LORRAINE KELLY, television personality and former Dundee University rector, yesterday opened a new “research shop” at Ninewells that will act as an information point for the activities of the £10.5 million Clinical Research Centre.

“I think this is a fantastic facility,” said Lorraine. “It’s great it is here in a place in Ninewells where everyone coming into the hospital will see it.

“It is vital we give the public this kind of information, as they are the people who are absolutely essential in supporting all the great research done here.”

The shop will provide details of clinical research studies being run at the centre, as well as across NHS Tayside and the university, and how people can get involved. It will also provide information about research studies in general—how they are run and the benefits they can bring in tackling many major diseases.

“The Clinical Research Centre is a fantastic facility that will provide a real boost to the range of medical research taking place in Tayside and Fife,” said Professor Alastair Thompson, the centre’s director.

“The public here have been fantastic in supporting our research over many years and this centre will make it easier and more comfortable for them to continue doing that.

“The shop unit on the Ninewells main concourse will be vital in letting people access information about the CRC and clinical trials in general.”

Dr Charles Weller, CRC operations manager, said it was essential the public was given as much information as possible about clinical research studies and how they can engage with them.

“There are many benefits to clinical research and studies are essential if we are to gain a greater understanding of diseases such as diabetes and cancer and develop new treatments for them,” said Dr Weller.

“At the same time we recognise many people may not be aware of what is involved in taking part in clinical research and may be apprehensive. We want to get as much information to them as we can and explain exactly what we are doing.”

The custom-built Clinical Research Centre is located close to the multi-storey car park at Ninewells to act as a hub for the research community in Tayside and Fife, hosting patient trials in a comfortable setting. It is a university and NHS Tayside joint venture.

The initial range of trials set to run at the centre covers a range of diseases including diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

In recent weeks the centre started taking patients, with the first trial being run through the centre concentrating on diabetes. Around another 40 trials are already lined up, involving hundreds of patients from across Tayside and Fife.

The CRC will be formally opened by Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, on July 9.