Current Research Themes
N8 has targeted Regenerative Medicine, Ageing and Health, Molecular Engineering, Water and Energy as its initial areas of focus. In each of these areas, the N8 has unique research capacity, experience, impact, resource, international visibility and at least early-stage commercial interest.
Funding of £6m from Northern Way Growth Fund was awarded in March 2007. The funding established five virtual Research Centres in Energy, Water, Ageing and Health, Regenerative Medicine and Molecular Engineering. These centres bring together world leading research excellence in the North of England with regional, national and global businesses, to identify and address long-term research needs. The aim of the Northern Way investment is to enable businesses in the North to become more innovative and globally competitive.
In the first phase of the project, £2m "pump-priming" was allocated for establishing these five Centres. In the second phase of the project, Regenerative Medicine and Molecular Engineering were successful in securing an additional £2m each, for collaborative research and development with businesses in these areas.
The section of this website headed "Research Themes" provides more information about each of these five areas of research focus.
Current Activities
N8 is currently sponsoring the International Conference on Ageing, Disability and Independence (ICADI) 2010 which will be held in Europe for the first time, taking place in Newcastle. The conference will focus on ways to support people as they age to maintain independence in daily life at home, at work and in the community.
Current estimates show 80% of the UK's wealth is owned by the over 50's, however there is little market spend focused on this group. The conference will explore a number of issues including knowledge and technologies that are developing as people remain in the workforce into advanced years and adaption's to the home and workplace that are required to meet their needs.The conference will also focus on livable communities, mobility and the prevention of injury. The opening session key note speaker will N8 University Professor Tom Kirkwood of Newcastle University who is currently Professor of Medicine and Director of the Institute for Ageing & Health.
Professor Kirkwood comments "Although everyone knows people are living longer, industry is still quite slow at picking up on this. The elderly are great consumers whose very presence in a community generates a driver for economic growth. Should they suffer from frailty or loss of independence there's a great impetus for businesses to step in and help."
The Conference, which is normally held in USA, will this year take place in the iconic Sage Newcastle/Gateshead from 8th to 10th September, with the preconference and welcome reception on 7th September.
Further information is available in our Press Release in our Documents Library.