What’s a BRC?
Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs) are collaborations between world-leading universities and NHS organisations, that bring together academics and clinicians to translate lab-based scientific breakthroughs into potential new treatments, diagnostics and medical technologies for patients. BRCs are funded by the research arm of the NHS, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
Who are we?
We are hosted by the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (Royal Devon) in partnership with the University of Exeter and in collaboration with other NHS organisations, public and patients. Our partnership brings together world-class medical research leaders from across the region, including clinical and laboratory scientists, doctors, nurses, and data experts. Their technical knowledge is partnered with expertise from patients, carers, and families to identify and drive forward important new research.
BBC Spotlight coverage of the announcement of our new Biomedical Research Centre in October 2022
What do we research?
Our research specialism is ‘translational medicine’, meaning we make scientific discoveries that have the potential to make a real difference to patients, ensuring that they find their way, or translate, to the patient bedside or clinic.
Our complementary research themes aim to improve how we diagnose, treat, and care for people.
BRC Director, Professor Sallie LambThe treatments that we’ve identified in Exeter are making a real benefit to patients, but it’s just the beginning. We’re going to do this as a team with patients, across the University and the NHS, using our strengths to deliver health benefits, jobs and opportunities and deliver critical investment in our region.
Our research focuses on five core themes
Clinical Mycology – fungal infections/mycoses
Seeking better treatments to prevent and manage potentially deadly fungal infection
Rehabilitation – frailty, mobility and cognition
Using exciting new approaches to help older people to recover from illness or manage their long-term conditions like dementia and arthritis.
Diabetes
Improving diagnosis and treatment, and exploring how to help those most at risk.
Genetics & Genomics
Unlocking the power of genetics, to improve diagnosis of rare illnesses in children and rare cancers, and to create tailored treatments for common diseases.
Neurodegeneration – including dementia and Parkinson’s disease
Finding and testing new, better drugs that prevent and treat major brain conditions in older adults such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease.
Who do we work with?
Our partnership brings together world-class medical research leaders from across the region, including clinical and laboratory scientists, doctors, nurses, and data experts.
Their technical knowledge is partnered with expertise from patients, carers, and families to identify and drive forward important new research. We work with NHS organisations, charities, clinicians, academic researchers and public and patient involvement groups.
Organisations
In collaboration with:
What else do we do?
Patient and Public Involvement
We believe in putting people at the centre of our research because it makes it stronger. We need you to help us make sure that research is the best and most relevant it can be.
Being involved in research isn’t just participating in clinical trials. It can mean sharing your experiences so that researchers focus on the problems that matter, working with researchers to develop projects, or making sure that people hear about results that might help them.
Get involved in research
Get in touch for more information on how you could take part in research in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.
Working with Industry
Working across our partnership between the Royal Devon and the University of Exeter we are developing a team of clinical and biomedical focused on benefits for patients through deepening relationships with industry. By working with commercial partners we are helping to bring medical technologies out of the lab and into treatment centres and supporting the transfer of technology to commerce.
Work with us
Get in touch with us to explore how we might work together
Training
We support academic capacity development and training across the full career spectrum, from pre-doctoral to post-doctoral. Harnessing expertise from across our partnership means that we can deliver the best possible training, career development opportunities and mentorship for students and staff, equipping them to realise their potential and contribute to high-quality and impactful translational biomedical research.
What's on offer?
Explore the opportunities open to you on our Training pages and email Dr Sophie Gould with your questions