About NIHR Biomedical Research Centres

National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centres drive innovation in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of ill-health and translate advances in biomedical research into NHS practice.

The NIHR created 12 Biomedical Research Centres in 2007/08 within leading NHS and University partnerships. They were set up to drive progress on innovation and translational research in biomedicine.

Role of Biomedical Research Centres
By sustaining scientific excellence, Biomedical Research Centres contribute to the UK's international competitiveness as a major component of our knowledge economy.

The Biomedical Research Centres, based within the most outstanding NHS and University partnerships in this country, are leaders in scientific translation. They receive substantial levels of funding to translate fundamental biomedical research into clinical research that benefits patients and they are early adopters of new insights in technologies, techniques and treatments for improving health.

Current Biomedical Research Centres
The existing 12 Biomedical Research Centres were selected through an open competition. An international expert selection panel recommended that five Comprehensive and seven Specialist Biomedical Research Centres be established.

Funding
Each NIHR Biomedical Research Centre is awarded funding over four or five years. The first funding round began in April 2007. The amount awarded to each centre was determined by the scale and nature of the research activity that it conducts and the anticipated impact of that activity.

The awards have been made to the NHS partner, and can only be used to support the recurrent costs of patient-focused research.

More information
Further details on NIHR Biomedical Research Centres can be found on the NIHR website.