Delegates at last month’s MIPIM international property conference in Cannes heard Manchester launch a bid to become one of the world’s ‘science cities’, harnessing world-class research in a range of fields to the private sector.

Mike Emmerich, chief executive of New Economy, a commission established by The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities to help create economic growth and prosperity for Manchester, said Manchester already had huge resources in its leading universities, biotech firms and initiatives like Manchester Science Parks, but warned that the city was at the start of a journey in a highly competitive sector. He added: “The issue now is how we link science and commercial potential.

“Do people understand Manchester as a science city today? he asked. “No – and yet that is what it has always been. One hundred years ago it was seen as a city where science drove the economy. The challenge today is to turn the investment we have heard about into jobs and growth”.

The biennial Manchester International Festival, which will take place this year from 4 July to 24 July, is billed as the world’s only festival of original new work and special events.

Highlights of the events programme include Kenneth Branagh as Macbeth and a play written by Matt Charman exploring chess player Garry Kasparov’s battle with the supercomputer Deep Blue.

Festival director Alex Poots said: “These are difficult financial times, but in times of crisis communities do best when they pull together. I strongly believe in the social and economic benefits of a continued investment in culture and the arts, regionally, nationally and internationally.”

Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, added: “The continuing partnership between the public and private sectors in Manchester to deliver MIF is indicative of the innovative way in which this city does business.”

Manchester University spin-out PharmaKure, founded in December 2011, has patented a new drug, PK-048, which it believes could be a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of senile dementia and the fourth biggest killer in Britain after heart disease, cancer and stroke.

Dr Farid Khan, co-founder of PharmaKure, which is based in Manchester Science Park, said: “PK-048 was first discovered in the 1980s as a drug candidate for Parkinson’s disease, though it has never been previously tested for Alzheimer’s.

“The drug was tested in human cells and has demonstrated strong inhibition of proteins which are known to cause Alzheimer’s.

“We are now moving into our commercialisation phase with a view to licensing and forging partnerships.”

Over the past year PharmaKure has recruited five staff.  It attributes its ongoing success to its location in Manchester.

Khan added: “There is a nurturing ‘eco-system’ at Manchester Science Park which allows a start-up to rapidly develop and network with other companies. One of the problems which a small biotech company faces is the recruitment of suitably qualified staff, but the networking that MSP opened for us has allowed us to find and appoint key management staff from the pharmaceutical industry.”

Professors Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov, who demonstrated the remarkable properties of wonder material graphene, have been knighted in the New Year Honours list. The Manchester University scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2010 for their discovery of graphene – the world’s thinnest, strongest and most conductive material – which is considered to have the potential to revolutionise materials science.  Its remarkable properties could lead to bendy touch screen phones and computers, lighter aircraft, wallpaper-thin HD TV sets, the next generation of computers and superfast internet connections, to name only a few. 

The latest honour, awarded to both men for ‘Services to Science’, is a reflection of the scientists’ growing stature in the scientific world. Professor Novoselov said: “This is a fantastic recognition and a great honour. It is pleasing to see that science is not completely separated from the state, and gaining the acknowledgement it deserves.”  Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University, said: “I am hugely proud to have such eminent academics at the University of Manchester and I look forward to many years of their continuing excellence in scientific research.”