The Right Honourable Ian Murray,
The Honourable Maree Todd,
Professors Mathieson, Sudlow, and Argyle, the Usher family,
Dear colleagues and friends,
I am delighted to be with you today for the opening of the new Usher Building.
I offer my congratuations to the entire university community on the opening of this important new research facility.
It brings together a number of innovative institutions, including the Usher Institute, a WHO Collaborating Centre that works on population health research and training.
Earlier this morning I had the privilege of taking a tour of this impressive new research hub.
I was very impressed by the researchers and projects I saw today.
They included work on inequality for disease and mental health; NHS waiting lists; inflammatory disease; artificial intelligence; HIV stigma; cervical cancer screening; respiratory disease; paediatric pneumonia, and so much more.
Other pioneering health work in this new research complex includes artificial intelligence, diagnostic imaging, cancer genetics, and using population data to enhance prevention, diagnosis and care delivery and address health inequities, and patient safety and performance in surgery as well, which was very impressive.
There is a great opportunity for WHO here.
So, although this building is new, its twin purposes – education and research – are not.
They have always been central to the mission of the University, just as they have always been central to improvements in health globally, and to our work at WHO.
We would welcome the opportunity to discuss with you how WHO could expand our partnership with the Usher Institute and the University of Edinburgh, to leverage your expertise and experience for a healthier world for all.
Because we work through institutions, and that’s why we have a Collaborating Centre here, and I saw a lot of opportunities today, to even work closer, and have more Collaborating Centres with the University of Edinburgh.
That’s what this building is born of, it’s about collaboration, and that’s what the work that we do at WHO is all about. We share the same purpose.
My thanks once again to the entire University of Edinburgh community for your work, your partnership, and your dedication to a healthier, safer, and fairer world.
It is now my great honour to officially declare the Usher Building open.