September 2015 Director's Update Welcome to the latest news from the N8 Research Partnership. N8 Research Partnership has had a huge amount going on this year, as our new research programmes begin to flourish, and our ‘Innovation Communities' models deliver an increasingly positive impact on the economy and the region as a whole. This month we also launch the new N8 Strategy, with a clear and ambitious focus on areas where the N8 can have maximal impact on investment, economy and society. This goes hand in hand with a refreshed website describing our vision and current programmes. Innovation that translates to economic impact is key to delivering the potential of the Northern Powerhouse, so do take a look in this newsletter, and our website, to see all the exciting things already going on across the North. The N8 AgriFood Resilience Programme, announced in March, is now gathering momentum, with a new Operations Director appointed, and further appointments to be made very soon. The N8 Policing Research Project Director, and first intake of postgrad students, is in place along with partnership agreements with Police Forces across the region and beyond. This month has seen internationally-renowned speakers in Leeds for the prestigious MEIbioeng15 conference, incorporating the Regener8 Annual Meeting - a must-attend event for the regenerative medicine community. I had the pleasure to speak at the Bionow Life Science Showcase event in Newcastle's Centre for Life in July and in the same month at Sheffield's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre-hosted CBI Inter-Company Academic Relations Group meeting. I also co-chaired the hugely successful ELRIG Drug Discovery '15 conference in Telford early this month. I'll be speaking at a number of public events in the coming months, so please feel free to say hello and discuss your interests - and the N8 Research Partnership - with me. I hope you enjoy reading our latest newsletter. As ever, please get in touch if you have any feedback or want to contribute - that's always welcome. Dr Peter Simpson Director, N8 Research Partnership |