is the uk’s life sciences industry a national security priority as well as an economic one?
Join us to hear from Professor Chas Bountra, Professor of Translational Medicine; Chief Scientist, Structural Genomics Consortium Oxford, Oxford University, as he speaks to us about the UK’s life sciences industry, its challenges and its future.
On Wednesday 11 March 2026 (6-8pm), Precision Health Technology Accelerator will host this event: an evening of networking, inspiring words and an opportunity to ask questions.
Across the planet, we are facing enormous healthcare challenges: ageing societies, an explosion in mental health, an ‘epidemic’ in obesity/diabetes/cardiovascular disease, a growing resistance to existing antibiotics, and several thousand rare diseases with no current treatments. Climate changes, associated large scale migrations and air/land/water pollution are likely to exacerbate these conditions further.
Fortunately, in the UK we have many fantastic universities, a track record in healthcare innovation, some world leading resources (UK Biobank, Genome England, Our Future Health) and infrastructures (Sanger, MDC, PHTA), many brilliant leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs, leading pharmaceutical companies, an enlightened regulatory agency, and a government who appreciates the importance of innovation and the creation of new jobs, for the health and well-being of us all, and the nation.
In recent years, the UK and indeed Europe more broadly, has not excelled at creating globally transformative industries. The US and China have led this charge. The latter have created many trillion-dollar companies (Apple, Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, Tesla, Meta, Google), several hundred thousand new jobs, and very large tax revenues for the Exchequer. The latter are crucial for meeting the growing demands from schools, universities, NHS, defence.
In the UK, more than ever, we must pool our expertise and resources, be much more ambitious, and build global partnerships to leverage infrastructures and harness the power of new technologies, in order to bring scale and urgency to these problems. Failure to do this will mean our current life sciences prowess will be overtaken by extremely well-funded initiatives in the Far East, Middle East and the Americas. The PHTA with its proximity to a remarkable hospital, world leading university, Midland’s location and exceptional leadership, is the nation’s big hope.
NEED TO KNOW INFO
Wednesday 11 March 2026
18:00 – 20:00
Precision Health Technology Accelerator (PHTA), No.1 BHIC Birmingham Health Innovation Campus 2 Bournbrook Way, Birmingham, B29 6TH
WHAT TO EXPECT
This event will focus on the UK’s life sciences industry, its challenges and whether it is a national security priority as well as an economic one. You will meet the Society’s members and others guests and hear from a leading expert in his field, you can expect:
Conversations exploring the current status of the UK’s life sciences industry and its future.
Q&A a chance to ask questions from a leading expert in the field
Networking before and after the event.
Our thanks to our Patron, PHTA for sponsoring this event.
TICKET PRICES
Members: FREE
Students: FREE
Guests: A donation is required