About us
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Imperial Clinical Research Facility (CRF) is part of the NIHR and hosted by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
The NIHR Imperial Clinical Research Facility (CRF) is the latest chapter in a long history of clinical research taking place in Hammersmith. The CRF opened in February 2012 and replaces the old Sir John McMichael Centre as the dedicated clinical research facility for Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London. The purpose-built facility was partly funded by a £6.2m capital award from the Wellcome Trust and occupies the ground floor of the new £71m Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine.
The CRF has its own entrance and reception area, but recognising the need to provide a safe environment for Phase 1 studies, it is also easily accessible to Hammersmith Hospital. It provides comfortable clinical accommodation for healthy volunteers and patients taking part in studies requiring long-term in-house monitoring as well as facilities for day case visits. It is equipped to cater for studies from across the range of medical disciplines and provides space for clinical research fellows, nurses and allied healthcare professionals.
The CRF is staffed with experienced medical teams including GCP-trained research nurses and physicians, and operational staff fully trained in research governance and regulatory affairs. The CRF was awarded NIHR funding in 2012, 2017 and 2022 to provide support for translational medicine studies, allowing us to continue carrying out groundbreaking research that not only benefits our local community but people globally.
The NIHR funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth. NIHR Clinical Research Facilities (CRFs) support the delivery of early-phase and complex studies in purpose built facilities in NHS hospitals. The NIHR has awarded £161 million over five years to 28 CRFs across England.
The NIHR Imperial CRF is part of The UK Clinical Research Facility (CRF) Network which supports CRFs to deliver clinical trials of the highest standard and promotes the UK as the place for investment in and economic growth from health research.
Read more about the UK CRF Network.
We collaborate with local research infrastructure including the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, the NIHR Clinical Research Network North West London and the Imperial Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC) to further expand our delivery capabilities.
NIHR Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs) are collaborations between NHS organisations and universities. They bring together academics and clinicians to translate scientific discoveries into potential new treatments, diagnostics and technologies.
The ECMCs act as an efficient and effective UK-wide network for delivering pioneering, early-phase cancer trials, bringing together world-leading laboratory and clinical researchers to test new treatments for adults and children with cancer.
Read more about NIHR BRCs and ECMCs.
The NIHR Clinical Research Network coordinates and supports the delivery of research in the NHS and across the wider health and social care environment.
Read more about the NIHR Clinical Research Network
The NIHR Imperial Clinical Research Facility is part of the NIHR and hosted by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. It is a partnership between Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London.