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  providing the NHS with the support and facilities it needs for first class research
 

Biomedical Research Units

The NIHR has established sixteen Biomedical Research Units to undertake translational clinical research in the following priority areas of high disease burden and clinical need that are currently under-represented in the existing NIHR Biomedical Research Centres:
  • Cardiovascular Disease
  • Deafness and Hearing Problems
  • Gastrointestinal (including liver, peptic ulcers and dyspepsia) Disease
  • Musculoskeletal Disease
  • Nutrition, Diet and Lifestyle (including obesity and blood pressure)
  • Respiratory Disease
  • Infection (including Clostridium difficile and Hepatitis C)
  • Pancreatic Disease
Each 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.

NIHR Biomedical Research Units

NHS Organisation

University Partner

Priority Area

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust University of Leeds Musculoskeletal Disease
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust MRC Institute of Hearing Research & University of Nottingham Deafness & Hearing Problems
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust University of Nottingham Respiratory Disease
Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust University of Oxford Musculoskeletal Disease
Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust Imperial College London Cardiovascular Disease
Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust Imperial College London Respiratory Disease
Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust University of Sheffield Musculoskeletal Disease
Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust University of Sheffield Cardiovascular Disease
Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust University of Southampton Nutrition, Diet & Lifestyle (including Obesity)
Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust University of Southampton Respiratory Disease
United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust University of Bristol Cardiovascular Disease
University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust University of Birmingham Gastrointestinal Disease
Barts & The London NHS Trust Queen Mary, University of London Cardiovascular Disease
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust University of Nottingham Gastrointestinal Disease
Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust University of Liverpool Gastrointestinal Disease
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust University of Leicester Cardiovascular Disease


Five NHS/University partnerships have also been awarded development grants to support the clinical research facilities which underpin their translational research work:
  • Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust / University of Nottingham
  • Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust / Imperial College London
  • Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust / University of Southampton
  • Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust / University of Sheffield
  • University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust / University of Manchester
The NIHR Biomedical Research Units will:
  • drive innovation in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of ill-health;
  • translate advances in medical research into benefits for patients; and
  • provide a key component of the NHS contribution to our nation's international competitiveness by building on the best research leaders and their teams and enabling their host institutions to achieve or further develop critical mass in a priority research area.

Funding

Funding for the Biomedical Research Units commenced on 1 April 2008. Each Unit will receive £750k for the first year (to allow for start-up) and £1m per year for the following three years (£3.75m over four years). Awards will be made to the NHS partner, and can only be used to support the recurrent costs of patient focused research.

Selection process

The NIHR Biomedical Research Units were selected through open competition, in a two stage process by an independent international expert Selection Panel, chaired by Professor John Savill. Details of the selection process and membership panel are available below.

NIHR Biomedical Research Units selection process

Read the press notice announcing new Biomedical Research Units issued July 2008

Read the Biomedical Research Units press notice issued April 2008

More Information

Implementation Plan 5.5 Biomedical Research Units. Final August 2008 (PDF)