did you know

• The Royal Devon and Exeter pathology team test 2,300 blood samples a day; over 7 million tests are completed in a year.

• In 1987, the first and largest research centre for children's health and exercise was developed in Exeter and was awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher Education.

• In 2006, the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry (PCMD) discovered an oral drug therapy alternative to injecting insulin for patients with diabetes.

• In 2007, Exeter scientists at the PCMD discovered the so-called 'fat' and 'tall' genes.

• In 2008, the PCMD discovered that blueberries are good for memory; they also discovered a link between Vitamin D and cognitive ability.

• In 2009, the PCMD discovered a viral cause of type 1 diabetes.

• About 50,000 patients per year, following surgery, will need to be screened for MRSA at the RD&E Hospital – The Trust now has a special expanded laboratory service to accommodate this need.

• The Met Office was awarded the World Area Forecasting Centre status for aviation in 1984, one of only two centres in the world to provide forecasts for flying at high altitude.
  
  
• The RD&E Pharmacy department provides drugs to 850 beds on site and 850 beds in the community, equal to 45,000 items per week.
  
  
• The Met Office supercomputer is capable of 100 trillion calculations per second.