Science minister to visit biomolecular centre

Science Minister Lord Sainsbury will hear of the University of St Andrews’ crucial role in fighting infections and searching for new drugs when he visits the Centre for Biomolecular Sciences (CBMS) later this week (Friday 2 November 2001).

The visit follows the University’s award of £2.1 million to fight infections and search for new drugs for everything from tuberculosis to foot and mouth disease. The grant, from the Office of Science and Technology/Wellcome Trust funded Joint Infrastructure Fund (JIF), was announced earlier this year and will enable the team, led by Professor Garry Taylor, Director of CBMS, to establish four world- class facilities of the highest international standard.

Pathogens being targeted include bacteria which cause tuberculosis, blood poisoning, food poisoning, viruses which cause the common cold, food and mouth disease, childhood croup and parasites which cause South American trypanosomiosis. Other work of a more fundamental nature on the mechanisms cells use to signal change, and which has implications for cancer, will also benefit from the equipment purchased.

Lord Sainsbury will be welcomed by Professor Taylor at 11.30am on Friday 2 November 2001 and will meet fellow St Andrews academics Professor James Naismith; Professor Peter Bruce (Head of School of Chemistry); Professor Keith Sillar (Head of School of Biology); Professor Willie Russell, Emeritus Professor of Biology at St Andrews; and Dr Sian Thomas of The Wellcome Trust who was involved in administering the JIF bid.

Professor Taylor will give a presentation on the work of the CBMS and an insight into what the JIF funding will provide before Lord Sainsbury gives a speech and unveils a plaque. Lord Sainsbury will then meet a range of researchers during a tour of the building before leaving at approximately 12.50pm.

ENDS

NOTE TO EDITORS – You are invited to send a photographer/reporter to the presentation at the Biomolecular Sciences lecture theatre within the Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, North Haugh, St Andrews at 11.45am. Please ask for Shona Hood.

During the tour of the building, Lord Sainsbury will meet Dr Peter Coote (proteomics); Dr Malcolm White (DNA repair); Professor Ron Hay, Professor Rick Randall, Dr Martin Ryan (molecular virology); Professor James Naismith (structural biology); Dr Graham Kemp and Dr Catherine Botting (mass spectrometry); Dr Nick Westwood (combinatorial chemistry); and Professor David O’Hagan, Dr Douglas Philp and Dr Nigel Botting (synthetic chemistry).

Issued by Beattie Media on behalf of the University of St Andrews For more information please contact Claire Grainger on 01334 462530, 07730 415 015 or email [email protected] Ref: jif-sainsbury /standrews/chg/31oct2001