Policy and public affairs
At LifeArc we talk to decision-makers, across the political spectrum, who influence UK research and innovation.
By feeding in our expertise, we can improve how the UK pushes good science out of the lab and into real-life, closer to the people who really need it.
We explain what health translation is, why it matters, and how policymaking can help us do it better.
Policy themes
People
To make the UK world-class in health translation, we must ensure we have enough people, with the right skills, being attracted, trained, and retained within the health translation community.
In terms of policymaking, ‘People’ touches on education, training, placements, cross-sector mobility, research culture, the UK’s visa system, and more.
Precursors
To make the UK world-class in health translation, we must ensure we have the right precursors in place. This means getting the basics of the UK research and innovation ecosystem functioning well, so health translation can thrive within a strong system.
In terms of policymaking, ‘Precursors’ includes research and innovation funding, infrastructure, our ability to connect and collaborate globally, and more.
Portfolio
To make the UK world-class in health translation, we must ensure the UK is an attractive and supportive place to start and scale a small- or medium-size enterprise (SME) in the life sciences.
In terms of policymaking, ‘Portfolio’ touches on the process of ‘spinout creation’, R&D tax credits, access to finance (including pension funds), and more.
Principles
To make the UK world-class in health translation, we must ensure health translation in the UK lives up the best we expect of ourselves and others.
In terms of policymaking, ‘Principles’ touches on research culture, equity diversity and inclusion (EDI), environmental sustainability, and more.
Highlighted resources
Overview – LifeArc input on University Spinouts
Summarises our input throughout the independent review of university spinout companies.
LifeArc representation -Spring Budget 2023
Read the LifeArc representation of the 2023 Spring Budget.
Other documents
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Read more: Written Evidence Submitted by The Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC)(DIV0100)
This Association of Medical Research Charities submission to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee Inquiry into Diversity in STEM focusses on three areas outlined in the inquiry’s call for evidence: what the implications are of groups such as women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities and those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds being under-represented in…
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Read more: Horizon Europe association – joint statement
Following the agreement in principle reached by the UK and EU regarding the Windsor Framework, representatives of the UK, Irish and wider European research, innovation and business communities have signed a joint statement urging rapid progress on UK association to EU programmes, including Horizon Europe, Copernicus and Euratom.
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Read more: Overview – LifeArc input to the Independent Review on University Spin-Out Companies
In 2023 the UK Government commissioned an Independent Review of University Spinout Companies.The Review came at an ideal time to examine and enhance the UK’s spinout offering and LifeArcinputted heavily throughout the process, sharing our insights from over 25 years’ experience. Thisdocument summarises our input throughout the process.
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Read more: The future of cell and gene therapies in the UK: skills, training and development
The future of cell and gene therapies in the UK is a policy programme designed to identify practical and actionable steps to address the current skills shortages seen in Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) and wider life sciences sector.
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Read more: LifeArc representation – Spring Budget 2023
Government has rightly identified innovation as a growth priority. Fuelling key innovation sectors will be vital to growth, not least our life science industry which generated £94.2 billion in 2021. The UK has an exceptional science base, and global access to capital and talent to fuel the growth of life sciences companies domestically.
