Imperial has been awarded funding from the Medical Research Council (MRC) to support clinical research careers.
The MRC South-West London Regional Account for Clinical Researchers (RACR) is a consortium that will support clinicians at critical stages in their research careers, enabling them to stay involved in research alongside clinical practice, as part of a four-year pilot.
It is a partnership of universities, research institutions and local NHS trusts. Alongside Imperial, the South-West London RACR includes:
- Brunel University
- City St George's University of London
- University of Surrey
- Institute of Cancer Research
- MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
- Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
- Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
- St George's, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group
- Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
- West London NHS Trust
A total of £9.7 million from the MRC will fund 10 RACRs, bringing together more than 50 research organisations and over 60 NHS organisations across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Clinical researchers bridge the gap between scientific discovery and better patient care, connecting academia, the NHS and industry. Their research prevents illness and develops new treatments.
Essential role
Supporting clinicians including doctors, nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, healthcare scientists, pharmacy staff, psychologists and clinical research practitioners (NMAHPP) to undertake research alongside their clinical roles is essential to enable the NHS to deliver high quality care and continuing to advance improvements in patient outcomes.
Professor Marina Botto, Lead Principal Investigator for the MRC South-West London Regional Account for Clinical Researchers, Head of the Department of Immunology and Inflammation at Imperial and Honorary Consultant Rheumatologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said:
"As a clinical researcher I have seen first-hand how research can improve care and outcomes for patients and the wider population. I have found combining my clinical work with research incredibly rewarding and beneficial to my career.
"I want others to have the same opportunities as me and it's important that we encourage and support the next generation of clinicians into research careers.
"The barriers clinical staff face are well documented. This funding from the MRC will allow us to work with our partners to develop and deliver support and solutions to address barriers and encourage more clinical staff into research careers."
Research career challenges
Reports such as the 2025 Office for the Strategic Co-ordination of Health Research's reports have identified several challenges for those wanting to have a research career including lack of funding opportunities, flexibility in training and limited options for research career progression.
These challenges are particularly prominent in the move from doctoral (PhD) to postdoctoral research, or the transition towards research independence.
Left unaddressed, these challenges risk discouraging talented clinicians from contributing to research, with implications for innovation, patient care and the NHS.
The challenges facing clinical researchers are not the same in every part of the UK. Health needs, workforce pressures, research capacity and access to opportunities can all vary.
The MRC South-West London RACR will design support that reflects these differences. It is aiming to address key career pinch points, focus on health inequalities in low-income areas, and provide enhanced support for clinicians from under-represented groups.
Professor Patrick Chinnery, Executive Chair of the Medical Research Council, said:
"Clinicians play a vital role in turning discovery research into better treatments for patients, but too many face barriers to sustaining research alongside demanding clinical roles.
"These challenges vary across the UK, which is why a regional approach is so important to building strong partnerships between universities and NHS trusts.
"Through Regional Accounts for Clinical Researchers, we are investing in locally led solutions that support clinicians at critical points in their careers, strengthen research environments, and help improve patient outcomes while accelerating life sciences innovation to support economic growth and a stronger NHS."
Supporting more clinicians into research
Imperial has a long-standing track record of supporting more clinicians into research through the Clinical Academic Training Office(CATO). It delivers research training and education opportunities for clinical staff and is part of Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC) – a strategic partnership between Imperial, the Institute of Cancer Research and three NHS trusts in North West London.
Since its creation in 2015, CATO has won the maximum number of externally funded Integrated Academic Training posts from the National Institute of Health and Care Research each year. Such posts support the training of doctors in England to develop their clinical academic careers.
It has also successfully encouraged more NMAHPPs into research careers.
The MRC South-West London RACR will build on this work to strengthen clinical research capacity by providing more support such as protected research time, mentoring and skills development.
Professor Mark Thursz, Director of Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre, said:
"Clinical academics are essential in enabling the NHS to deliver high quality care, and continuing to advance improvements in patient outcomes. They have a deep understanding of the problems that patients face and can use research, including collaborations with those outside medicine, to come up with new ideas and solutions. Ultimately, they can champion new treatments and innovations that make it into NHS clinics and onto the wards.
"We have seen a decline in the numbers of clinical staff entering or staying in research careers. This will have a detrimental impact on the NHS, patients and the wider population if we don't address this.
"Working with our partners, we have made progress in this area, and we have seen our clinical staff step into and grow in their research careers. Through this new consortium we can build on our work and support even more staff into research.
"I look forward to seeing the work of the consortium."
Insights from the programme will inform future approaches to strengthening the UK's clinical research workforce and ensuring that research continues to benefit patients and the NHS nationwide.
