British Acheievements in Science and Technology

The UK has an outstanding record of scientific discovery. With 1% of the world's population, the UK funds 5% of the world's scienctific research, produces 8% of the world's scientific research and receives 9% of citations on a global basis. The strength of British research is all too clear - in terms of Nobel prize winners, the UK is ranked number 2 globally, behind the United States.

Whilst the UK's strengths in science and technology are diverse, with many of the world's greatest inventions such as the telephone, the computer and and television being born in the UK, 2003 marks the 50th anniversary of the discovery of DNA -- the molecule of life -- in the UK.

The Strength of British Biotechnology 50 years on from the discovery of DNA in Britain, the UK leads Europe in biotechnology, and possesses great strengths in: * The quality of science base, personnel, facilities, and clinical research in hospitals * The numberand quality of start-up companies (the UK has more than 280 biotechnology SMEs representign three quarters of those publicly listed in Europe) * The growth of these start-ups and the numbers that they employ (some 40,000 people) * Continuing progression of drugs and diagnostics through clinical trials (including over 50% of all European clinical development) * The consolidation of maturing companies (including 2 of the 4 largest pharmacetuical corporations in the world by market capitalisation and 3 of the largest 4 biotechnology companies in Europe by market capitalisation and operations * the continuing investment by venture capital groups and institutional investors (?350 million has been invested in British biotechnology over the last 10 years.