Leeds awarded £4.28M research and technology funding

Funding will boost research and innovation at Leeds and deliver cutting-edge clinical trials.

Research facilities at the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust have been awarded £4.28 million as capital investment to support the National Institute of Healthcare Research (NIHR) infrastructure, as part of a £96m national funding project from the NIHR.

This new funding will improve the capability and capacity to carry out innovative research through the NIHR Leeds Clinical Research Facility (CRF) and NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).

State-of-the-art equipment

The award will be used to fund a range of innovative, state-of-the-art equipment, and improve access to cutting-edge clinical trials for patients.

The bid was led by Professor Philip Conaghan (NIHR Leeds BRC Director) with Dr Chris Herbert (Research and Innovation) on behalf of our NIHR team in Leeds.

The equipment includes a research CT scanner, ultrasound machines for arthritis research and a cell-sorting machine for haematology research.

Professor Conaghan said, “This major capital investment will improve the quality and volume of research in Leeds, and help us to become even more effective internationally. This success reflects the growing profile of NIHR activity in Leeds in delivering nationally and internationally impactful clinical research.”

Professor Chris Twelves (NIHR Leeds CRF Director) added, “This major NIHR investment by NIHR includes a research CT scanner that will support the delivery of our ambitious programme of experimental medicine research across multiple diseases benefiting patients in our communities and more widely”.

World-class researchers, cutting-edge facilities

Commenting on the new funding, Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Executive of the NIHR said:

The best health and care research requires a number of important elements to come together: world-class researchers, cutting-edge facilities and the generous participation of the public.

“As we celebrate 75 years of our amazing NHS, this announcement reminds us that all three elements are firmly in place in this country and that the UK as a whole remains one of the best places in the world to undertake clinical trials.”

This award reflects the growing profile of NIHR@Leeds in delivering nationally and internationally impactful research.

Cover image: iStock