NIHR Manchester CRF

Greater Manchester (GM) is home to a unique system aligning academic research with local health needs to accelerate clinical discoveries into deployment at scale.

This system, known as Health Innovation Manchester (HInM), brings together the city-region s civic authorities, industry, universities and NHS organisations to reduce the stark health inequalities in its diverse 2.8m population.

The Manchester Clinical Research Facility (MCRF) is embedded within this system, providing essential early translational and experimental medicine (EM) capability, responding to the developing needs of the city-region.

MCRF is hosted by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, one of the UK s largest acute Trusts, with extensive experience of hosting NIHR infrastructure (Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (MBRC), GM Clinical Research Network, Applied Research Collaboration, and NIHR/NHSE/I designated Manchester Academic Health Science Centre).

Founded in 2017, MCRF united three NIHR CRFs to form the largest and most comprehensive NIHR funded CRF.

Its unique high performing structure, at four locations (Manchester Royal, Royal Manchester Children s, Wythenshawe and The Christie Hospitals), delivered 57% more studies in 2020 than 2016 for the same NIHR funding envelope.

Our vision is that MCRF is a world-class example of an integrated CRF enhancing the translation of scientific advances through EM and promoting research participation to patients of all ages and backgrounds across GM.

Future plans for MCRF mirror growth in GM s excellent biomedical research that discovers, develops and deploys health and care innovations at pace and scale.

MCRF's alignment with MBRC and integration within HInM ensures our strategic plans and delivery performance efficiently meet our citizens' needs by supporting translational science across the city. We will grow the delivery of complex EM to underpin and meet the expanded themes of the proposed MBRC.

MCRF will also comprehensively support the six HInM research domains by strengthening studies in neuroscience, mental health, cardiovascular and diabetes, as well as growing EM in cancer, inflammation and repair, and women and children.

MCRF will open two further sites at hospitals in north and west Manchester, areas with high levels of social deprivation and poor health outcomes.

These sites will grow EM in additional specialties and facilitate the participation of under-served populations by breaking down barriers to participation within these communities.

Patients and community involvement will continue to influence what we do and how we do it, with patients actively represented in our governance processes.

Our patient, and public engagement, involvement and participation (PIEP) programme will be delivered in partnership with MBRC to amplify its reach and influence.

MCRF s workforce will continually develop through comprehensive and extensive training programmes, delivered in partnership with the University of Manchester and newly established North West CRF Alliance (a formal collaboration with Merseyside and Lancashire CRFs).

This collaboration will attract and rapidly deliver complex studies across an expanded disease portfolio, including responding to future pandemics. We will continually anticipate future skill requirements to proactively support career development.

Our workforce development programmes will expand to provide comprehensive opportunities for all personnel engaged in translational and EM research to enrich their skills and build research capacity.