His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester visited the International Centre for Life in Newcastle upon Tyne on Wednesday 8 October to mark its 25th anniversary.
The vibrant science hub in the heart of the city, brings together scientists, clinicians, technologists and educationalists from around the world, and was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in May 2000.
Working together, the Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Hospitals Trust and Newcastle University have achieved international acclaim for their cutting-edge research, patient treatments and some notable world firsts.
In 2003, Life was the first place in the UK to produce human embryonic stem cells. Six years later, Life became the first place in the world to create human sperm from embryonic stem cells and in 2023 their work led to the first baby to be born using donor mitochondria.
The Duke also visited the award-winning Life Science Centre and met local schoolchildren taking part in activities and curriculum-linked workshops. The pupils were from the West End Schools’ Trust, which has worked with Life for over a decade to improve access to science for all children.
“I’m so proud of what has been achieved over the last 25 years. It’s been the icing on the cake sharing some of it with The Duke.
“I’ve very fond memories of the visit by The late Queen. The Duke’s visit today highlights the importance of the life-changing work carried out at Life.”
