NIHR Maudsley BRC commences five-year research programme

March 2017: The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) next week embarks upon the next stage of its development, with the commencement of its latest £66m award from the Department of Health.

Based across the Denmark Hill Campus of King’s College London, with additional units at King’s Guy’s campus, the NIHR Maudsley BRC is a partnership between South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London. 

Originally established in 2007 through open competition, the Maudsley BRC brings together scientists, clinicians, mental health professionals, service users and carers.  It aims to accelerate the translation of novel scientific discoveries into improved treatments and clinical care in mental health, neuroscience and dementia.   

The NIHR Maudsley BRC is dedicated to experimental medicine and translational research in mental health and related disorders across the life span, from childhood through to older adults.  Since its original award, it has received two further rounds of five-year funding from the Department of Health through NIHR, with its latest award set to run until March 2022.

Following NIHR’s decision to discontinue the specialist Biomedical Research Units established in 2011, the work of the Maudsley Dementia Biomedical Research Unit (BRU-D) will be continued and expanded upon in the NIHR Maudsley BRC as a theme dedicated to dementia and related disorders.

The new NIHR Maudsley BRC funding represents a substantial uplift compared to the previous BRC funding round. The new funding will allow it both to build on its current work and expand into new areas including substance use, pain and mobile health technologies. 

NIHR manages research and development within the NHS, and the Maudsley BRC is one of 20 NIHR Biomedical Research Centres in England.  NIHR BRCs are tasked with:

  • Driving innovation in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of ill-health.
  • Translating advances in biomedical research into benefits for patients.
  • Supporting the contribution of the NHS to the nation’s international competitiveness.

The Government has also pledged £64 million over the next five years to the BRC at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s.  This combined investment of over £130 million will allow the Guy’s and Maudsley BRCs to work across King’s Health Partners to gain new insights into common themes, especially the interface between mental and physical health.

Find out more about the new BRC by attending our next Open Seminar on Tuesday 19 April, which will outline the new BRC’s research programme and priorities, and will also focus on its work in training and informatics.


Tags: Staff News -

By NIHR Maudsley BRC at 31 Mar 2017, 16:00 PM


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