Title: NIHR Leicester BRC
Funder: Department of Health and Social Care

Abstract: See Figure A University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) is one of the UK s biggest and busiest hospitals, particularly recognised for its clinical care and research in Cardiovascular (Heart) Diseases, Respiratory (Lung) Diseases and Diabetes. Together with the University of Leicester and Loughborough University, the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) will focus on research into these common diseases, which place a huge (and increasing) burden on individuals, families and countries. Our plans are based on a strong foundation of new (discovery) research, and are very broad &ndash; covering the understanding of the genetic causes of these diseases to investigating the benefits of lifestyle changes, especially focused on increasing different types of physical activity. Key to our plans is advancing the idea of precision medicine &ndash; i.e. adjusting our treatments to individuals, based on their personal characteristics (including their genetic make-up), to make sure that everyone has the most effective treatment for them, whilst reducing any side-effects. Our BRC brings together over 80 principal researchers, many of whom are at the forefront of delivering clinical care, helping to ensure that the research we do is influenced by clinical need and that advances are changed quickly into patient benefits. Our BRC will benefit from recent investments in state-of-the-art research facilities, including new buildings and research laboratories across Leicester s hospitals and Loughborough s National Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine (opened as part of the 2012 Olympic Legacy). We will ensure our research meets the needs of our ethnically diverse population, who carry a heavy disease burden. Patients and the public will be fully consulted, engaged and involved as partners within our research. The BRC will work closely with other national and international researchers, networks, charities and industry. Our industry partners range from small to large pharmaceutical companies including those that develop healthcare devices. Our partnerships will ensure that the highest quality and most novel research is undertaken and that our findings are quickly made into new treatments and health improvements for patients locally, nationally and internationally. In the next few years, the research we will undertake in our BRC will improve the treatment of patients who have a heart attack or stroke, or suffer with heart failure, develop new and more accurate tests to diagnose heart disease and to predict outcomes (so that treatments can be personalised) and make heart surgery safer. In lung disease, our research will develop new tests to diagnose and improve the personalised treatment of diseases, such as asthma. Our lifestyle research will develop evidence to support different lifestyle and physical activity treatments to prevent and reduce the burden of chronic diseases, especially diabetes and kidney disease. In the longer-term, translating our discovery work, especially in understanding the roles that genetics and our environment has on these diseases will lead to better ways to predict and prevent them and will help to create new treatments. Finally, we will train the next generation of independent researchers, to ensure better care and more discoveries in the future.

Lay abstract: See Figure A University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) is one of the UK s biggest and busiest hospitals, particularly recognised for its clinical care and research in Cardiovascular (Heart) Diseases, Respiratory (Lung) Diseases and Diabetes. Together with the University of Leicester and Loughborough University, the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) will focus on research into these common diseases, which place a huge (and increasing) burden on individuals, families and countries. Our plans are based on a strong foundation of new (discovery) research, and are very broad &ndash; covering the understanding of the genetic causes of these diseases to investigating the benefits of lifestyle changes, especially focused on increasing different types of physical activity. Key to our plans is advancing the idea of precision medicine &ndash; i.e. adjusting our treatments to individuals, based on their personal characteristics (including their genetic make-up), to make sure that everyone has the most effective treatment for them, whilst reducing any side-effects. Our BRC brings together over 80 principal researchers, many of whom are at the forefront of delivering clinical care, helping to ensure that the research we do is influenced by clinical need and that advances are changed quickly into patient benefits. Our BRC will benefit from recent investments in state-of-the-art research facilities, including new buildings and research laboratories across Leicester s hospitals and Loughborough s National Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine (opened as part of the 2012 Olympic Legacy). We will ensure our research meets the needs of our ethnically diverse population, who carry a heavy disease burden. Patients and the public will be fully consulted, engaged and involved as partners within our research. The BRC will work closely with other national and international researchers, networks, charities and industry. Our industry partners range from small to large pharmaceutical companies including those that develop healthcare devices. Our partnerships will ensure that the highest quality and most novel research is undertaken and that our findings are quickly made into new treatments and health improvements for patients locally, nationally and internationally. In the next few years, the research we will undertake in our BRC will improve the treatment of patients who have a heart attack or stroke, or suffer with heart failure, develop new and more accurate tests to diagnose heart disease and to predict outcomes (so that treatments can be personalised) and make heart surgery safer. In lung disease, our research will develop new tests to diagnose and improve the personalised treatment of diseases, such as asthma. Our lifestyle research will develop evidence to support different lifestyle and physical activity treatments to prevent and reduce the burden of chronic diseases, especially diabetes and kidney disease. In the longer-term, translating our discovery work, especially in understanding the roles that genetics and our environment has on these diseases will lead to better ways to predict and prevent them and will help to create new treatments. Finally, we will train the next generation of independent researchers, to ensure better care and more discoveries in the future.

Research activity codes: 4.5 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (DETECTION)
Health categories: CARDIOVASCULAR