The University of Nottingham has been selected as one of five pilot centres across the country to speed up the development of fundamental medical research and turn it into new and exciting treatments and diagnostics to help improve human health and well being.

It has received block funding of £2m from the Medical Research Council (MRC) to target eight areas of research:
·    The prevention and treatment of bone infection
·    Developing a heart rate monitor for babies requiring resuscitation at birth
·    Developing and understanding the delivery of treatment for secondary cancers in the brain and spinal cord
·    Development of new wound care products
·    Tests for monitoring the effects of drug therapy
·    Improving outcomes for breast cancer patients
·    Developing antibody-based vaccines for hepatitis C
·    Screening of drugs for myotonic dystrophy which is currently untreatable

The MRC's Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme (DPFS) will allow the five centres to manage their own devolved portfolios of translational research. The aim is to speed up the process of turning fundamental research discoveries into real improvements for patients.

Professor Bob Webb, the university's pro-vice-chancellor for research said: "[We were] delighted in its success in receiving the MRC DPFS funding. We recognise the importance of translating and applying 'cutting edge' medical research that will really benefit patients."

The university put in place a stringent and in-depth review and selection process. The panel included personnel with medical, biological, pharmaceutical and engineering expertise in addition to external reviewers with industry experience. Professor Web added: "The applications were of a high standard and there was intense competition, therefore I am confident that this programme will result in a number of applications that will have direct medical benefit."

Chris Watkins, the MRC's Translation Theme Leader, said: "With this block funding, the universities we have selected will be able to respond more quickly to the needs of their projects. We will monitor the pilot portfolios closely and those universities in the pilot will be accountable to the MRC for all the decisions they take. The money should allow universities to make their own translational funding decisions and develop project management arrangements most suitable for them."

The other universities selected by the MRC are King's College, London; the University of Dundee; the University of Edinburgh; and a partnership between the Bristol and Cardiff universities.