Usher Building at Edinburgh BioQuarter opening, Scottish Life Science Cluster, Scotland campus design

Usher Building at Edinburgh BioQuarter News

28 June 2025

Design: Hassell architects

photo © Hufton Crow

Building opening signals new era in health and care innovation

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) was among notable guests attending the opening of the University of Edinburgh Usher Building on Thursday (26th June), which is driving major advances in health and social care.

The Usher Building at Edinburgh BioQuarter brings together more than 900 researchers, health and care providers and industry leaders who are harnessing data in addressing urgent challenges, including an ageing population, widening health inequalities and childhood wellbeing – all against a backdrop of increasing pressures on services.

The University received £49.2m capital funding for the building through the Edinburgh & South East Scotland City Region Deal, with £48.5m from the UK Government and £0.7m from the Scottish Government.

WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, will be joined by the Rt Hon Ian Murray MP, Secretary of State for Scotland, and Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Drug and Alcohol Policy and Sport, alongside University staff and students to mark the opening of this state-of-the-art hub.

During the ceremony, Dr Tedros will receive the University’s inaugural Edinburgh Prize for Global Health Impact in recognition of the WHO’s work to provide children across the world access to life-saving vaccinations.

Members of the media are invited to attend, with opportunities to tour the building, speak with researchers about their innovative and impactful work, as well as scheduled interviews.

The University of Edinburgh building co-locates the Usher Institute alongside other public, private and third-sector partners working together to accelerate innovations in data to benefit the health and care sector.

Pioneering work taking place within the Usher Building includes researchers leveraging artificial intelligence to improve surgical outcomes and scientists exploring diagnostic potential through routine retina imaging.

Genetic studies of populations in Shetland, Orkney and the Hebrides are also yielding vital insights into cancer genetics, while health data experts track population trends to enhance prevention, diagnosis and care delivery across communities.

This work proved vital during the Covid-19 pandemic, when it was used to guide the Scottish, UK and international governments’ approach to vaccinations and wider public health policy.

Another key initiative is DataLoch – a partnership between the University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian – which brings together de-identified data from everyday use of health and social care services. Approved researchers from across sectors can securely access this resource to investigate a wide range of issues, from service improvement to health inequalities.

More recently, DataLoch is supporting researchers to access health and care data linked to other data sets to build a clearer picture of the links between health and social factors.

One such study, Healthy Homes, Healthy Kids, is combining data from prepayment smart meters and health records to explore, for the first time, the links between underheated homes and children’s health. The findings aim to inform policy and support efforts to improve the wellbeing of families across Scotland.

The Usher Building is one of six innovation hubs that has received funding from the UK and Scottish Governments as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, with additional generous support from The Wolfson Foundation.

A state-of-the-art hub for interdisciplinary research and innovation, it joins a growing health innovation ecosystem in Scotland’s capital. Designed by architects Hassell, with key engineering by KJ Tait and Woolgar Hunter, the Usher Building was built by principal contractor McLaughlin & Harvey.

It was recently highly commended in the European Healthcare Design Awards and is the first new University of Edinburgh building to rely solely on efficient air source heat pump heating, avoiding direct use of fossil fuels.

Alongside its research and teaching capabilities, the building also offers dedicated space to foster community connections, with flexible workspaces and recreational areas for students, staff, partners and the public to collaborate on projects. Co-location opportunities remain available for partners of all sizes, from startups to scaleups.

“For hundreds of years, the University of Edinburgh has been a revered centre of learning and research,” said Dr Tedros. “With the Usher Building’s opening, the university is future-proofing that proud heritage by embracing the latest medical innovations, artificial intelligence and data analysis to contribute to making a healthier world.”

On receiving the Edinburgh Prize for Global Health Impact, Dr Tedros reflected: “I am honoured to receive this award, which is a recognition of the life-saving power of vaccination, and of the commitment shown by WHO colleagues and health partners around the world to offer children the hope that immunization provides for healthier and productive futures.”

Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, said: “The opening of the Usher Building is a major step forward for the University of Edinburgh – and wider society – in reimagining how we improve health and social care. By bringing together researchers, clinicians and industry experts, we have created a dynamic hub that will drive innovation for the benefit of all. It is inspiring to shine a light on the outstanding work underway here and, together with the United Nations and many other key partners, we remain committed to advancing these critical efforts to improve lives.”

Rt Hon Ian Murray MP, Secretary of State for Scotland, said: “I am very much looking forward to attending the opening of this fantastic state-of-the-art facility alongside so many eminent guests from the health and social care sectors. Backed by £48.5 million of UK Government funding, the Usher Institute provides an inspiring environment where academics, healthcare professionals and industry partners can collaborate on pioneering research and development to tackle challenges faced by our communities and improve well-being. This is our Plan for Change in action, working with partners to deliver economic growth and a decade of national renewal.”

Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Drug and Alcohol Policy and Sport, said: “The opening of the University of Edinburgh’s new Usher Building marks a significant step forward in health innovation. The innovations by the Usher Institute will help renew the NHS in Scotland, and, as a WHO Collaborating Centre, transform healthcare around the globe. This development will drive growth across the region, which is why the Scottish Government is proud to support it through our Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal investment.

“I warmly welcome Dr Tedros to Scotland and congratulate him on his well-deserved Edinburgh Prize for Global Health Impact, awarded in recognition of the many children whose lives have been saved by the WHO vaccines programme.”

The Usher Institute is one of six hubs at The University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University that together make up the Data-Driven Innovation initiative, part of the City Region Deal. The UK and Scottish governments have invested £300m in the Deal, which is worth a total of £1.5bn and designed to accelerate productivity and inclusive growth through the funding of infrastructure, skills and innovation. The regional partners include the six local authorities of Edinburgh, Midlothian, East Lothian, West Lothian, Fife and the Scottish Borders, plus universities and colleges in the region.

Usher Building at Edinburgh Bioquarter received from University of Edinburgh

Previously on Edinburgh Architecture:

7 June 2022

Usher Building Edinburgh Bioquarter

Lord Provost marks Usher building milestone at topping out celebration: Left to right – Aziz Sheikh, Lord Provost Robert Aldridge, Jonathan Seckl: