Advancing research

£1.3M Spent on projects to advance research

uclhcharity.org.uk/does/advancing-research

Clinical data science research fellows

With excellent IT infrastructure, partnerships with key academic institutions and an ambition to be a research hospital, UCLH is very well positioned to take a leading role in health care data science. Ongoing projects focus on data science to improve medicine and provision of services. Building on the very successful existing model of charity funded clinical research fellows, we are funding 32 clinical data science research fellows over two years, making data science accessible to a new generation of doctors. These fellowships are aimed at junior doctors who are involved or who are willing to be involved in data science projects at UCLH and will see a 50/50 split of clinical work/ data science.

Fast track research

The fast track scheme is a collaboration between the NIHR UCLH Biomedical Research and UCLH Charity that awards grants to enable researchers to build pilot data for larger research projects that require significant funding from external bodies. The Clinical Research and Development Committee oversees this scheme and this year awarded funds for eight projects including a study to identify biomarkers of remission in rheumatoid arthritis and a novel target for dual protection against acute and chronic effects of cardiac ischaemia.

FUTURE PROJECTS

World class robotics surgery programme

Covid-19 prompted a reorganisation of NHS services like never before with local partnerships formed quickly so patients who needed urgent care could be treated, as well as those affected by the pandemic. At this time of considerable change, we received proposals to invest in UCLH’s robotic surgery programme. UCLH is already an established centre of excellence for this type of surgery and the benefits – reduced reliance on ITU beds, quicker recovery, fewer days in hospital and better patient outcomes – will be hugely beneficial in the ‘new normal’ NHS. We are very excited to fund new and updated equipment to enable better patient care and to consolidate UCLH’s position as a world class centre for care and research in robotic surgery.

New cancer and surgery centre

In autumn 2020 UCLH will open a new cancer and surgery building which will be home to one of only two locations for the provision of proton beam therapy (an advanced form of radiotherapy) and Europe’s largest centre for the treatment of blood diseases. The facility will also include a state-of-the-art short stay surgery centre. UCLH Charity has earmarked £28million towards this game charging development.