Researchers at the University of Aberdeen’s prestigious Centre for Biomedical Functional Imaging have been awarded a grant of 1.049 million Euros (£650,000) by the European Community, this being the largest grant it awarded.
The funding will be used to investigate ways of imaging how the body works and how this information can be used for the early detection of disease at the centre. It involves a number of departments, including medical physics, radiology, psychology and ophthalmology.
The centre has a unique collection of imaging techniques and the grant will allow European research groups to travel to Scotland to carry out research at the centre.
Professor Sharp, Head of the Department of Biomedical Physics and Bioengineering at Aberdeen, said: “I am delighted that we in Aberdeen have been given this award, which is in recognition of the importance of our work. Modern science is both multidisciplinary and international and the funding awarded will be an enormous boost to our research activities.
“It is important for our members at the University to develop links with research groups in both the national and international arenas and this funding will certainly help to achieve this.”
Researchers in Aberdeen pioneered the technique of magnetic resonance imaging in the early 1980s and this is now a multi-million dollar global industry.
The Centre for Biomedical Functional Imaging is the only centre in Scotland capable of carrying out positron emission tomography, a technique that produces images of the biochemistry of the body. This is currently being examined by the NHS in Scotland to see how it can improve the detection of cancer in patients.
In conjunction with Professor John Forrester of the Department of Ophthalmology, the centre has developed a new way of imaging the retina of the eye using low power lasers. This may lead to early diagnosis of diabetic eye disease, the most common cause of blindness in the working age population.
The centre is also currently building a new imager that produces pictures showing free radicals in the body. Free radicals are implicated in a wide variety of diseases from cancer to the ageing process itself.
Last year, the University of Aberdeen was formally presented with the Queen's Anniversary Prize for work being undertaken in medical imaging.
Members of the media interested in interviewing Professor Peter Sharp regarding the funding awarded to the Centre for Biomedical Functional Imaging should contact Angela Begg, Public Relations Officer, University of Aberdeen, on: (01224) 272960, or email: a.begg@abdn.ac.uk
Issued by Public Relations Office, External Relations, University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen. Tel: (01224) 272014 Fax: (01224) 272086.
University Press Office on telephone +44 (0)1224-272960 or email a.begg@abdn.ac.uk.