical Research Scotland 4-year PhD Studentships have been awarded as shown below (this list will be updated as award offers are accepted formally by the applicants):

University Project Supervisor Company Project Title
logo Professor Gabrielle Hawksworth, Molecular Toxicology logoAquaPharm Bio-Discovery Ltd Novel small molecule modulators of the antioxidant response pathway: potential for therapy in cancer/inflammatory disease.
logo Dr David Meek, Medical Research Institute logo  CXR Biosciences Improving the sensitivity of a novel PIM kinase-targeted therapeutic agent, CXR1002, through identification and modulation of cross-talking pathways
logo Dr Jennifer Woof, Medical Research Institute logo Integrated Magnetic Systems Ltd Construction and characterisation of anti-tumour magnetic fusion proteins for use in diagnostics and therapeutics
logo Professor Mark Bradley, High-throughput Biological Chemistry logo Altrika Ltd Polymer microarrays for the rapid identification of substrates for the enrichment of rare cell types, mitochondrial DNA capture and peptide deformylation and scale-up for practical application
logo Dr Brian Smith, Institute of Molecular, Cell & Systems Biology logo Marine BioTech Ltd Characterisation of a molecular switch: how does Factor C recognise and change shape in response to endotoxin? Towards a sensitive synthetic endotoxin test

Last Project Grant Awards

To date, in the 2011-12 financial year, we have awarded grants to the following:

  • Dr Barry J.A. Laird, Palliative Medicine, Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Edinburgh University, and colleagues in Edinburgh and Glasgow, to investigate inflammatory biomarkers in prognosis in advanced cancer (IPAC Study), with the aim of developing a tool to improve prognostic accuracy.
  • Dr Louise S. Bicknell, Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, Edinburgh University, for a project seeking to uncover the genetic causes of primordial dwarfism by harnessing gene discovery to gain insights into the control of human growth.
  • Dr Leanne McKay, Institute of Neuroscience & Psychology, Glasgow University, to study the development and maturation of the neural control of breathing.

Over 50 years of research funding

The diagram below provides a breakdown of the diseases which have benefited from the work we have supported, to the value of almost £34million, over the past 50 years.

diagram