31 January 2019

Coeliac UK, has combined forces with Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, to drive improvements worth £750,000 in the food technology, diagnostics and digital care industries. The funding will support projects based in Birmingham, Newcastle and Edinburgh and is part of Innovate UK’s partnership with the third sector on health research projects, bringing direct benefits to both patients and UK businesses.

The three projects reflect the key challenges of living with coeliac disease and a gluten free life:
•    New test to provide a less invasive way of diagnosing coeliac disease
•    Development of three new plant proteins to help improve the ingredients used in gluten free bread
•    Software innovation to help in the ongoing management of coeliac disease.

Sarah Sleet, chief executive of Coeliac UK said: “Coeliac UK is a world leader on coeliac disease, supporting research that makes a real world impact. This new research to create a different diagnostic test could help unlock a worldwide problem for millions of people without a proper diagnosis of coeliac disease, while the research on innovative gluten free ingredients will keep the UK ahead in the food industry’s expansion into gluten free. Meanwhile our third funded project could offer real savings to the NHS in the management of the lifelong autoimmune condition that is coeliac disease providing a service model for the many other chronic long term conditions in the UK.”  

Dr Kath Mackay, Director of Ageing Society, Health and Nutrition at Innovate UK, said: “Stimulating innovation in our food and health sectors are crucial components of the government’s industrial strategy. By working with Coeliac UK we will be able to offer funding that results in improved quality of life for people with this condition and support and stimulate our vibrant health care and food technology sectors.”

Read our press release for more detail on each of the projects.