Collaborative spaces, transformative care

Health and care research depends on collaboration, access to specialist facilities, and meaningful engagement with patients and communities. Universities provide the infrastructure and expertise that de-risk innovation and accelerate impact.

• Over 80% of life sciences companies in Scotland work with universities to access specialist equipment and expertise (Life Sciences Scotland, 2023).
  
  

• Academic–industry health collaborations generate £8.2bn annually for the UK economy (UKRI, 2022).
  
  

• Early patient involvement in health research increases adoption rates of innovations by up to 60% (NIHR, 2023).

The opportunity is clear: when researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and patients come together in the right environments, solutions move faster from lab bench to bedside.

At Heriot-Watt, we’ve invested in facilities and expertise designed to support health and care innovation from concept through to clinical testing. Three standout strengths include:

• Immersive Suite for co-design
  A dedicated space emulating real-world settings including hospitals, pharmacies, care homes, and GP surgeries. Over 500 visitors have already used the suite since its launch in 2024.
  
  
• Medical Device Manufacturing Centre (MDMC)
  A proven hub supporting more than 170 companies to translate ideas into safe, commercial medical devices.
  
  
• 50+ unique labs and facilities
  From photonics-enabled treatment in our laser lab to rapid prototyping in our additive manufacturing lab, our ecosystem turns entrepreneurial thinking into tangible solutions.

We’re inviting patients, clinicians, policymakers, and industry partners to collaborate with us and shape the next generation of health and care.

• Patients & communities: Join our Voice network to influence research priorities and ensure projects reflect lived experience.
  
  

• Researchers & innovators: Access our facilities and expertise to embed patient involvement early and accelerate proposals into real-world testing.
  
  

• Clinicians & policymakers: Partner with us to bridge the gap between innovation and clinical practice, helping to deliver solutions that are both scalable and trusted.

 

Working together, we can:

• Accelerate clinical testing and adoption of new treatments and devices.

• Build more inclusive, patient-centred health and care research.

• Support SMEs and entrepreneurs to translate innovation into market-ready solutions.

• Deliver measurable outcomes that improve care and create economic value.

By uniting world-class facilities with patient voices and professional expertise, we are building an ecosystem where innovation delivers outcomes that matter.