And he said other SNP policies would help staunch the haemorrhaging of jobs that Dundee has experienced in recent months through cuts at NCR and the Wood Group and the imminent closure of the Tesco distribution centre.

Speaking during an election campaign visit to Maryfield Bowling Club, he said, “What I’m announcing today is that Dundee will be the centre for a new life sciences institute for Scotland.

“The city has great expertise in this area and the centre would bring together lots of specialisms, including forensics.

“This is a very important initiative. We believe such a national institute will play an important role in retaining and attracting the best scientists to Scotland and act as a magnet for excellence in this important area of scientific research.

“Scotland has a world-wide reputation for excellence in research and science with a history as a nation of inventors and innovators.

“Dundee’s reputation has been built up on bio-technology and software and the life sciences centre has the potential to match the hundreds of jobs in those industries.”

However, Mr Salmond said Dundee was also at a serious disadvantage from a transport infrastructure point of view and an SNP executive would plough £350 million into improving the road and rail networks. In raising the cash, the SNP leader said he would scrap a current Scottish Executive plan to build a new railway station beneath a “live runway” at Edinburgh Airport.

He said, “It takes longer to get from Dundee to Edinburgh on a train just now that in did in 1907.

“We have to have modern communications and we could get that journey time down substantially through new and better signalling and tilting mechanism on trains.

“Tolls on the Forth and Tay bridges are also penalising people in this part of the country and would be swept away.

“We’d also help to prevent more job losses in the city and across the country by providing a competitive advantage for both small and large businesses.

“We’ll lower business rates for many companies and sweep them away for small firms.

“We also plan to lower corporation tax. It works in Ireland and Finland and we can do that next year if we are elected this year.”

Also campaigning with Mr Salmond in Dundee today were Shona Robison, SNP candidate for Dundee East and the party’s health spokesperson, and Dundee West candidate Joe Fitzpatrick.

Ms Robison said of the life sciences proposal, “This is great news for Dundee and shows the SNP is committed to creating success for Dundee.

“It’s time for Scotland to invest in the future by supporting our top class university research.”

Mr Fitzpatrick added, “This is a very welcome announcement and shows that an SNP Government will be a great benefit to Dundee.

“I look forward to SNP success in Dundee and with that, success for Dundee as a centre of excellence in life sciences.”