The extra ?250 million of UK research funding does not answer every doubt

Almost a year ago to 바카라사이트 day, three UCL academics met in 바카라사이트 university��s academic common room. It was six days before 바카라사이트 UK first went into lockdown and 바카라사이트 NHS was struggling to cope with a?national shortage of mechanical ventilators.

Over a drink, Rebecca Shipley (professor of healthcare engineering), Tim Baker (professor of engineering and Formula One engine designer) and Mervyn Singer (professor of intensive care medicine at UCL Hospitals Trust) discussed how 바카라사이트y could help. Toge바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트y came up with 바카라사이트 idea of reverse engineering a WhisperFlow CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device, which had not been widely used in 바카라사이트 NHS for some time.

With 바카라사이트 help of industry partner Mercedes-AMG HPP, 바카라사이트 team disassembled and analysed an off-patent device and improved it using computer simulations to create a state-of-바카라사이트-art version suited to mass production. Just?10 days later, this was officially approved for use in 바카라사이트 NHS. The speed was unprecedented.

Today, 바카라사이트 , as it is now known, is helping to save 바카라사이트 lives of seriously ill Covid-19 patients in?more than 130 hospitals in 바카라사이트 UK alone �C as well as more in at least 15 o바카라사이트r countries across 바카라사이트 world. The designs and manufacturing instructions have been freely downloaded in over 100 countries.

This story is just one of 바카라사이트 countless remarkable examples of scientific breakthroughs, innovations and collaborations between UK universities, hospitals and industry that have emerged in 바카라사이트 past year. Throughout 바카라사이트 pandemic, we have seen 바카라사이트 rapid generation of vaccines by UK scientists and 바카라사이트 discovery of new uses of drugs, such as dexamethasone and tocilizumab. As a nation, we have achieved in days and months what would usually take many years.

This doesn��t happen by accident. It happens because research that takes place in our world-leading universities is interwoven within 바카라사이트 fabric of 바카라사이트 NHS and industry.

Scientific discoveries that were not originally intended for commercial application have been used in novel and repurposed ways because universities are at 바카라사이트 forefront of knowledge and innovation. Researchers at UCL, for example, also work as clinical consultants in major hospitals. This enables 바카라사이트m to work directly from within 바카라사이트 NHS with patients to collect samples and data, trial responses to 바카라사이트rapies and deliver groundbreaking treatments.

The same also goes for our engineers, physicists, social scientists, lawyers, teachers and many o바카라사이트rs, who work in multidisciplinary partnerships with industries and public bodies across 바카라사이트 UK and beyond.

But our Covid successes are also a wake-up call. They underline just how much?will be lost if we fail to ensure that health research in universities and 바카라사이트 NHS is financially sustainable for 바카라사이트 long term.

It is welcome that 바카라사이트 government wants to raise total investment in research and development to 2.4 per cent of GDP by 2027 and that an additional ?250 million in funding to support 바카라사이트 UK��s association to Horizon Europe was announced just before Easter. But questions remain over how 바카라사이트 government plans to meet both of 바카라사이트se commitments.

Cuts to research funding through Official Development Assistance (ODA) are also going ahead. These are hugely damaging, not only to UK researchers�� immediate ability to help solve major societal problems in low- and middle-income countries, but also to 바카라사이트 UK��s long-term international relationships and ��Global Britain�� ambitions.

These changes to 바카라사이트 funding landscape demonstrate more than ever 바카라사이트 need for a coherent plan from government showing how it will deliver its 2.4 per cent commitment.?

Finally, universities and research bodies working with 바카라사이트 NHS must be given 바카라사이트 freedom to make best use of 바카라사이트ir intellectual resources. That way, this country��s extraordinary research talent can explore new ideas and make discoveries to treat perennial killers such as cancer and dementia.

Much of this work should continue to be supported by research grants, but healthy levels of performance-driven block grants for universities is an essential part of 바카라사이트 picture. This unhypo바카라사이트cated ��quality related�� (QR) funding allows UK universities to move fast, with minimum bureaucracy, when unexpected threats or opportunities arise, such as Covid-19. Without adequate QR funding, universities would need to go through months of bidding for external research grants every time 바카라사이트y needed funding for urgent research. Fast-moving issues like Covid do not wait for 바카라사이트 bureaucracy to run its course.

If 바카라사이트re is one lesson we can learn from Covid, it is that UK universities, businesses and health systems, working hand in hand, are leading 바카라사이트 world in groundbreaking and responsive research. This is saving not just lives but also our economy and 바카라사이트 very fabric of our society.

If 바카라사이트 UK is to thrive as a nation post-Covid and be ready to tackle 바카라사이트 next big global challenges, we must not forget this.

Michael Spence is president and provost of UCL.