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

West Midlands Health Tech Innovation Accelerator Unlocks Nearly £50M in Private Investment

The West Midlands Health Tech Innovation Accelerator (WMHTIA), led by the University of Birmingham, has generated an impressive £49.4 million in private co-investment within its first two years, significantly surpassing its original £14.5 million public funding allocation.

Funded through the Innovation Accelerator programme, coordinated by Innovate UK, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and UK Research and Innovation, WMHTIA has become a leading force in advancing health technology innovation across the region.

The majority of the private investment—£36.3 million—was directly committed by investors to enterprises supported by the Accelerator. This achievement represents a threefold return on the initial public investment, demonstrating the strong investor confidence in the region’s health tech sector.

Powering Health Innovation Through Collaboration

The WMHTIA brings together 21 partners from academia, industry, and the NHS to help healthtech companies develop, validate, and commercialise cutting-edge medical technologies. So far, companies supported through the programme have also secured an additional £10 million in national public grants from agencies including NIHR, Eureka, and Innovate UK.

Including both public and private contributions, the total investment leveraged by WMHTIA now stands at £67.3 million.

Professor Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor, University of Birmingham:

We’re proud to support startups through the riskiest stages of innovation so more life-saving technologies reach patients. This exceptional investment proves what’s possible when academia, the NHS, and industry work together to drive economic growth and better health outcomes.

In March 2025, the Innovation Accelerator programme was extended with a further £30 million, including £4 million for the WMHTIA to continue supporting the region’s innovators in 2025/26.

Backing the Future of Health Tech

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands:

The West Midlands is leading medical tech innovation—from faster diagnoses to shorter hospital stays. Healthtech isn’t just improving lives; it’s creating secure, high-value jobs that drive inclusive growth.

Dean Cook, Executive Director of Place and Global, Innovate UK:

This programme shows how place-based innovation can unlock greater business investment in R&D. By connecting the region’s strengths, we’re creating high-value jobs and building globally significant innovation capability.

The WMHTIA continues to strengthen the region’s reputation as a national hub for health technology, with far-reaching benefits for patient care, job creation, and regional economic development.

By Anushka Malhotra

24 Jun