Pharmaceutical, biomedical and in-vivo diagnostics research

For early-phase, experimental medicine research

The NIHR Biomedical Research Centres are leaders in scientific translation across a wide range of disease and therapeutic areas. The Centres are based within the most outstanding NHS and University partnerships in the country. They provide a direct route to work with this country’s leading investigators and clinicians with the expertise to translate fundamental biomedical research into new and improved therapeutic approaches.

The NIHR Biomedical Research Units focus on translational clinical research in individual priority therapeutic areas. They provide access to internationally recognised research leaders working in areas of high disease burden and unmet medical need. These include cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal and respiratory diseases, and in deafness and hearing problems.

Clinical Research Facilities and Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres provide dedicated research facilities for early-phase volunteer and patient studies. Run by experienced researchers, research nurses and support staff they can provide assistance throughout the research process from trial design through to data collection and study management.

Full details of the services, expertise and technologies available to support early-phase studies can be found on the Experimental Medicine Resource Finder.

For later phase and multi-centre clinical studies

The NIHR Clinical Research Networks have a broad experience of supporting set-up and delivery of clinical trials and high quality studies across a wide range of disease and therapeutic areas. They provide a comprehensive service including:

·         A single point of contact and entry for all Network research services

·         Study and protocol feasibility from key opinion leaders and active commercial researchers

·         Access to a streamlined system for obtaining NHS permission for R&D approvals (NIHR Coordinated System for gaining NHS Permission)

·         Support with study start-up processes and costing and contract negotiations, using standard templates

·         Dedicated and trained Research Network staff and support services to ensure study delivery at site level

·         Performance management of the adopted study in partnership with a company

·         Research Network 'badging' of adopted trials to attract both investigators and patients.

 If you would like help finding the experts and facilities to support your research please contact the NOCRI team.