First Minister Visit and Living Lab Seminar Highlight Cutting-Edge Innovation at Imaging Centre of Excellence (ICE)
Published: 19 June 2025
Living Laboratory Programme Director, Dr Ruth McLaughlin, was honoured to welcome Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray to the Imaging Centre of Excellence (ICE) on Monday, 16th June.
Living Laboratory Programme Director, Dr Ruth McLaughlin, was honoured to welcome Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray to the University of Glasgow's Imaging Centre of Excellence (ICE) on Monday, 16th June.
The visit formed part of the First Minister’s address to a national audience of public service leaders and innovators, where he set out his vision for renewing Scotland’s NHS - with technology, prevention and early intervention at its core.
Describing the work at ICE as “world-leading”, the First Minister spotlighted cutting-edge developments in precision medicine and digital innovation. The visit also highlighted the significant advancements being made in medical imaging, including recognition of the groundbreaking work of our partner MR CoilTech.
Dr Ruth McLaughlin proudly led the First Minister on a tour of ICE’s ultra-high‑field 7 Tesla (7T) MRI scanner - one of the most powerful in the world. During the tour, she highlighted the Living Laboratory’s Coil Development project, a collaborative effort with NHSGGC, Siemens Healthineers, and MR CoilTech to design and test new radiofrequency (RF) coils that extend the clinical capabilities of 7T MRI.
We are proud to see national leaders recognise the pioneering work taking place within ICE and the wider Clinical Innovation Zone (CIZ), reflecting their position at the forefront of healthcare innovation in Scotland. The visit reaffirmed a shared ambition to transform Scotland’s NHS through advanced technology and earlier, more targeted intervention.
Dr Ruth McLaughlin with First Minister John Swinney and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray
The momentum continued the following day with the Living Laboratory’s seminar on medical imaging innovation, also held at the ICE building. The event brought together clinical, academic, industry, and policy leaders to explore the rapidly evolving role of imaging in healthcare - from enabling earlier, more accurate diagnoses to shaping the future of personalised treatment.
Dr Kristin Flegal, Imaging Centre of Excellence (ICE) Research Development Manager, commented: “I was pleased to see a strong turnout for the imaging seminar and the high level of engagement from attendees. The panel sessions brought together leading experts in both the development and clinical application of some of the most advanced imaging technologies available, sparking lively and insightful discussions.
“These conversations not only explored how innovation in imaging is driving new discoveries that lead to better patient outcomes, but also highlighted the critical need to reduce health disparities by ensuring equitable access to imaging for all patients.
“It was exciting to see such meaningful conversations and new collaborations emerge among members of Glasgow’s imaging research community and attendees from the NHS, industry, and other academic institutions.”
First published: 19 June 2025
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