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Research assessment results put medical school ahead of strategic schedule
18.12.08
Results from the national Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) published today show the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry well on course to achieve its strategic aim of being in the top 50 per cent of UK Medical Schools in terms of research.
The RAE assesses all research carried out by universities across the UK and the scoring influences levels of future funding. This is the first RAE to which the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry has submitted research. In terms of the proportion of research rated as internationally excellent or world class, the College scores joint 11th out of 28 for hospital based clinical research and 13th out of 24 for health service research.
Professor Sir John Tooke, Dean of the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, commented: "This is a very encouraging result both for our research teams and for the future of clinical and health related research in the South West. Our strategic objective is to be in the top 50 per cent of research in the areas in which we specialise by 2015, and we are within a very short distance of that aim now, seven years ahead of schedule.”
He added: "My congratulations go to my academic and clinical research colleagues, and to the University of Exeter, the University of Plymouth and the NHS in the South West with whom we share a unique and successful partnership. The results we have achieved today are good news for the health and wealth of the region and beyond. They also create a strong platform on which we can launch our research expansion plans, which will see a tripling of research over the next five years which will build on the quality we have achieved so far.”
The Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry has created an excellent national and international reputation for groundbreaking research in the areas of diabetes and obesity, neurological disease, child development and ageing, clinical education and health technology assessment. Research highlights have included the discovery of the so-called ‘fat' and ‘tall' genes, and the identification of a possible link between bisphenol A, (widely used in plastics for food and drink packaging) and adult disease.
The Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry will receive notification of future funding levels along with other universities in March.
More information is available by logging on at www.pms.ac.uk.
The ERDF Convergence Programme is investing in the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry to support the development of the dental school and research facilities in Truro, Cornwall.
For further information:
Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager for the Convergence Partnership Office
01872 223439 / 07973 813647
cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk
Brian Seage
Head of External Affairs Group, Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry
01752 437444
