Global update: UK.

2012 has been an exciting year in the UK with substantial development on every front - research, clinical, industry and government. In particular, the focus has now moved to encompass far more post-research activities, with the continued enrolment of patients onto two pioneering Phase I clinical trials: ReNeuron's ReN001 stem cell therapy for stroke (PISCES) in Southern General Hospital, Greater Glasgow and Advanced Cell Technology's retinal pigment epithelial cells derived from human embryonic stem cells for Stargardts macular dystrophy and dry age-related macular degeneration at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London. The funding landscape for the sector has evolved from previous years to more fully embrace development and translation, including the provision of £180 million available for biomedical research via the Biomedical Catalyst Fund (joint Technology Strategy Board and Medical Research Council [MRC] funding) and a further £25 million through the UK Research Council's UK Regenerative Medicine Platform initiative, as well as ongoing developments with the Cell Therapy Catapult, which all act to further encourage a pan-UK collaborative environment. Overall, the UK cell therapy community continues to thrive and impact heavily upon the worldwide sector, with an established research base, a solid approach to translation and a small but growing commercial sector that is going from strength to strength.