NIHR | Manchester Biomedical Research Centre

Our Research

Our research themes bring together a dynamic team of internationally recognised researchers, in the areas where we believe we can have the greatest impact on improving people’s health.

Our 13 different theme areas are grouped into four clusters:

Advanced Diagnostics and Therapeutics Catalyst: Next Generation Therapeutics, Next Generation Phenotyping and Diagnostics.

Cancer: Prevention and Early Detection, Advanced Radiotherapy, Cancer Precision Medicine and Living With and Beyond Cancer.

High-burden Under-researched Conditions: Hearing Health, Mental Health and Rare Conditions.

Inflammation: Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases, Respiratory Medicine, Dermatology, Integrative Cardiovascular Medicine.

Our themes collaborate in these four clusters, to enhance partnership working and cover a wider geographical reach.

Cancer Advanced Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy is the most important non-surgical treatment, received by 50 – 60% of cancer patients. We translate experimental medicine into treatments and change practice for patient benefit, improving outcomes and survival rates.

Read more about: Cancer Advanced Radiotherapy

Cancer Precision Medicine

The North West has the second highest cancer incidence and includes 11 of England’s most deprived areas with disproportionate cancer prevalence.

Read more about: Cancer Precision Medicine

Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

Developing screening strategies and biomarkers to identify cancer sooner, matching an individual to the prevention treatment most likely to work for them and working to help prevent conditions progressing into cancer in the first place.

Read more about: Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

Living with and Beyond Cancer

More than 300,000 people in the North West will be living with the short and long-term consequences of cancer by 2030. Personalised interventions are required to reduce these risks.

Read more about: Living with and Beyond Cancer

Next Generation Phenotyping and Diagnostics

Greater understanding of disease complexity and multimorbidity in the context of high deprivation, social and ethnic diversity is needed to deliver more precise diagnoses.

Read more about: Next Generation Phenotyping and Diagnostics

Next Generation Therapeutics

Fibrosis contributes to nearly half of all deaths in the UK, yet effective therapeutics are lacking, and no treatments exist for most rare conditions.

Read more about: Next Generation Therapeutics

Hearing Health

Hearing loss is a major public health issue, disproportionately affecting underserved communities.

Mental Health

One in four people experience a mental health problem each year in England, however only one in eight people receive any form of treatment.

Rare Conditions

More than 3.5 million people in the UK are affected by one of more than 7,000 rare conditions.

Dermatology

Skin diseases and complex wounds are among the most common, chronic and quality-of-life-reducing conditions in the UK.

Integrative Cardiovascular Medicine

Nationally, cardiovascular disease is the key contributor to poor health. Manchester and Blackpool have the two highest rates of premature death from cardiovascular disease in England.

Read more about: Integrative Cardiovascular Medicine

Respiratory Medicine

Respiratory ill-health presents a huge unmet need with significant morbidity, mortality and health inequalities linked to high levels of deprivation. Reducing mortality and morbidity of respiratory disease is our overarching aim.

Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases

Rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, osteoarthritis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis, affect 18 million people in the UK and account for more than 20% of GP consultations.

Read more about: Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases