Health Innovation

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.