BICOM

British and Israeli medical experts are holding two major conferences in London this week to tackle the effects of ageing.

The British Council Israel and the UK Science and Innovation Network (SIN) are holding an event on Precision Medicine and Ageing and BIRAX (the Britain Israel Research and Academic Exchange Partnership) is holding its fourth Conference, both will take place at Kings College London.

BIRAX is a multi-million pound initiative of the  British Council, the UK Science and Innovation network (SIN), the British Embassy in Israel, the Pears Foundation and the United Jewish Israel Appeal, which invests in world-leading research jointly undertaken by scientists in Britain and Israel. The BIRAX Regenerative Medicine Initiative has so far invested £8m in 19 cutting edge projects involving 100 researchers in both countries. The projects pioneer techniques using stem cell and regenerative medicine therapies to tackle some of the world’s most challenging conditions and diseases including cardiovascular and liver disease, diabetes and Parkinson’s.

British Ambassador to Israel, David Quarrey said: “Ageing is one of the biggest challenges facing both our countries, at every level of society and in every area of life. As both our Governments put ageing high on their priority lists, we want to see our scientific communities combining their expertise through research projects that will help us develop effective strategies for successful ageing. BIRAX Ageing is designed to do just that: to bring our scientific communities together in projects that will help us cope better with the ageing process and our ageing societies”.

In March, the UK Government launched a new £5m fund to promote research between Israel and the UK into the ageing process and its effect on human health.