Advancing medical research

Research projects in areas such as early identification of cancer, new therapies for diabetes, and hearing aid development have all been undertaken through collaboration between University academics and local clinicians.

Since the development of the University-based Essex Biomedical Research Institute six years ago, more than £1 million of research funding has been attracted from the NHS, charities and research councils to support this pioneering work.

Now academic researchers and hospital practitioners are looking to develop further collaborations in areas including microbiology, cardiovascular physiology, and preventative medicine.

They held a collaborative event at the Postgraduate Medical Centre in Turner Road recently, which brought together more than 60 University and NHS staff to discuss new areas for development, as well as issues such as obtaining research funding and research ethics approval.

Organiser Professor Chris Cooper, from the Department of Biological Sciences, said: ‘These locally-based research collaborations are producing internationally-important research findings which can lead to significant improvements in future clinical practice.’