On Friday 23rd May 2025, Ian Murray, MP for Edinburgh South and Secretary of State for Scotland, visited the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult’s (CGT Catapult) site located in the University of Edinburgh’s Institute for Regeneration and Repair.
Scotland, and in particular Edinburgh, has a flourishing cell and gene therapy industry. The Edinburgh BioQuarter, where the CGT Catapult is based, is home to Europe’s largest concentration of stem cell scientists and hosts a growing cluster of advanced therapy companies and healthcare experts.
During the visit, Ian Murray toured the CGT Catapult’s high-specification laboratories which enable cell and gene therapy developers to improve their manufacturing processes and analytics. He met with members of the CGT Catapult’s expert team to hear about the importance of advanced therapies in improving healthcare, and the support the CGT Catapult provides to therapy developers. This includes manufacturing and analytical development, and help navigating the complex regulatory requirements involved in bringing these life-changing therapies to market.
I'm honoured to have visited the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult facility at Edinburgh BioQuarter today as the local MP. It was fantastic to meet the team, tour the state-of-the-art laboratories, and learn more about the pioneering research and manufacturing development underway.
Ian Murray MP
The work being done here showcases Scotland's leadership in advanced cell therapies, and I was especially impressed by the UK’s first accessible ‘Universal Design’ lab for scientists with disabilities, a vital step toward greater inclusion in research.
CGT Catapult is a brilliant example of how collaboration between academia, industry, and the NHS can accelerate innovation and deliver real-world benefits. I’m proud to have such an important lab in my constituency, and I’ll continue doing all I can to support them and Edinburgh’s world-class life sciences sector across government.
We were honoured to host Ian Murray MP to showcase how we are helping the advanced therapies industry develop new products, bring down costs and increase supply. The ongoing support we receive from the Government is vital to helping a thriving industry deliver life changing therapies in the UK and around the world.
Matthew Durdy, Chief Executive of the CGT Catapult