We take innovations in basic science and help turn them into treatments and therapies that have a direct impact for patients and often save lives.
The NIHR UCLH Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) is a part of the NIHR, hosted by University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) in partnership with UCL (University College London). The UCLH BRC is at the heart of the London Knowledge Quarter for biomedical science.
The UCLH BRC was established in 2007 as one of five centres that were competitively awarded funding by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to enable and deliver world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth. In October 2022, the UCLH BRC was awarded £90.2 for 2022-2027 to enable continued growth in our experimental medicine and early translational research programmes.
The NIHR UCLH Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) hosts one of the NIHR BioResource centres across England and one of 28 NIHR Clinical Research Facilities.
Our expertise
NIHR Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs) are collaborations between NHS organisations and universities. They bring together academics and clinicians to translate scientific discoveries into potential new treatments, diagnostics and technologies.
UCLH is one of the largest NHS Trusts in the United Kingdom and UCL is one of the leading biomedical research universities. By working together we have become leaders in translating fundamental biomedical research into clinical research that benefits patients.
NIHR BRC status has enabled this successful partnership to build on our expertise in areas such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurosciences.
What we do
The BRC drives impact from research by investing in staff, equipment, facilities and training.
We take innovations in basic science and help turn them into treatments and therapies that have a direct impact for patients and often save lives.
We support in particular experimental medicine research which tends to be ‘first in human’ studies such as research into new therapies and devices or the mechanisms of disease.
What is experimental medicine?
By experimental medicine we mean early phase human translational studies focusing on:
- new therapies (drug, immunological and cell based) and novel devices and first-in-human studies
- improvements in diagnosis, treatment selection and evaluation of response to therapies – including diagnostics and medical technology
- repurposing of therapies - finding new uses for existing therapies.
This kind of research needs specialist infrastructure and skilled staff, often based in dedicated clinical research facilities. The BRC provides that infrastructure.
Strategies
For more information on our vision and future ambitions, please visit our EDI and PPIE strategies webpage.
Latest news
For updates on our work read our news pages, check out our latest research magazine or explore our research theme pages.
