Dundee is to take centre stage in Scotland’s £25 BILLION life sciences vision
- Andrew Batchelor
- 10 hours ago
- 2 min read
Scotland has unveiled a major new plan to grow its life sciences industry into a £25 billion powerhouse by 2035, with Dundee placed firmly at the heart of the nation’s ambitions.
The refreshed Life Sciences Strategy was launched at the University of Dundee’s new Life Sciences Innovation Hub, underlining the city’s growing reputation as a global centre for medical research and biotech innovation.
The Strategy, shaped jointly by the Scottish Government and industry leaders, sets out how Scotland will strengthen its infrastructure, develop future skills and embrace emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.
With Dundee already home to world-leading research in drug discovery, precision medicine and health data science, the city is expected to be central to delivering much of this growth.
An initial £1 million government investment will kick-start the plan. This includes support for the Industry Leadership Group steering the Strategy, a new pilot scheme to help Scottish SMEs create innovative products, and further investment in NHS Regional Innovation Hubs to strengthen collaboration between businesses and the health service.
Funding will also support a Financial Health Innovation Lab and a feasibility study exploring new laboratory space for expanding companies - a move that could directly benefit Dundee’s rapidly growing biotech cluster.
Speaking at the launch, Business Minister Richard Lochhead said the Strategy represented a long-term commitment to supporting one of Scotland’s most dynamic industries.
He praised the sector’s economic impact and its ability to transform health and care, stating that the goal is to make Scotland the best place in the world to develop, test, manufacture and commercialise life sciences innovation. Dundee’s contribution to these ambitions, he noted, is already widely recognised.
Delivery will be led by the Life Sciences Scotland Industry Leadership Group, which unites government ministers with key industry figures. A new Life Sciences Scotland team will also act as a cluster development organisation to ensure that people working in the sector guide every stage of the Strategy’s rollout.
This is particularly relevant to Dundee, where collaboration between universities, NHS Tayside and businesses continues to unlock major new breakthroughs.
Industry co-chair Mark Cook said the next decade will be critical as revolutionary technologies such as genome editing and AI reshape global life sciences.
He emphasised that Scotland must seize every opportunity to lead this transformation, highlighting how cities like Dundee - known for its pioneering medical research and innovation culture - will drive the momentum needed.
Richard Torbett, Chief Executive of the ABPI, added that Scotland’s world-class clinical research ecosystem and strong record of collaboration put the country in a strong position despite wider UK challenges.
He stressed that rapid adoption of new medicines and vaccines will be vital not only for patients but to attract further international investment, something Dundee’s research strengths can directly support.
Scotland’s life sciences sector already contributes around £10.5 billion in turnover and supports more than 46,000 jobs across areas including pharmaceuticals, health technology, agritech, aquaculture and biotechnology.
With Dundee continuing to excel in human health research and precision medicine, the city is expected to play a defining role as Scotland pushes towards its £25 billion target.
