The £6million EPSRC Liverpool Centre for Mathematics in Healthcare (LCMH) to develop novel mathematical tools that address serious healthcare challenges has been formally launched.
The Centre is one of only five UK centres funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Professor Ke Chen, Director of LCMH, said: “The ambition for the LCMH is to act as a focal point for activity at the mathematical sciences and healthcare technologies interface, with the aim of delivering a more refined and accurate set of predictive models and tools for personalised healthcare delivery, actively improving the general health and wellbeing of the UK and beyond.”
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) advisor for LCMH,Michael Ward, was a guest speaker at the launch event and provided delegates with an overview of the EPSRC vision and expectations of the Liverpool centre.
The launch also included presentations from Professor Alexander Movchan (Mathematical Sciences), Dr Kate Baker (Institute of Integrative Biology) and Dr Bindi Brook (University of Nottingham) who provided examples of how mathematical models can provide fundamental insights into biomedical problems. These were chaired by Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed and Dr Kieran Sharkey.
Dr Rachel Bearon, also from the Centre, discussed the ways partners can can engage with the Centre including applying to the LCMH for pump-priming funds (£1K-5K) for new projects and contacting the Centre for complementary expertise and projects ideas.
The Liverpool Centre for Mathematical Sciences in Healthcare brings together collaborating mathematicians, scientists, engineers and clinicians at the Universities of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores and Lancaster University alongside industrial partners and policy makers who will interact more widely with 15 other UK universities and 40 NHS trusts.
For further information about the LCMH including a short form to subscribe to regular Centre newsletters, visit the webpage http://tinyurl.com/EPSRC-LCMH.
Image: Professor Chen and Professor Movchan at the launch event