JK Rowling has buried a time capsule to mark the start of building work on the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic. The capsule contains accounts from individuals suffering from multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease, as well as comments from clinicians on their hopes for what the clinic will achieve.

The clinic, which will provide specialist care and foster research in the field of neurodegenerative disease, was made possible by a £10M donation to the University of Edinburgh by Ms Rowling, in memory of her mother Anne, who died of multiple sclerosis. The clinic will target the discovery of treatments that will slow progression of neurodegenerative diseases, with the ultimate ambition of repairing damage.

Siddharthan Chandran thanks JK Rowling for her "generous, far-sighted and transformative" donation


JK Rowling meets representatives from the University, NHS Lothian and the construction team


JK Rowling buries the time capsule, under the watchful eye of Prof Sir Timothy O'Shea, Principal of the University of Edinburgh


JK Rowling flanked by (from left), Prof Siddharthan Chandran, Prof Sir Timothy O'Shea, Prof Charles ffrench-Constant and Prof Sir John Savill

Ms Rowling said: "I am both delighted and moved to be marking the start of the official building work for the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic. This time capsule captures how it is for people living with MS and other neurodegenerative diseases right now, and the current state of research.

"I believe that this Clinic will have a huge positive effect on both of those areas in the future. I am enormously impressed in what has gone into setting up the Clinic so far, and I look forward to seeing it completed and making further great strides in research and treatment."

Siddharthan Chandran, who will lead the clinic, said: "Neurodegenerative diseases are one of the major challenges to modern medicine. Within this group of devastating disorders, MS disproportionately affects the Scottish population.

All patients with these tough diseases need treatments that will slow, stop and ideally reverse damage. This clinic will pioneer a range of studies that over time will improve patients' lives through innovative clinical research."

The clinic, which will become operational in 2012, will be housed in a purpose-built University facility alongside the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France and within the flagship life sciences project, Edinburgh BioQuarter.

See press coverage in The Scotsman, The Herald, BBC Reporting Scotland and STV.

The temporary website for the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic can be found at http://www.annerowlingclinic.com