Renowned globally for shipbuilding in the 20th century, Glasgow can be as successful a world centre for the newest cutting-edge advances in medicine in the 21st century. We could double to 75,000 the well-paid jobs in Scotland’s life sciences industry.

That is one of the messages I will be setting out at a conference today in Glasgow on how we build the city region’s reputation as an economic superpower.

Look at new technologies such as Precision Medicine – whereby patients get personalised medical treatment based on their DNA.

So, in the case of Precision Medicine, the UK and Scottish governments should come together to create the world’s first Precision Medicine Academy that would become a magnet for new teaching and research in the field for medics, scientists and investors from all over the world.

Exactly 175 years ago, Scottish doctor James Simpson discovered the anaesthetic properties of a substance called chloroform.

Seventy-five years ago, the Scots bacteriologist Alexander Fleming was awarded the Nobel prize for his discovery of penicillin, which led to a revolution in antibiotics.

Today, Glasgow and Scotland stand ready to lead a new medical revolution in one of the most advanced areas of modern life sciences – so long as we are prepared to think as big as those great innovators and inventors of Glasgow’s past.

Want to see some SNP fails? – Health Matters