Our research takes place across facilities accessible to patients involved in studies, in addition to purely focused areas where researchers undertake their work. Many of these facilities are jointly run with Newcastle University and funded by the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR)
Newcastle Clinical Research Facility
Supported by the NIHR, the Newcastle Clinical Research Facility (NIHR CRF) is a partnership between Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle University. It carries out complex medical research in adults and children to test new treatments for the first time (known as early phase trials).
Research takes place across three main sites:
- The CRF in the Leazes Wing of the Royal Victoria Infirmary
- The Clinical Ageing Research Unit (CARU), a patient-friendly facility which focuses on ageing and age-related conditions such as dementia, on the Campus for Ageing and Vitality in Newcastle.
- The Dental CRF, based at Newcastle Dental Hospital. Find out more about our Dental CRF and how we work with industry and commercial companies by following this link.
The Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre
This patient-friendly unit at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle carries out all phases of cancer trials. It is based within the Northern Centre for Cancer Care.
The centre is supported by the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and the generosity of local people and focusses on clinical research into new anti-cancer drug therapies and techniques.
National Institute for Health and Care Research Commercial Research Delivery Centre (NIHR CRDC)
21 CRDCs were established in April 2025 to speed and efficiency of commercial clinical research delivery in the UK.
Based within the Royal Victoria Infirmary, our CRDC acts as a regional hub for pioneering clinical trials.
Our aim is to give more people access to the latest clinical trials and treatments and reach people in the community who otherwise might not consider taking part in research.
The CRDC supports a network of researchers in hospitals and GP practices across the region, delivering trials for a range of health conditions.
We are currently working with the below organisations to increase capacity for commercial research:
- Newcastle GP Services
- North West North Tyneside Primary Care Network
- Northumbria Primary Care
- Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
- Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
We’re currently updating the CRDC website, but if you have any questions or want to find out how you can work with us, please email [email protected]
Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre (BRC)– ageing and long-term conditions
Funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) is a partnership between Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle University.
The BRC is based at the Campus for Ageing and Vitality and focusses on improving lives through testing and developing new approaches to tackling health problems associated with ageing and long-term conditions.
Research themes include: dementia, liver disease, musculoskeletal disease, neuromuscular disease, skin and oral disease.
John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre
The John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre (JWMDC) runs multidisciplinary children and adult clinics for over 2500 NHS patients per year with a range of neuromuscular diseases (those that affect the nerves that control certain muscles in your body) throughout the north of England.
