Birmingham Awarded National Centre of Excellence for AI and Digital Health Innovation

By Anushka Malhotra

1 minute 59 seconds

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Quick Read: The University of Birmingham has been awarded £1 million to establish a Centre of Excellence in AI and digital health regulation, driving safer and faster pathways for transformative healthcare technologies in the UK.

The University of Birmingham has been selected to host a new Centre of Excellence for Regulatory Science and Innovation in AI & Digital Health Technologies (CERSI-AI), with £1 million in funding to ensure the safe and effective adoption of transformative digital health technologies in the UK.

The centre will work in collaboration with six key founding partners, including leading universities, industry innovators, and NHS organisations, as well as a wider international network, to advance regulatory frameworks that balance innovation with safety and cost-effectiveness for patients.

Transforming Healthcare with AI and Digital Innovation

As artificial intelligence (AI) and digital health technologies revolutionize healthcare, offering faster diagnostics and more personalised treatments, regulatory systems must adapt to ensure these advancements are safe and effective.

Professor Alastair Denniston, Executive Director at the University of Birmingham, emphasised the Centre's mission:

"We have a national mandate to identify challenges, create solutions using scientific methodologies, and implement them quickly in collaboration with government regulators. Our vision is to make the UK the best place for innovators to develop, evaluate, and market new healthcare technologies for the benefit of patients and providers alike."

Building a National and Global Network

The Centre's founding partners include the University of York, Hadrian Health, Newton’s Tree, Romilly Life Sciences, and the Association of British HealthTech Industries, alongside NHS bodies such as University Hospitals Birmingham NHSFT and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Professor Neil Hanley, Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Birmingham, expressed excitement at the announcement:

"This is a testament to Birmingham’s growing reputation as a leader in regulatory and implementation science. With the establishment of this Centre and ongoing developments at our Health Innovation Campus, we are cementing our position as a hub for life sciences innovation."

Nationwide Investment to Accelerate Life-Saving Innovations

The initiative is part of a broader £7 million investment by Innovate UK, MHRA, and the Medical Research Council, which will fund seven new Centres of Excellence across the UK. These Centres aim to streamline the development and approval of groundbreaking treatments, ensuring patients benefit from cutting-edge innovations.

Science Minister Lord Vallance hailed the initiative:

"New technologies are transforming healthcare and the economy. By launching these Centres, we can ensure that regulation keeps pace with innovation, allowing life-changing treatments and technologies to reach patients more quickly and safely."

Dr June Raine, MHRA Chief Executive, described the Centres as a "first-of-its-kind program" that will propel regulatory science forward while maintaining public health safeguards.

Future-Focused Collaboration

CERSI-AI will develop tools, frameworks, and guidance to address emerging regulatory challenges and advance the UK's leadership in medical technology and innovation.

Dr Glenn Wells, Deputy Executive Chair at the Medical Research Council, emphasised the Centre's strategic importance:

"By collaborating closely with the MHRA and academic institutions, we are helping shape a regulatory landscape that will advance healthcare innovation while ensuring safety and effectiveness for patients."

What's new

CreaTech Frontiers Launch Unlocks £250K in Funding for West Midlands Creative Innovators

Creative SMEs in the West Midlands are being given a major boost with the launch of CreaTech Frontiers, a new innovation cluster that has opened applications for the first £250,000 round of grant funding.

The programme, which offers individual grants of up to £10,000, is designed to help freelancers and small creative businesses develop groundbreaking ideas at the intersection of creativity and technology. The funding forms part of a £7.2 million, five-year initiative led by a consortium of regional powerhouses including Birmingham City University (BCU), University of Birmingham, Coventry University, University of Warwick, and the Royal Shakespeare Company. It’s funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council as part of the UK Research and Innovation's Creative Industries Cluster Programme.

Photo Credit: University of Warwick

Officially launched on April 29 at STEAMhouse, BCU’s innovation centre, CreaTech Frontiers marks the first time the West Midlands has received funding through this prestigious national scheme.

Professor Lamberto Coccioli, Director of CreaTech Frontiers, said:

“These early-stage grants will give creative entrepreneurs access not just to capital, but also to university-led research and resources that can turn ambitious ideas into reality. This is about unlocking cultural, social and economic value across the region.”

CreaTech Frontiers is aiming to ignite a wave of innovation in sectors like gaming, immersive tech, live performance, visual arts, and creative technologies. Successful applicants will also gain access to facilities across the five partner institutions, along with specialist academic support during the R&D phase.

Future plans include a second, larger round of grant funding, a pilot with Birmingham Opera Company, collaborative projects with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the formation of an apprenticeship working group to support skills development.

Rachel Davis, Director of Warwick Enterprise, said:

“Through this collaboration, we’re strengthening the region’s identity as a creative and tech innovation hub. With a shared focus on inclusion and sustainability, CreaTech Frontiers will ensure diverse voices are at the forefront of this growing ecosystem.”

The West Midlands Combined Authority is also backing the initiative, which it believes could contribute £65 million and create 1,500 jobs by 2030 within the regional creative and gaming economy.

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker added:

“Our region is full of bold, young thinkers pushing the boundaries of tech and creativity. CreaTech Frontiers connects these minds with the world-class research coming out of our universities, creating the conditions for global impact.”

Applications open Monday 2 June 2025.

Interested SMEs can register now

to be part of the next generation of CreaTech pioneers.

By Anushka Malhotra

2 May