King's appoints stem cell expert to lead new Centre
Posted on 14/06/2011
King’s College London announced today that it is set to launch a Centre for Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine to be led by Professor Fiona Watt, former president of the International Society of Stem Cell Research.
The Centre, which will be based at Guy’s Hospital, will bring together the cutting-edge stem cell research currently taking place across the College and its partner NHS trusts, as part of King’s Health Partners. Through the Centre, King’s aims to drive collaboration between scientists and clinicians to translate the potential of stem cells into clinical reality for patients.
Professor Watt has been appointed as Director of the Centre, and from January 2012 will co-ordinate existing stem cell research at King’s as well as establish her own research programme.
Currently Deputy Director of the Cambridge CR-UK Institute at the University of Cambridge, Professor Watt is at the forefront of research into the use of stem cells in regenerative medicine and disease. With a particular interest in the development and renewal of skin stem cells, she has pioneered research in this area and made major contributions to the field of stem cell research as a whole.
Professor Robert Lechler, Vice-Principal for Health at King’s and Executive Director of King’s Health Partners, said: ‘I am absolutely delighted to welcome Professor Watt to King’s. As a world-leader in stem cell research, she is internationally recognised as being highly influential in the field, and I am thrilled that she is joining us. I believe she will successfully drive forward our vision of a world-class research centre, which aims to make a substantive impact on the application of stem cells to medical practice.
‘Our work at King’s Health Partners, an Academic Health Sciences Centre, is focused on translating scientific research into clinical treatments for patients much faster. As the use of stem cells in regenerative medicine is emerging as a key priority for research in the UK, I am excited about what we can achieve through the Centre for Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine at King’s.’
Professor Fiona Watt said: ‘I am deeply honoured by this appointment and I am very excited about moving to King’s. King’s provides the perfect multi-disciplinary and collaborative environment in which to translate fundamental stem cell research into real patient benefit.’
For further information please contact Emma Reynolds, Press Officer at King’s College London, on 0207 848 4334 or email emma.reynolds@kcl.ac.uk