Scotland’s life sciences sector already turns over about £10.5 billion and sustains more than 46,000 jobs across pharmaceuticals, health tech, agritech, aquaculture, and biotech, with Dundee set to play a central role in the plan.

The Scottish Government has refreshed its Life Sciences Strategy, aiming to grow the sector to £25 billion within ten years through targeted investment and policy levers.

A strategy to reach £25 billion by 2035 positions Dundee as a central hub to achieve this growth.

Dundee is already a leader in drug discovery, precision medicine, and health data science, and is expected to drive significant growth through collaboration among universities, NHS Tayside, and industry partners.

The strategy outlines infrastructure, skills development, and collaboration through focused delivery plans, with Dundee University’s Life Sciences Innovation Hub hosting the launch.

An initial £1 million government investment will fund an Industry Leadership Group pilot for Scottish SMEs to develop innovative products and NHS Regional Innovation Hubs to boost collaboration with health services.

A pilot program will assist Scottish SMEs in developing new products, and NHS Regional Innovation Hubs will connect businesses with NHS opportunities.

DIGIT Expo, Edinburgh’s major tech event on 27 November, is promoted as a key platform to showcase life sciences, AI, and connected-health innovation with involvement from big tech and finance players.

The piece notes Scotland’s lag behind global leaders like Medicon Valley and the London/Oxford/Cambridge corridor, while highlighting investments such as the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre in Paisley and the Tay Cities Biomedical Cluster funding.

Leaders emphasize long-term growth, world-leading development, testing, manufacturing, and commercialization of life sciences innovations to benefit Scotland’s health and economy.

Delivery will be overseen by the Life Sciences Scotland Industry Leadership Group and a dedicated team acting as a cluster development organization to guide implementation.

Industry leaders insist technologies like genome editing and AI will transform life sciences, with Scotland and Dundee well-placed to lead and attract international investment; Mark Cook highlights bold steps to push boundaries.

A Financial Health Innovation Lab will connect life sciences with financial services, alongside a feasibility study for expanding laboratory space to support growing companies, potentially benefiting Dundee’s biotech cluster.

The strategy aims to convert Scotland’s strengths in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, genetics, and biochemistry into sustained growth, using data, digital tools, and AI to accelerate discovery.

The plan seeks to maintain Scotland as a leading European life sciences hub by investing in talent pipelines and fostering collaboration among industry, academia, and the public sector.