"Manchester is more than just a city that aspires to clinical, research and commercial success; it is a city actively creating a city region based on improved health and increased economic wealth - for all."

The Greater Manchester NHS Research Alliance leads the way in coordinating major research programmes across the city, ensuring that its academic, NHS and industry partners work together to create an effective environment to set up and carry out clinical research. This approach has already attracted significant financial support from the private sector. Whilst TrusTECH® facilitates partnerships between NHS, industry adn academic institutions, to develop innovative medical technologies and products that help meet the demands of future healthcare.

Manchester is home to the first NHS Technology Adoption Hub which aims to improve the adoption of new, cost-effective and lifesaving technologies in the NHS. The Manchester bio-medical engineering research cluster is also involved in a partnership with the Centre for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology in Boston, Massachusetts (USA). By working with Centre for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology the Manchester cluster aims to develop a transferable model for improving patient care through the rapid development of new devices, diagnostics and healthcare systems that can be adopted world wide, and facilitate teh establishment of Manchester as an international Translational Medical Centre.

Cancer

"Manchester is a world leader in the research, treatment and clinical trials of cancer."

Over 40,000 patients treated, over 500 active research projects every year.

The new Manchester Cancer Research Centre (MCRC) will integrate the cancer research efforts of The University of Manchester, the Christie Hospital, The Paterson Institute for Cancer Research and Cancer Research UK, giving Manchester one of the largest cancer research and treatment centres in Europe with world-class researchers, laboratories and patient research facilities, with the aim of doubling cancer research activity in the city over the next five years.

Heart and Lung

"Manchester is one of the best locations in the UK for conducting research and clinical trials into cardiovascular disease, lung disease, diabetes and obesity."
Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust is leading an internationally acclaimed research programme into cardiovascular disease, with the support of the British Heart Foundation and the Wellcome Trust.

Total research income over the past five years for the DORN membership exceeds £45m, and their investigators are running 60 clinical trials across primary and secondary care trusts.

Mind and Brain

"Manchester runs more clinical trials in mental health than any other UK centre. Coupled with the most advanced brain imaging facilities researchers are set to make startling discoveries in the fields of brain disease and psychiatry."

Large-scale treatment trials of depression in primary care, chronic fatigue, suicide prevention, depression in ethnic minorities and the UK's largest trial of antipsychotic drugs.

The £14m UK Mental Health Research Network is jointly co-ordinated from Manchester. This national infrastructure for clinical trials and studies has access to a population of 22m.

Systems biology and stem cell research

"Manchester researchers operate from some of the newest and most impressive facilities for tissue regeneration and stem cell research in the UK."

Recent investment of nearly £30m in high tech laboratory and research facilities has given Manchester based scientists the facilities to continue their leadership in embryonic and stem cell research programmes.

The UK Centre of excellence for Tissue Regeneration (UKCTR) based in Manchester is a world class specialist centre which has provided the research capacity to support a substantial number of Manchester based spin out companies in both Tissue Regeneration and wound healing.

Genes

"The Northwest is a world leader in medical genetics, and Manchester hosts one of the most comprehensive Medical Genetics Centres in the UK."

Nowgen has established the European Pharmacogenetics TARGET project, which is to develop integrated care pathways for patients with genetic conditions.

The Centre for Integrated Genomic Medical Research (CIGMR) is sited within the £35m Manchester Interdisciplinary Bio-research Centre (MIB)- and houses over 500 scientists working in 85 research groups.

The National Genetics Reference Laboratory in Manchester provides support for Informatics, Technology Assessment and Quality Assurance to the UK Genetics Service delivering advanced molecular genetic diagnostics for 4.5m people in the Northwest and curating a Biobank of over 100,000 DNA.

Women and children's health

"The £600m capital development of the Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust is leading women and children's healthcare in the Northwest."

The recent award of a local research network in medicines for children and the opening in 2009 of new Children's and Women's hospitals on the Central Manchester hospital campus incorporating a dedicated Human Development research space in association with the Manchester BRC will provide a unique opportunity to bring together researchers to share facilities, experimental approaches to disease and technologies to enhance health in our population.

Manchester is world leading and the largest research group in Europe in pregnancy research. It's bioscientists and clinicans in paediatrics are of international status generating world-leading translational research in Craniofacial and audiology/deafness.

Clinical trials

"Manchester offers unrivalled clinical trials expertise, based on three unique elements: a stable population across a range of ethnic groups; existing collaborations with all major pharma; and superb facilities."

The Greater Manchester NHS Research Alliance - the UK's largest NHS and university clinical research group - facilitates access to Manchester's research community by companies and academic partners. For instance the Manchester Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, a centre for patient-oriented research, clinical trials and experimental medicine has received 55,000 participant visits and supported 100 projects in four years.

ACTNoW® an online database of active clinical trial investigators and expertise, aims to increase the level of clincal research in the UK. Founded by TrusTECH®, the resource is being expanded (in collaboration with Medipex Ltd and NHS Innovations North to cover the whole of the North of England.

Several major clinical trials companies are based in Manchester. ICON Clinical Research, a leading international clinical research organisation (CRO) that recently acquired Medeval, the Northwest based CRO, concentrates on early clinical development of medicines. Synexus is Europe's largest site management organisation, and TFS Trial Form Support is a full-service clinical contract research organisation focusing on clinical drug development.