About
UK SPINE aims to improve healthspan (healthy life-years) for patients with multiple age-related conditions. Our mission is to accelerate the discovery, development and testing of new drugs, by better understanding the underlying biology which drives these conditions, and work with patients and the public to consider the regulatory needs for such treatment. This network, driven by six partner institutions throughout the UK, is committed to open sharing of knowledge, research and understanding of age-related illness
The UK SPINE is funded by Research England’s Connecting Capabilities Fund (CCF), and places knowledge exchange at the centre of the network. It provides a platform for the geroscience community to share and exchange expertise, perspectives and experience.
The name ‘UK SPINE’ draws on the geographic spread of the founding partner hubs (Universities of Oxford, Dundee, and Birmingham, the Medicines Discovery Catapult at Alderley Park, and the Francis Crick Institute in London), which forms a spine, connecting the locations across the UK.
Outputs of the UK SPINE to date:
- A legal framework agreement promotes knowledge exchange across the network, whilst guarding ownership of IP and know-how of individual partner institutes,
- Support to 38 research projects (32 via CCF funding round 1 and 6 proof of concept projects as part of the CCF follow-on funding),
- 13 events bringing together a network of hundreds of stakeholders.
Current activities:
- Target and drug discovery research
- Knowledge exchange
- Financial models of drug discovery
- Regulatory and clinical trial challenges relating to diseases of ageing
- Talent and entrepreneurship
- Public and patient involvement and engagement