£7m Health Facility Launches At Jordanstown

A new £7m health research facility has been launched at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown.

The Connected Health Innovation Centre (CHIC) follows a £6.8m investment by a consortium of technology companies.

It is being supported by a £5m research and development (R&D) offer from Invest Northern Ireland.

The centre is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland.

Launching the centre, Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said: "The Connected Health Innovation Centre will bring together leading academic and industry researchers to carry out strategic research focused on connected health solutions. This collaboration will see businesses, universities and health providers innovating together to create new products and services that will improve healthcare provision and deliver real benefits for Northern Ireland companies.

"Northern Ireland is leading the way in the field of Connected Health and this new centre further consolidates that position, and provides an excellent forum within which to develop innovative approaches to the provision of health and social services."

Speaking at the launch, Professor James McLaughlin OBE of the University of Ulster added: "This new centre is the next step in building a Northern Ireland connected health eco-system. By developing stronger links between academic researchers and customer focused companies, the centre can de-risk innovation for the companies and reduce the time to market for new innovative products and services. This will create opportunities for companies to compete globally and reach new markets as well as giving local health providers access to leading edge solutions and skills."

(IT/JP)