Guardian supplement

Birmingham Science City, the region-wide partnership of universities, the public sector and the business base has produced a four page supplement to highlight innovation taking place in and around Birmingham.

The supplement called out to partners from around the West Midlands and was inundated with information on the latest research and development defining the region’s sustainable, high tech future.

The feature focuses on three key sectors; digital media, innovative healthcare and low carbon with a wide range of public and private sector companies contributing. Included is Birmingham-based digital company, Substrakt, which talks about the city’s offering for start up businesses.

Birmingham has been an ideal environment to develop a digital media and design business. There’s a real sense of community among the city’s creative industry. We’ve developed as the area has regenerated. (Guardian, 6 April 2011)

The region’s expertise in pioneering cancer treatments is also explored, with a spotlight focus on one of the largest biotechnology companies in the region, the Binding Site, as well as a look at the groundbreaking work taking place in children’s clinical trials.

Dr Pam Kearns, Deputy Director for paediatric trials within the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit said:

The children benefit from all the expertise here, from the statisticians who produce reports right through to those who work on regulatory requirements. Birmingham has an incredible ethos of collaboration and that is why it has been successful. The people within the unit are all willing to collaborate and support each other and this means that you get added value out of every project from the science right through to the clinical trials. (Guardian, 6 April 2011)

From a low carbon perspective, Aston University discusses the extensive research being facilitated into clean, alternative energy production at the European Bionenergy Research Institute with comment from Vice Chancellor, Professor Julia King:

We have both depth and breadth of expertise in low-carbon technologies in West Midland universities and businesses. I am confident that the application of our research will have a major, positive impact on the reduction of carbon emissions and the growth of the regional and national economy. (Guardian, 6 April 2011)

To read the full supplement, please click the link on the right.