Further City Deal Milestone Reached for ICE Project

Scotland’s first 7 Tesla Scanner arrives at the QEUH

The £10m ultra-high resolution scanner – one of the world’s most powerful magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines – is also the first scanner of its kind in the UK to be located in a clinical setting.

The scanner will be used to advance critical clinical research and will allow scientists and clinicians to study the human body in greater resolution than ever before, ultimately benefitting patients. It  will offer researchers the opportunity to learn more about a host of health conditions such as small blood vessel disease of the brain, stroke, vascular dementia, brain tumours, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s Disease, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.

It will be housed in the University’s state of the art £32m ICE, which was made possible by £16m of funding by the UK Government and the Medical Research Council (MRC) via the Glasgow City Region City Deal, with further funding from other sources.

Councillor Frank McAveety, Chair of the Glasgow City Region Cabinet, said:

“I am delighted a further milestone has been reached for the ICE project. The £1.13billion Glasgow City Region City Deal will not only deliver tens of thousands of jobs and enormous infrastructural improvements over the coming decades, but also continue the City Region’s rise as a leader in innovative industries.”

“The investment we are making in exciting innovation projects such as the ICE will create new jobs and expertise in the key sectors that will deliver sustainable future economic growth.”

The 7T scanner will be located on the ground level of ICE, which will also include extensive accommodation for research and development and an extension to the University’s Clinical Innovation Zone, providing an entire floor for industry collaboration and partnership. Over a ten year period the development is predicted to create around 400 jobs and £85m for the Scottish economy.

Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, Vice-Principal and Head of the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences at the University of Glasgow said: “The scanner is an important ‘first’ for Scotland. The ability to form collaborations across Europe, and also bring skilled staff over from the EU to work on such advanced technology, will be a key part of the long-term success of the project.”