GE Healthcare and Cardiff University agree research alliance

GE Healthcare has signed a memorandum of understanding with Cardiff University that will see the organisations collaborate on innovative healthcare research projects.

The agreement will encompass a wide range of science research and development projects, allowing the medical technology firm to share expertise with the university in areas of mutual scientific and commercial interest.

These will include the creation of technology relating to the emerging field of cell therapy, as well as investigating new approaches to cut the cost of developing drugs.

Other potential initiatives could include staff exchanges and student training schemes, with a joint steering group to identify new possibilities for the collaboration.

Amr Abid, general manager of GE Healthcare Life Sciences' cell technology business, said: "We see this new working agreement as a way to formalise and build on our long-standing relationship with the university and work together towards a healthier future for Wales and the wider world."

This comes after the company last month formed a new alliance with Covidien, which will see the partners incorporating their own technologies into each other's products.