UKCRF Network awarded £2.4 million in public funding

19 Jan 2023, 11:28 a.m.

Play area within the Clinical Research Facility

UKCRF Network awarded £2.4 million in public funding to support the delivery of early phase research studies

The UK Clinical Research Facility Network (UKCRF Network), hosted by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), has been awarded £2.4 million funding by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to support research studies over the next five years.

The UKCRF Network works in collaboration with 54 Clinical Research Facilities (CRFs), including the NIHR GOSH CRF, based within NHS Trusts across the UK and Ireland. It also links with other key early phase and experimental medicine infrastructure including for cancer and vaccine trials.

The aim of the network is to benefit the UK early-stage clinical research and life sciences industry by developing, sharing and implementing excellence in operational practice for efficient and effective trial delivery, excellent patient experience and safety.

Interim Director of UKCRF Network, Paul Brown, led on the successful proposal to the NIHR alongside MFT, CRF Directors and colleagues within the Network.

He said: “We are thrilled to announce that this bid was successful, and we have been officially awarded NIHR funding for the UKCRF Network from 1 March 2023 to 28 February 2028.

“NIHR’s funding is a significant increase, which is a testament to our collaborative structure and a vote of confidence in the work to date. We look forward to expanding our teams, their remit and continuing our growth and success over the next five years.”

The 28 NIHR CRFs belong to the UKCRF Network and are a key part of the UK’s leading early-stage clinical research infrastructure and play an important role in making the country a global hub for life sciences.

We’re thrilled to see this increased funding as we know collaboration between the UK NIHR Clinical Research Facilities is key to improving the lives of our young patients, and the adults they will become. Research that begins in facilities like ours at GOSH leads to real patient impact and can improve the healthcare landscape far beyond the treatments we target.

Co - Directors of the NIHR GOSH Clinical Research Facility: Professor Stephen Marks and Lorraine Hodsdon

About the NIHR and our networks

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is a major funder of global health research and training.

The NIHR funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth.

NIHR Clinical Research Facilities (CRFs) support the delivery of early-phase and complex studies in purpose built facilities in NHS hospitals.

The NIHR has awarded £161 million over five years to 28 CRFs across England.

The UK CRF Network supports CRFs to deliver clinical trials of the highest standard and promotes the UK as the place for investment in and economic growth from health research.

Read more about the UK CRF Network.

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