NIHR Maudsley BRC receives new investment from government
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has awarded £41 million to the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London. The NIHR funding is for five years from 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2027.
This new round of funding will allow the NIHR Maudsley BRC to continue its work developing better and more targeted treatments across the spectrum of mental disorders and pain. The centre will develop new capabilities in digital therapeutics, alongside established and world-leading programmes on informatics, child mental health, psychosis and eating disorders. More information about the impact of the NIHR Maudsley BRC’s research can be found on our Stories of Research website.
The NIHR Maudsley BRC aims to accelerate the translation of the latest scientific discoveries into first-in-man clinical trials and other well-designed studies. The findings from these studies can then be developed and implemented to produce new tests and treatments for people with mental and neurological disorders.
Professor Matthew Hotopf CBE, Director of the NIHR Maudsley BRC, said:
“We are delighted that our excellence in mental health research was recognised by NIHR. The partnership between South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry Psychology & Neuroscience is unique and critical to international capacity in mental health science. The NIHR Maudsley BRC provides key infrastructure to support translational research which makes a real difference to the lives of people with mental health disorders.”
The NIHR Maudsley BRC is one of 20 Biomedical Research Centres across England. BRCs translate scientific discoveries into new treatments, diagnostic tests and medical technologies for patients.
David Bradley, Chief Executive of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, added:
“Working together in partnership with the NIHR Maudsley BRC enables us to combine clinical and research expertise to ensure that we address the most important clinical questions and supports our core strategic aim to be a catalyst for change.
We serve a local population which is highly diverse, including the highest incidence of psychosis in the UK, and we know this new round of funding will help develop more targeted treatment to support people who use our services.”
The NIHR Maudsley BRC was established in 2007. This fourth successful round of funding was awarded following an open and competitive process judged by international experts and patients.
Health and Social Care Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Thérèse Coffey said:
“The pandemic has highlighted the importance of our booming research sector and the potential it has to not only strengthen health and care services, but lead to lifesaving developments.
“This additional funding will harness the UK's world leading innovation and allow research centres up and down the country to attract experts in their field and conduct research that saves lives.
“From helping develop the Covid vaccine to discovering world-first treatments, these centres have already delivered ground-breaking research and will continue to help us tackle some of the biggest health challenges we face, including cancer, to ensure the NHS continues to deliver world-class care.”
Lucy Chappell, Chief Executive of the NIHR and Professor of Obstetrics at King's College London, said:
“Research by NIHR Biomedical Research Centres has led to a number of ground-breaking new treatments, such as new gene therapies for haemophilia and motor neurone disease, the world-first treatment for Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, a nose-drop vaccine for whooping cough, and the first UK-wide study into the long-term impact of COVID-19.
“This latest round of funding recognises the strength of expertise underpinning health and care research across the country and gives our nation’s best researchers more opportunities to develop innovative new treatments for patients.”
