NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre

The National Institute for Health and Care Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR Bristol BRC) is a partnership between University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol.

Launched in 2017, Bristol BRC’s innovative biomedical research takes science from the laboratory bench or computer and develops it into new drugs, treatments or health advice. World-leading scientists work on many aspects of health, from the role played by individual genes and proteins to analysing large collections of data on hundreds of thousands of people.

What research does the Bristol BRC do?

The Bristol BRC is unique among the 20 BRCs across England funded by the NIHR, thanks to its expertise in ground-breaking population health research, interpreting this information to learn about the learn about causes of disease. This work combines with laboratory-based science and the knowledge of the doctors working directly with patients, to identify possible treatments and find out how effective they are.

Led by Professor John Iredale (University of Bristol Pro Vice Chancellor for Health) and Professor Jonathan Sterne, with Professor George Davey Smith as Scientific Director, the Bristol BRC covers five clinical research themes:

• Cardiovascular Disease: reducing complications and increasing the chance of survival for patients undergoing cardiac surgery
• Mental Health: Targeting new and existing treatments for common mental and behavioural disorders
• Nutrition, Diet and Lifestyle: Improving people’s health through nutrition, diet and lifestyle research
• Reproductive and Perinatal Health: Improving the reproductive health of women and their babies in the first year of life
• Surgical Innovation: Developing better ways to evaluate new surgical techniques and devices

The breadth and scope of the research undertaken at the Bristol BRC means its researchers work with Bristol Health Partner Health Integration Teams on many projects.

What is a BRC?

NIHR’s 20 Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs) are collaborations between world-leading universities and NHS organisations that bring together academics and clinicians to translate lab-based scientific breakthroughs into potential new treatments, diagnostics and medical technologies.

The centres receive substantial levels of sustained funding – £816 million over five years – to create an environment where experimental medicine can thrive. They attract the best scientists and produce world-leading research, contributing to the local and national economy.

BRC funding supports researchers of the highest calibre to develop innovative research ideas that can attract investment from other funders, furthering the nation’s economic growth.

The centres undertake research in research themes across a range of disease and therapeutic areas, such as genomics, stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine.