Department of Health and Social Care
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New Biomedical Research Units announced
Twelve new Biomedical Research Units will be at the forefront of a £45 million drive to prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as heart disease, asthma and obesity, Public Health Minister, Dawn Primarolo announced today.
The new NIHR (National Institute for Health Research) Biomedical Research Units will focus on "translational research" that will take advances in basic medical research out of the laboratory and into the hospital clinic - meaning patients will benefit more quickly from new scientific breakthroughs.
The Units will work in major areas of ill-health and clinical need which have traditionally received relatively limited amounts of research funding: heart disease; deafness and hearing problems; gastrointestinal and liver disease; musculoskeletal disease (including arthritis); nutrition (including obesity) and respiratory disease (including asthma).
The new units will also help to ensure that the UK retains its position at the top of the international league table for biomedical research.
The Biomedical Research Units will complement the existing twelve NIHR Biomedical Research Centres in London, Oxford, Cambridge, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle. Together, these are among the most outstanding centres of medical research in the world. Each Biomedical Research Unit will receive £3.75 million over the next four years (representing a total investment of £45m), enabling these smaller, but excellent, research groups to increase significantly their ability to undertake translational research.
Dawn Primarolo said:
"People who suffer from illnesses such as asthma, arthritis and hearing problems will really benefit from these new NIHR Biomedical Research Units.
"The new funding will also enable high quality research to flourish in smaller centres across the country. This will strengthen our drive to put the UK at the forefront of vital health research and contribute to the nation's international reputation as a centre for excellence."
Professor Sally C. Davies, Director General of Research and Development, Department of Health said:
"Each new NIHR Biomedical Research Unit is a partnership between an NHS Trust and a university, which will enable some of our best health researchers and clinicians to work together. I believe the funding will really help to develop this country's capacity to carry out translational research in key areas of unmet health need."
Notes to Editors
1. The Biomedical Research Units were selected by an international expert selection panel, that was chaired by Professor John Savill, Vice-Principal and Head of the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, and employed an independent, transparent and objective process of expert peer review.
2. The panel members were:
Professor Sir John Savill (Chair)
Vice Principal and Head of the College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh
Professor Jan Carlstedt-Duke
Dean of Research, Karolinska Institute, Sweden
Professor Garret FitzGerald
Director, Institute for Translational Medicine & Therapeutics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Professor Dermot Kelleher
Head of School of Medicine & Vice Provost for Medical Affairs, Trinity College Dublin
In attendance
Professor Sally Davies
Director General for Research & Development, Department of Health
Dr Russell Hamilton
Director, Research & Development, Department of Health
Observer
Dr George Sarna
Research Strategy Manager, Medical Research Council
3. Further information about NIHR Biomedical Research Units is available at http://www.nihr.ac.uk/infrastructure_biomedical_research_units.aspx.
4. To be successful, the NHS/University partnerships had to demonstrate an international reputation for their basic medical research in the priority areas and expertise and track-record in translating that research into the clinic and ultimately benefitting patients.
5. The research to be undertaken by the NIHR Biomedical Research Units will aim to improve diagnosis and/or treatment in the following key areas:
* Heart failure
* Coronary artery disease
*
Tinnitus
* Hepatitis C
* Hearing and learning in early
childhood
* Osteoporosis
* Asthma
*
Osteoarthritis
* Nutrition and obesity
* Chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
6. The National Institute for Health Research provides the framework through which the research staff and research infrastructure of the NHS in England is positioned, maintained and managed as a national research facility. The NIHR provides the NHS with the support and infrastructure it needs to conduct first-class research funded by the Government and its partners alongside high-quality patient care, education and training. Its aim is to support outstanding individuals (both leaders and collaborators), working in world class facilities (both NHS and university), conducting leading edge research focused on the needs of patients. More information about the National Institute for Health Research is available on its website at: http://www.nihr.ac.uk.
7. The National Institute for Health Research's progress report "Transforming Health Research the first two years" can be downloaded from the NIHR website at: http://www.nihr.ac.uk/about_progress_report.aspx.
