National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)

The NIHR is the UK’s largest funder of health and care research. Its mission is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. It delivers this through five strategic workstreams:

• fund, support and deliver high quality research
• engage and involve patients, carers and the public
• attract, train and support the best researchers
• invest in world-class infrastructure and a skilled delivery workforce
• partner with other public funders, charities and industry

The NIHR’s scope is very broad. It encompasses early translational research, clinical trials and applied health and care research.

It is primarily funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. It works in partnership with the NHS, universities, local government, other research funders, patients and the public. It enables world-class research transforming lives, promoting economic growth and advancing science.

NIHR in Newcastle

Newcastle is one of only eight Academic Health Science Centres in the UK. These are partnerships between top universities and NHS organisations. Together, they combine excellence in research, health education and patient care.

Newcastle Health Innovation Partners brings the region’s world-class research, NHS and city partners together. They address the health inequalities and medical needs of people in the North East and North Cumbria.

Newcastle hosts a NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, one of 20 in England. It's the only Biomedical Research Centre which targets:

• ageing
• long-term conditions
• multimorbidity across the life course

Such Centres bring together university academics and NHS-based clinicians. The aim is to translate scientific breakthroughs and innovative use of health data into new approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

Training clinical researchers of the future

Newcastle’s Professor Dave Jones OBE is Dean for the NIHR Academy. He assists the NIHR and universities in the leadership training and career management of all NIHR trainees.

We are also home to many NIHR Senior Investigators. They:

• provide research leadership to the NIHR
• promote clinical and applied research in health and social care
• constitute a network of experts who advise the Department of Health and Social Care