Princess Anne opens Centre for Medical Engineering at St Thomas’s Hospital

Yesterday, Princess Anne was at St Thomas’s hospital in London, to open a new Centre for Medical Engineering. She also carried out a number of other engagements, including a meeting with the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers, and a dinner at Windsor Castle, for the First World War Centenary Woods Project.

The Princess Royal  today opened a new centre for medical engineering, which will be used by scientists from King’s College. Anne is the Chancellor of the University of London, of which King’s College is a member institution.

The Princess Royal was accompanied on her visit by the President and Principal of King’s College, Professor Edward Byrne AC, as well as Sir Hugh Taylor, who is Chairman of Guy’s and St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust. The new Wellcome/Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is designed to be a centre of excellence in the field of medical engineering.

The centre will bring together scientists from the faculties of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Services, as well as the Department of Neuroimaging. The new facility at St Thomas’s aims to better the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of various diseases, including neuropsychiatric, oncological and cardiovascular illnesses.

Princess Anne was taken on a tour of the new facility, where she was shown cutting-edge scanning and imaging technology, including a TOE – Trans-Oesphageal Echo robot.  This robot can produce higher quality images of the heart than those provided by current technology, which will help doctors to better target patients’ treatment.

Professor Reza Razavi, who is the Centre’s Director, as well as being the Vice President of King’s College and Vice Principal Research, said of the Princess’ visit:

“We are honoured to have The Princess Royal open this game-changing facility.  Thanks to the Wellcome Trust and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, who are supporting an outstanding multi-disciplinary group of researchers, many patients will benefit from this innovative new Centre.  I’m really proud to have been able to illustrate to Her Royal Highness the real difference that the research coming from the Centre is making, including to the care of the smallest and sickest babies in the country.”

The Queen’s daughter also chaired a meeting with the Fishmongers’ Company, of which she is Prime Warden, and after her visit to King’s College, Princess Anne held a dinner at Windsor Castle for her patronage, the First World War Centenary Woods Project.

All in a day’s work for Princess Anne!

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