The UK has launched a new £5 million fund to promote scientific collaboration and research between Israel and the UK into the ageing process and its effect on human health.
Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, Sam Gyimah MP, announced the new research programme on Monday at a reception at the British Council in London to mark UK Israel Science Day, alongside UK Ambassador to Israel H.E. David Quarrey, and Israel’s Ambassador to the UK H.E. Mark Regev.
The new fund – Britain Israel Research and Academic Exchange (BIRAX) Ageing, will also support research into ageing-related diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, multiple sclerosis and diabetes.
Minister Gyimah said: “We are living longer than ever before. One in three children born in the UK today can expect to live to 100”. He described both countries as “scientific superpowers” and announced that he would be visiting Israel “to look at ways of deepening our collaboration”.
He underlined: “Through BIRAX Ageing, UK-Israel collaboration, and our ageing society Grand Challenge, we will improve millions of people’s lives globally”.
Ambassador Quarrey wrote an op-ed published in Israel Hayom newspaper, celebrating the partnership. He emphasised: “The U.K. and Israel are pushing the boundaries on a range of the world’s most debilitating diseases and shared challenges”. Click here to read the article.
Earlier in the day, a BIRAX event in Parliament was hosted by Professor Robert Winston, where Ambassador Quarrey and leading Israeli and British scientists spoke about their work and partnerships in medical science.
The programme marks the continuation of BIRAX, which has funded nearly £10 million in 19 bilateral research programmes over the past six years.
The creation of BIRAX has brought together more than 1,000 scientists, including PhD and postdoctoral students from 120 institutions, and resulted in breakthrough research published in 30 leading scientific publications.
