Founded in 1996, the Centre for Life is an independent, not-for-profit, educational institution situated on a 10-acre site in the centre of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Through its core elements of education, research and commercial application, the Centre aims to share and interpret new discoveries in the life sciences.  Since May 2000, the Centre has contributed increasingly to the debate on how society explains and applies new scientific knowledge flowing from discoveries about our genes and how they work.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

PEALS Institute

Based in the Bioscience Building at the Centre for Life is the 6 year-old Policy, Ethics and Life Sciences Research Institute (PEALS), a partnership between the University of Newcastle, the University of Durham and the Centre for Life. The PEALS model is a unique integration of research, public engagement and teaching. PEALS' goal is to research, inform and improve policymaking, professional practice and public participation in the debates around the social, ethical and legal aspects of the life sciences. The core group of six staff (including well known commentators Tom Shakespeare and Dr. Simon Woods), and 11  other researchers and students based in Newcastle help the PEALS Institute to contribute to national and international policy, education and research.

 

In March an IHEU delegation comprising President Roy Brown, Vice President Jack Jeffery and Executive Director Babu Gogineni held discussions with Dr. Alastair Balls, Director of the Center for Life and Prof. Erica Haimes, head of PEALS on collaboration between IHEU and the Center for Life and PEALS Institute in International lobbying efforts and science popularisation.