UKHSA has launched a 10-year science strategy, setting out how
UKHSA’s science can save more lives and contribute to the UK’s
ambition to be a global science superpower.
The strategy sets out how
the UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) scientific capabilities
– including genomics, vaccine evaluation, surveillance, data
science, diagnostics and toxicology – will be deployed to prepare
for future health security hazards, respond to current threats to
save lives, reduce harm, protect livelihoods and essentially
build the UK’s health security capacity.
Through investment in scientific workforce and deeper
partnerships with industry and academia, the strategy sets out
UKHSA’s ambitions
to:
- predict and anticipate health threats, through unique and
expert skills in genomics, data science and surveillance,
including disease vector (such as mosquitoes and ticks)
surveillance
- create a more secure environment, by enhancing our
understanding of the threats in the environment and building
scientific defences against these hazards
- reduce and eliminate health threats, by strengthening the
scientific evidence underpinning health protection programmes –
at home and abroad
- act on the scientific evidence, translating data, knowledge
and insights into practical actions
- unlock the potential of scientific assets, and secure the
legacy from the pandemic to increase the impact of our science on
health and economic prosperity, strengthening vaccine and
diagnostic development and evaluation and data science
Professor Isabel Oliver, Chief Scientific Advisor at UKHSA, said:
We saw the art of the possible during the coronavirus (COVID-19)
pandemic with genomic data allowing the rapid identification and
characterisation of variants enabling the rapid development and
evaluation of diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics.
Science was the backbone of the world’s response, helping us to
understand the virus, how to best protect ourselves and
ultimately live safely with the virus. UKHSA will deploy its unique
scientific capabilities working with partners to protect lives
and livelihoods from the health threats we are facing now and
those we will detect, prevent and control in future.
Professor Dame Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of UKHSA, said:
UKHSA protects our
communities from infectious diseases and the impact of chemical,
radiological and other environmental health hazards. Our diverse
scientific capabilities and partnerships are the foundation of
our work, underpinning everything we do.
We are already working to continuously protect the public from
existing and emerging health threats, but our new strategy will
ensure the UK is ready to tackle all current and future health
threats quickly and effectively, securing the best health
outcomes and greater prosperity for the country.
Health Minister said:
Cutting-edge science showed its power throughout our response to
the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to protect people from
potential future health threats.
UKHSA’s new
science strategy will ensure the UK remains one of the world’s
science superpowers, while protecting people from illness and
reducing pressure on NHS services – helping to deliver on the
government’s priority of cutting waiting lists.
Through this work, the agency will identify and address threats
rapidly, protecting people’s health and livelihoods, reducing the
burden on NHS services and ultimately limiting the costs
associated with major outbreaks and incidents.
Our developments include a new Centre for Climate and Health
Security, including delivering a 5-year assessment report on the
Health Effects of Climate Change. In addition, UKHSA is working in
partnership to accelerate and expand its role in new diagnostics
and developing the organisation’s genomic capabilities to detect
threats to health rapidly and effectively, as well as supporting
the development of the vaccines and therapeutics that we need to
protect health.
