Released: Wednesday 13th April 2011

Edinburgh, 13^th April 2011. The Scottish Lifesciences Association has recruited a wide cross section of companies from the medical devices, diagnostics, biopharmaceutical and contract research organisations across Scotland. It is continuing to strengthen the board to enhance the Association’s support for the Scottish economy.

SLA has appointed Professor David Harrison to the Advisory Board. Commenting, David Harrison said, “I am delighted to join such a distinguished industry grouping. I am keen to see increased NHS-Industry collaboration. I see the SLA as the mechanism to ensure the Industry fully realises the benefits of working with the NHS. We have already seen successes in this area over the past few months and I very much look forward to seeing this momentum continue”.

Commenting John Brown, SLA Chairman said “we are very pleased to welcome David to the Advisory Board. One of the main goals of the SLA is partnership with the NHS and Universities and to increase the uptake of innovation into the NHS. Having a key proponent of this in the NHS joining us is testament to the relevance of Scottish Lifesciences Association. I am also very excited about the innovative, industry-led PhD studentships that David, through Medical Research Scotland, has just announced.”

Notes to the Editor

Scottish Lifesciences Association: Scottish Lifesciences Association was set up in January 2011 to represent the Scottish Life Sciences Industry to the Scottish Government and its agencies to ensure that policy and support for the industry is maintained and increased.

David Harrison: David Harrison is Professor of Pathology and Director of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit in the University of Edinburgh. He is also Director of Laboratory Medicine in Lothian NHS, comprising genetics, haematology, biochemistry, pathology and microbiology laboratories across the region, and lead clinician for access to, and use of, human tissue in Lothian. His research interests include systems biology approaches to study of disease and biomarker identification, and he is an enthusiastic proponent of new ways of developing public-private partnerships to train the next generation of life scientists. He chairs Medical Research Scotland, an independent charity, that offers fully funded, four year PhD studentships to company-led consortia.

For further information please contact:

 Scott Johnstone CEO, SLA                                                                                             Mobile    +44 7731 985583

ENDS 13^th April 2011

SLA, Wallace Building, Roslin BioCentre, Roslin, Midlothian