Translational research is the core purpose of the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre and our eleven themes are described briefly below. To read more about each theme's focus and areas of expertise, as well as their publications and external partnerships, please select a specific link from the menu on the left.
01. Cancer
We are fortunate to have world-class cancer research programmes spread across multiple institutes and departments within Cambridge University, together with an outstanding university hospital.
02. Cardiovascular
Cardiovascular disease is currently the main cause of ill health and premature death in the UK, with atherosclerosis (causing heart attack and stroke), heart failure, hypertension and vascular auto-immune diseases reducing the quality of life for many.
03. Diabetes, Obesity, Metabolism, Endocrinology
The Diabetes, Obesity, Metabolism and Endocrinology (DOME) research is helping to translate basic scientific research into real advances in understanding, treatment and prevention of human metabolic and endocrine diseases.
04. Imaging
Imaging is a multidisciplinary research theme that covers activities involving the use and development of imaging techniques in preclinical and clinical medicine. These processes create images of the human body for clinical purposes and medical science.
05. Immunity and Infection
Translational research in the broad areas of immunity and infectious disease is bringing huge health benefits to society and has contributed enormously to the quality of life we enjoy today. Our understanding of the immune system and how it works has improved remarkably over recent decades, with international efforts to eradicate disease through research, collaboration and exchange of information enabling key scientific breakthroughs.
06. Medical Genetics
Medical genetics' research has developed considerably over the past sixty years, and is helping to understand the genetic factors implicated in human disease and normal and abnormal development and physiology.
07. Musculoskeletal
Musculoskeletal disorders, a group of over 200 conditions including osteoporosis, arthritis, back pain and damage to joints, muscles and tendons, are the most common cause of work-related illness in the UK, affecting twice as many people as stress.
08. Neuroscience
Neuroscientists study the central nervous system, including the brain, the spinal cord, and networks of sensory nerve cells, or neurons. This is one of the most exciting areas of scientific research, mainly because there are still so many unanswered questions about how the brain works.
09. Translation of Biological Science to Medicine
The NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre recognises the importance of training the next generation of academic clinicians and we have allocated £1.25m over five years to fund PhD programmes for clinical fellows.
10. Transplantation
Transplantation is still a relatively recent phenomenon with many of its key advances happening within the past forty years. A surgical transplant involves removing organs or tissues from one person and replacing them with corresponding ones from another part of that person's body or from another person.
11. Women's Health
In recent years, technological developments in ultrasound, biochemical screening and molecular genetics have made a significant contribution to certain aspects of care, in particular, population-based screening for foetal abnormality. However, the methods for screening the low risk population for other complications of pregnancy such as intra-uterine growth restriction, pre-eclampsia and stillbirth have remained largely unchanged for the past 20-30 years.
