Two of Scotland's leading universities have received multi-million pound awards to help create new, internationally-competitive research facilities under the Wellcome Trust's Capital Awards in Biomedical Sciences initiative.

Launched in 2007, the £30m initiative provides funding of over £1m to successful applicants for large scale projects - either new builds or refurbishments - in partnership with the host institution. The scheme is intended to facilitate leading-edge biomedical research that would not otherwise have been possible.

"Researchers need the best facilities and most up-to-date technology in order to carry out world class research," said Dr Mark Walport, Director of the Wellcome Trust. "The Capital Awards will provide the necessary infrastructure for some of the best scientists in the UK."

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Professor James Naismith from the University of St Andrews has received £5m which will be used to establish a facility which will lead the fight against superbugs, parasites and deadly viruses. The state of the art facility will lead in the study of emerging serious viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases such as rift valley fever, C. difficile and malaria.

Professor Naismith comments: "Our aim is to improve human health, not just in Scotland, but across the world, by tackling these emerging pathogenic diseases."

Professor Irene Leigh at the University of Dundee, is the recipient of £3.5m to develop a Centre for Molecular Medicine. The centre, to be based at Ninewells Hospital, will operate at the interface between basic and clinical science and will be sited on the top floor of the university's recently opened Clinical Research Centre. The award complements recent funding success for the university including the new Wellcome Trust Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression.

'This is a key grant for us in that it allows us to build another link in the chain of excellence in Dundee leading from laboratory-based research to clinical practice," said Professor Leigh.