Dr Kath Mackay, Chief Scientific Officer at Bruntwood SciTech, insists that investment in scientific talent and research is not enough on its own. To stay globally competitive in life sciences, the UK must invest in the infrastructure and ecosystems that help turn discovery into delivery.
The UK has long been a global leader in scientific discovery. But turning research into real-world health outcomes depends not only on promising ideas but on the right conditions to support them.
As new technologies shape what’s possible in diagnostics, genomics and personalised medicine, the environments supporting this work should evolve in tandem.
Functionality is no longer enough, we need to make the most of our research strengths and importantly, we need spaces that actively encourage collaboration, support commercial growth and shorten the path between discovery and delivery.
This challenge plays out in cities across the UK, where demand for high-quality lab and clinical-adjacent space continues to rise. Manchester is one of those cities.
It now ranks third nationally for life sciences growth thanks to a well-established ecosystem where businesses, hospitals and research institutions are closely connected and actively collaborating.
At Bruntwood SciTech, we have seen first-hand how businesses that are close to the right partners, move faster and achieve more.
Citylabs 4.0 illustrates what this can look like in practice. Delivered in partnership with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, the building brings 125,000 sq ft of lab and office space to Europe’s largest clinical academic campus.
Companies working in diagnostics, medtech, AI and biotech are already embedded within a clinical environment. That means easier access to sample supply, frontline healthcare expertise, and translational support.
It also means more chance for cross-collaboration, the kind that leads to quicker outcomes, better solutions and real patient benefit.
Further along the Oxford Road Corridor, the next phase of Manchester’s infrastructure story is taking shape. Greenheys, a £60 million development due to complete in 2026, will provide high-spec CL2 labs and technical space for science and materials businesses.
It will also become the new home of UK Biobank, bringing one of the world’s most significant health data resources into the heart of the city’s innovation district. This move opens new doors for researchers and businesses alike, offering opportunities for deeper collaboration and greater impact.
But these buildings only deliver real value when they sit within a broader ecosystem. Physical infrastructure is just one element – albeit a crucial one – of a thriving innovation economy.
What unlocks their full potential is the environment around them, including talent, funding, research partners and shared networks that help businesses grow. We see this every day in the way our customers engage with universities, NHS Trusts and each other.
This kind of growth is often underpinned by long-term partnerships that encourage co-location with academic and clinical institutions. It’s about building trust and creating conditions for the right connections to happen at the right time.
When this approach is embedded, the impact extends beyond individual business success into stronger regional economies and more resilient innovation clusters.
Why infrastructure still matters in the race for scientific leadership
If the UK is to remain a serious player in global life sciences, it must keep investing in the places where innovation happens. This is not just about having enough space. It is about ensuring the quality and connectivity of that space matches the needs of modern science.
Lab space might not always be front of mind in policy debates, but it plays a central role in making the UK’s science ambitions real. It determines where businesses can grow, the pace of which new treatments are developed and whether we can retain talent and investment in key regions.
It should be recognised that what we build now will shape what R&D can achieve over the next decade. Infrastructure decisions might feel like long-term planning exercises or just a formality, but they have an immediate effect on what companies can do today and whether their innovations ever reach the people who need them.
If we want the UK to lead the next generation of breakthroughs, we need to focus not only on capacity but on the conditions that turn research into results. Getting that balance right will make the difference.
