We exploit cutting-edge interdisciplinary basic and applied research to understand and enhance our overarching physical, mental, social and biological health across the life-course. Our integrated approach promotes healthy living, successful ageing, and improves outcomes for patients and communities facing injury, harm, loss of independence and disease.
Humans face complex and dynamic health and healthcare challenges that require an innovative, multi-disciplinary approach. To address this, we harness diverse expertise and partnerships across academia, industry, government, healthcare providers, and third-sector stakeholders to identify and overcome barriers and inequalities affecting health and wellbeing in the UK and globally.
Our research spans the underpinning mechanisms of disease, disease prediction, prevention, and pharmacological and lifestyle intervention. We influence and develop healthcare policy, encompassing the social determinants of health. We develop innovative medical and digital technologies, drawing on fields such as design, engineering, sport and exercise science, sociology, and psychology. Our innovations enhance physical activity, recovery and wellbeing through medical robots, smart textiles, wearable devices, services and interventions.
Our researchers are leading pioneering projects that are transforming patient and community care outcomes across the globe and promoting economic growth through engagement with health and life sciences. With a critical mass of aligned Research Centres including the John van Geest Cancer Research Centre, Sport, Health and Performance Enhancement (SHAPE), Systems Health and integrated Metabolic Research (SHiMR) and Centre for Animal Rural and Environmental Research (ARES), Medical Technologies Innovation Facility (MTIF), we are addressing a wide range of medical and health-related challenges, helping people maintain health resilience throughout the lifecourse.
Key areas of focus:
- Applied Medtech, digital and AI
- Personalised and user-centred health interventions
- Multi-modal health and disease modelling, prediction, diagnostics and prognostics
- Group, identities, social and community
Latest news
Tue 20 May 2025
Vitamin B12 deficiency in pregnancy could pose metabolic health risk, research suggests
Vitamin B12 deficiency in pregnancy can disrupt how fat is processed in the body, potentially raising the risk of diabetes and heart problems for both mother and offspring, a new study suggests.
Lifespan of glucose-controlling molecule could be extended, helping protect against obesity, research suggests
Thu 24 Apr 2025
Light beam will ‘grasp and hold’ single proteins linked to Alzheimer’s to reveal new insight into disease
Mon 07 Apr 2025
Knowledge Transfer Partnership to elevate smart medical textiles
Tue 01 Apr 2025
Nottingham University Hospitals works with Nottingham Trent University to develop the next generation of research leaders
Mon 03 Mar 2025
Theme Directors
Nik Morton
Nik Morton is Professor of Metabolic Resilience and his research is focusing on discovery and pre-clinical validation of novel genetic mechanisms underpinning resilience against metabolic disease.
Jon Wheat
Find out more about Jon Wheat, Professor of Biomechanics in the Department of Sport Science and Sport, Health and Performance Enhancement (SHAPE) research centre. He is a Research Department Chair and Impact Champion for REF Unit of Assessment 24.
Associated Research Centres
Centre for Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences Research
Research in this area explores environmental issues, the exploitation of natural resources, sustainable agriculture, climate change, animal sciences, and waste management.
Centre for Crime, Offending, Prevention and Engagement (COPE)
COPE contributes to the understanding of victimisation risk and crime harm, the transformation agenda for change in the Criminal Justice System, and community engagement with crime prevention.
Centre for Computer Science and Informatics (CIRC)
Harnessing enabling technologies ranging from machine learning, AI, and advanced display technologies, to intelligent sensors and robotics to drive advances for individuals and society.
Centre for Public and Psychosocial Health
This Research Centre brings together a wide range of research excellence in Social Science, including in Public and Population Health, Health and Wellbeing and Employment and Wellbeing.
Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Social Interaction
The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Social Interaction (CROS) is an interdisciplinary grouping of researchers from across NTU interested in the phenomenon of social interaction.
Centre for Research in Applied Cognition and Neuroscience
Researchers from the Centre for Research in Applied Cognition and Neuroscience (CRACN) use behavioural and neuroimaging techniques to further fundamental theoretical knowledge of cognitive and neural processes and apply this to understanding performance in everyday tasks.
Centre for Systems Health and integrated Metabolic Research (SHiMR)
SHiMR is structured around four themes covering various aspects of human health and chronic diseases, including cancers which are treatable but not curable, diabetes and other inflammatory conditions.
Imaging, Materials and Engineering Centre (IMEC)
To solve modern engineering problems requires an interdisciplinary approach. At IMEC this principle is embedded in the way we do research in the applied sciences and engineering, with our strengths in imaging, materials, and smart and medical technologies.
The John van Geest Cancer Research Centre
The Centre has a strong research base which aligns to the Health and Wellbeing strategic theme, the Cancer Biology, Immunology and Therapeutics theme and the Biosciences subject area here at NTU.
Sport, Health and Performance Enhancement Research Centre (SHAPE)
Providing a vibrant research environment to investigate the biological, physical, psychological and societal impact of sport and exercise for health, well-being and human performance
Smart Sensing Lab
NTU's Smart Sensing Lab undertakes research into affective computing, edge computing, AI, sensing technologies, mobile development and wearable development.
Re:hearse
Researcher Richard Arm and his team are transforming patients' scan data into 3D printed models that are identical in shape, size and tactility to real human organs.
Re:search Re:imagined
To us, research is about more than writing papers and proposing new ideas. By daring to think differently, we’re disrupting the research landscape and finding the answers to the questions that really matter.