51³Ô¹ÏÍø

The Chancellor visited 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine today after setting out spending plans in Parliament.

After unveiling government's spending plans for the next year this afternoon, the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak MP visited 51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine to see first-hand how world-class research is going from bench to bedside through 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's partnership with as part of .

The Centre houses a number of dedicated research facilities for evaluating and developing new medical treatments through clinical trials. The research taking place in the labs ranges from basic molecular discovery science to studies on human tissue. The  is also based there and is where COVID vaccine trials are taking place.

The Chancellor was welcomed by 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's Provost Professor Ian Walmsley, Dean of Faculty of Medicine Professor Jonathan Weber and 51³Ô¹ÏÍø College Healthcare NHS Trust CEO Professor Tim Orchard, before seeing first-hand how COVID vaccine trials are operating. Professor Martin Wilkins, Director of the NIHR 51³Ô¹ÏÍø CRF, Head of Clinical Studies Dr David Owen and Susanne Fagerbrink, Lead Nurse, explained how the NIHR 51³Ô¹ÏÍø CRF runs the earliest phase clinical trials and has recently recruited volunteers to the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø and Oxford vaccine studies. 

The Chancellor also saw cutting-edge research in Professor Anna Randi's laboratory. Professor Anna Randi, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute, investigates vascular disease, including how COVID-19 affects it. Professor Randi’s work on targeting accelerated vascular ageing in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular disease and promoting vascular repair received funding from 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's (BRC).

The visit followed the Chancellor's announcement of £15 billion research and development funding in 2021/22, including funding for clinical research to support delivery of new drugs, treatments and vaccines.