- The South Yorkshire Life Sciences Summit brought together leaders from national and regional government, the NHS, life sciences and academia to develop a unified strategy for advancing the region's £3.3 billion life sciences ecosystem
- Jointly hosted by Innovation South Yorkshire and Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber, the Summit highlighted how the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam play a critical role in driving innovation, boosting growth and creating high quality jobs
- South Yorkshire plays a vital role in the national life sciences sector, boasting the highest concentration of medical instrument and supply manufacturers in England with over 15% of regional employment in health and wellbeing
Leaders from government, the NHS, life sciences and both Sheffield universities have united for a summit aimed at unlocking South Yorkshire’s potential as a hub for health innovation, positioning the region at the forefront of the UK’s £100 billion life sciences sector.
Hosted by Innovation Network South Yorkshire (INSY) and Health Innovation Yorkshire and Humber (HIYH), the South Yorkshire Life Sciences Summit brought together key stakeholders to develop a unified strategy for advancing the region's thriving £3.3 billion life sciences ecosystem.
The summit highlighted South Yorkshire's vital role in the national economy, with health and wellbeing accounting for over 15 per cent of all regional employment. The region boasts the highest concentration of medical instrument and supply manufacturers in England, with a thriving ecosystem of 275 health tech organisations spanning private companies, university centres of excellence and specialist NHS centres.
The UK’s life sciences sector - spanning health, food and environmental innovation - employs over 300,000 people, with more than 75% of those jobs outside London and the South East.
Held at Sheffield Hallam University, the summit focused on championing the region's strengths to government stakeholders, identifying barriers to growth, and building a clear proposition to help deliver national life sciences ambitions, including the government’s 2025 Life Sciences Sector Plan and 10 Year Health Plan, focussing on economic growth and a more prevention-led NHS.
With contributions from Dr Zubir Ahmed MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care, Alex McLaughlin, Deputy Director of the Innovation and Growth Office of Life Sciences, Mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard, as well as leaders in life sciences from across South Yorkshire, the Summit provided a valuable opportunity to showcase regional strengths in a sector that drives economic growth, creates high-quality jobs and turns the Universities’ world-class research into real tangible outcomes for the people of the region.
Sheffield’s two universities have invested heavily in life sciences and medical technology in recent years. They jointly lead the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub, which uses cutting-edge research to develop innovative digital technologies for disease diagnosis and treatment by leveraging smartphone, wearable, and sensor data alongside NHS data to create new clinical tools.
The £4m Hub aims to tackle healthcare inequalities and transform how patients are treated in South Yorkshire. It is part of the University of Sheffield Insigneo Institute which drives innovative research to transform the future of healthcare and the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, covering a region of 1.4 million people affected by high levels of disease and health inequalities.
To support this vision, the University of Sheffield has also invested £1.8m in Data Connect and £3.6m in the Centre for Machine Intelligence to build a secure, ethical data infrastructure and advance responsible technologies in healthcare. The University also houses the Gene Therapy Innovation Manufacturing Centre to develop new treatments for rare and complex diseases.
Professor Koen Lamberts, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said: “It was inspiring to be in a room with so many partners from the health and life sciences sector who share the government’s vision for an innovation-driven, prevention-led NHS. One that fuels growth and creates high quality jobs across our region and beyond.
“It’s clear that we stand at a moment of real opportunity to make South Yorkshire a national leader in life sciences and health innovation. We will look forward to aligning our ambitions, harnessing our shared strengths and turning today’s ideas into tomorrow's breakthroughs.”
Professor Liz Mossop, Sheffield Hallam University Vice-Chancellor, said: “The South Yorkshire Life Sciences summit marks a significant step in positioning our region at the forefront of this future-facing industry.
“Our universities have long collaborated on life sciences research and innovation, understanding its transformative potential to support our economy and improve the lives of people living in South Yorkshire and beyond.”
Health Innovation Yorkshire and Humber is one of 15 Health Innovation Networks set up by NHS England to operate as the key innovation arm of the NHS. The organisation acts as a bridge between healthcare providers, commissioners, academia and industry, building a pipeline of solutions for the NHS from research and product development through to implementation and commercialisation.
Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber Chief Executive Richard Stubbs said: "It's been great to hear about the fantastic assets and the passion in South Yorkshire for taking a leading role in the UK's life sciences sector, with an audience that included Government representatives from Whitehall. But we recognise that we need to be prouder and shout louder about the amazing work that's happening here, to reach more ears in national and international strategic roles.
"South Yorkshire is a place of makers, building on a huge industrial heritage and pivoting with successes such as the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre and currently under construction, the National Centre for Child Health Technology. Together we are developing sophisticated medical devices and technologies that are vital to the success of our NHS and the future health of the population not just in the UK, but globally.”
The Innovation Network South Yorkshire is a partnership between the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University to support regional growth by strengthening connections between academics, businesses and industries across the region.
