How we work

Our goal is to find new ways of detecting, preventing and treating disease. We are outcomes-focused which means we support research into important areas of clinical need and that have the potential for major healthcare impact.

We aim to use our NIHR resources to maximum effect on our capacity to deliver research:

  • We currently organise our research into 14 research themes reflecting our clinical and scientific expertise: cancer, neurological diseases, dementia, cardiovascular, inflammation, immunity and immunotherapeutics, mental health, obesity, hearing and deafness and oral health and dentistry.
  • We have cross-cutting themes in healthcare engineering and imaging, healthcare informatics, genomics, omics and data science, a therapeutic innovation network, education and the BRC academy and patient and public involvement and engagement.
  • Our theme structure allows a dynamic dialogue across disciplines and between different professional groups, bringing together scientists, clinicians and patients.
  • We are ‘people focused’ and aim to develop a community of experimental medicine researchers by linking UCL’s basic scientists with NHS researchers.
  • We integrate our leadership and management. UCLH and UCL are co-located on one campus in Bloomsbury. UCLH and UCL set research priorities together, matching the strengths of UCL’s laboratory research with the clinical expertise and facilities of UCLH.
  • We harness the huge potential of cross disciplinary research including engineering, physics, mathematics, imaging, nanotechnology, chemistry, biological sciences and genomics.
  • We collaborate and invest in partnerships with other like-minded researchers and funding agencies.
  • We promote stronger industry links and a new spirit of enterprise and the championing of entrepreneurship.
  • We encourage the involvement of patients and public in research.

Performance of research themes.