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Why research matters

Cambridgeshire is a thriving life science ecosystem of world-class hospitals, research institutes, laboratories, academia, and clinical teams with a shared passion for innovation and improving healthcare.

Research at CUH - Addenbrooke's and the Rosie

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), home to Addenbrooke’s and The Rosie hospitals, brings its daily experience of patient-led care together with ground-breaking research programmes to provide cutting edge medical advancements to patients.

With around 750 trials involving 16,000 research participants at any one time, CUH works across 75 medical and surgical specialities in collaboration with health, care, academic and industry partners. Together they are pushing the boundaries of diagnosis and treatment to drive forward improvements to patient care. They also provide the foundations for commercial partnerships that drive economic growth and draw investments into healthcare.

CUH is a national leader in patient DNA testing and whole genome sequencing, with paediatric oncology patients now routinely offered kinder treatment tailored to their specific type of cancer. It’s also where innovations, like the artificial pancreas, are conceived. World-class research like this is underpinning the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital which will integrate research from Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre, the University of Cambridge and clinical expertise from Addenbrooke’s.

Research in Cambridgeshire

From Watson and Crick’s discovery of the structure of DNA in the 1950s to the development of IVF in the 1970s, and the UK’s first-ever successful lung and heart transplants – the legacy of these iconic discoveries made in Cambridgeshire are central to our county’s identity and have laid the foundation for healthcare as we experience it today.

Research will continue in areas such as cancer, mental health and dementia and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases – some of the world’s biggest killers - as well as focusing on developing areas of technology that will likely revolutionise NHS care, such as artificial intelligence (AI), genomic medicine and new state-of-the-art imaging techniques. 

As members of Cambridge University Health Partners, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RPH) and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) are at the forefront of this activity. Sharing a connection with the University of Cambridge and uniquely positioned on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, CUH, RPH and CPFT have a shared commitment to discovering new approaches to healthcare which is further fuelled by the evidence that research-active NHS Trusts deliver better outcomes for their patients.

How can you benefit?

  • Cutting-edge research: Benefit from new treatments and medical technologies currently being developed in Cambridge’s renowned research labs 
  • Global Impact: Cambridge is a hub for medical research with a worldwide impact. Your participation could contribute to major breakthroughs.
  • Future generations: Help improve treatments not just for yourself but for the community and future generations, ensuring lasting benefits from the research conducted here.
  • Data-based Participation: Some studies only require access to your health data, enabling you to contribute significantly without any changes to your daily routine or additional time commitments. Your data is always handled with the utmost confidentiality.

This document was correct at the time of printing - 25-08-2024 07:14