Healthcare Technologies
The healthcare technologies sector in Leicestershire is varied and dynamic, with companies active in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical instrument manufacturing markets.
Leading companies already based here include 3M Healthcare, AstraZeneca, Ashfield Healthcare and Fisher Scientific.
The county also benefits from three high quality universities that excel in the sciences and have led the way in developing links with industry:
- The University of Leicester, where DNA fingerprinting was pioneered, is currently involved in a project to establish a new £20 million Biomedical Research Centre
- Loughborough University is home to some of the top rated science departments in the country, and has the highest spin-out rate relative to research funding of any UK university
- De Montfort University is rapidly becoming a leading UK research centre for health-related sciences such as pharmacy, audiology and nursing
Leicestershire has a number of purpose-built science and technology centres including incubator units designed specifically to nurture innovative healthcare technology companies.
Leicester will shortly see the development of a new eight hectare science and innovation park that will include a new incubation centre. There are plans to create a 50 hectare Science Park close to Loughborough University.