Read our Privacy noticeA UK university has opened a new government-funded laboratory to help train the next generation of biomedical scientists to work in the NHS and life sciences sector. The £2.5 million facility at the University of Essex, which includes a dedicated cancer diagnostics laboratory, was funded by the Office for Students. The Bioscience Skills Training and Research Laboratory (BioSTAR-Lab) aims to give students hands-on experience with equipment and techniques used in modern healthcare and life sciences laboratories. Students studying biomedical science, biotechnology, cancer biology and related degrees will use the laboratories to carry out their research projects. open image in gallery A student examining cancer cells in the lab at the University of Essex.