The University of East Anglia is proposing to build a new medical research facility to be operated in partnership with the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital on the Norwich Research Park, focused on finding new treatments for diseases affecting ageing populations.

The building will be managed by UEA and provide state of the art laboratories for new research teams to undertake world class research into prostate cancer, antibiotic resistant disease, musculo-skeletal disease and gastrointestinal diseases.

The presence of hospital clinicians inside the building working alongside the research teams focused on a large number of patients from the hospital will provide the best chance of translational research - finding answers by studying real life clinical cases in an applied science environment.

Teams will be led by leading UEA researchers including Prof Colin Cooper, part funded by the Big C charity, working on prostate cancer. Teaching facilities will be included in the design to ensure that UEA medical students will benefit academically and clinically from the expertise to be generated in the new facility.

A crucial state of the art bio-bank facility will be contained within the building to permit the eventual storage of up to a million DNA and tissue samples, which will enable the research to progress based on clinical outcomes.

'The Difference' Campaign aims to contribute at least £3m of gifts and donations from philanthropic individuals, Trusts and corporations towards the construction costs of the new building.

If you would like to discuss this project or make a gift to it, please call David Ellis, senior development manager, on +44 (0)1603 591168, or email d.ellis1@uea.ac.uk.