Respiratory Translational Research Collaboration

The NIHR Respiratory Translational Research Collaboration (RespiratoryTRC) brings together internationally recognised investigators in the UK's leading centres of excellence to carry out experimental and early phase research with industry, charities and otherfunders.

Together we design and deliver complex multi-centre studies that accelerate research for the benefit of respiratory disease patients.

Work With Us

We provide easy access to a network of world-class academic centres and experts, embedded in UK universities and NHS hospitals, to work collaboratively on experimental clinical studies. 

Through small, interested, focused groups of relevant expertise and simple contracting processes, we can help you to shape your protocol, provide advice on study design, and support you to deliver your research through our state-of-the art facilities.

Our centres operate to common business processes - this makes it quicker and easier to set up your study across multiple sites. We also offer operational support, including a standard pre-approved non-disclosure agreement, contractual templates and a close working relationship with the NIHR Clinical Research Network for the identification of sites.

The expert network helped us get the project moving incredibly quickly, while close coordination and excellent communication helped us deliver one of the first early phase trials in COVID-19 in the world, and under the most difficult clinical circumstances. It’s a testament to the value the Respiratory TRC brings in enabling respiratory research in the UK" Professor Tom Wilkinson, University of Southampton.

We are keen to explore collaborations with experts based within and outside the UK, as well as the life sciences industry, charities, patient groups and other stakeholders.  

We welcome proposals from both academia and partnerships involving industry. Where industry is involved, the project can include one or more partners with one or more TRC members. 

To be suitable for TRC support, a project is expected to:

• focus on a disease area recognised as one of our areas of expertise
• involve significant academic value and the opportunity for scientific leadership from the Respiratory TRC
• be at a sufficiently early stage to enable input and feedback on study design and adopt a collaborative approach to study design
• have a trial management team or delegated CRO or academic clinical trial unit in place to ensure effective study delivery

Our expertise and capabilities

We have set up nationwide national research strategy groups (NRSGs) to identify key research questions and strategies to overcome barriers and promote collaborative working to deliver multi-centre studies.

NRSGs focus areas

Who we are

The Respiratory TRC includes 10 NIHR Biomedical Research Centres and their associated clinical research facilities across the UK, and the Northern Ireland Clinical Research Facility in Belfast. 

These centres are world-leaders in respiratory medicine, and based within first-class NHS-university partnerships.

Each centre is represented by an academic lead who acts as an advocate for the collaboration, provides scientific input into study design, and identifies and supports collaborative and business development activities.

The Respiratory collaboration is chaired by Prof Alex Horsley from the NIHR BRC in Manchester, and connects world-leading research expertise and infrastructure for health behaviour research Collaboration Management is provided by Mrs Maria Marsh also in Manchester.

Together we design and deliver complex multi-centre studies that accelerate research for the benefit of respiratory disease patients.

Our projects