Our research partners

UCL Partners

We are a founder member of UCLPartners (UCLP) one of seven accredited academic health science systems in the UK.  The purpose of UCLP is to translate cutting edge research and innovation into measurable health gain for patients and populations - in London, across the UK, and globally.

UCL Royal Free Campus (UCLR)

University College London (UCL) is consistently ranked as one of the world’s top universities.  With a strong presence at the Royal Free, UCLR is our natural academic research partner.  

We run a significant joint academic research programme in collaboration with UCLR. The partnership aims to build upon the combination of basic and applied biomedical science and clinical care delivery across the university and hospital. It ensures that the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and UCLR are a major national and international centre for biomedical research.

The programme includes the following key research areas:

  • “Immunosome”- incorporating the institute of infection, immunity and transplantation, rheumatology, virology and infectious diseases
  • “Proteome”- incorporating Parkinson’s disease and amyloid  research and the UCL proteomics unit
  • “Orgnaosome”- incorporating the UCL Institute of Liver and Digestive Health, hepatobiliary surgery and renal medicine
  • “Regenosome”- incorporating regenerative medicine, vascular surgery, plastics, tissue engineering, and cell therapy

The partnership has meant the creation of the Institute of Immunity and Transplantation; a multi-million pound research centre which aims to give patients quicker access to the latest innovative therapies for a range of diseases.  This allows world leading research and clinical trials being brought together in a purpose designed centre at the Royal Free hospital.

North Thames Local Clinical Research Network (NT LCRN)

We are a member trust of NT LCRN, our National Institute of Health Research Clinical Research Network (NIHR CRN) partner. NT LCRN encompasses 26 NHS trusts across central and east London, Essex and Hertfordshire.  We are continually working in close collaboration to deliver NIHR research.

UCL, UCL Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust Joint Research Office (JRO)

 We contract specialised research services from the JRO including:

  • biostatistics support
  • regulatory affairs
  • quality assurance management

VR4REHAB - Virtual Reality for Rehabilitation

The InterReg NWE programme awarded funding of 2.4 million euros for the VR4Rehab project total budget of 4,01 million euros, to a partnership including Royal Free London’s Children’s Occupational Therapy, along with partners from universities, hospitals and industry in the Netherlands, UK, France, Germany and Belgium and consumers. Researchers at the Royal Free London are part of the ambitious international project aiming to extend the scope of digital technology and virtual reality (VR) for rehabilitation in order to provide support for people with a variety of health conditions.  

A series of Hackathons, Game Jams and Challenges (clinical trials) will realise the co-creation VR-based rehabilitation tools. Following a co-production day with young people, we are now moving to testing prototypes developed over the first year of the project.

There is more information at www.nweurope.eu/VR4Rehab or you can follow the project on Facebook and Twitter at @VR4RehabProject. To get involved in the UK projects, email dido.green@nhs.net.