NIHR Cambridge BRC Cell Phenotyping Hub

The Hub’s mission is to deliver advanced scientific technologies for supporting the excellence in research of a partnership between the University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The Hub provides state-of-the-art resources and cost-effective high quality scientific, educational and technological expertise and services across the wide range of cytomics and immune phenotyping. These services fall mainly into three major areas: research service, clinical services and technology services. They include but are not limited to fluorescence-activated and magnetic cell isolation and purification, single cell analysis, confocal imaging, sample preparation (laser capture microdissection and blood processing) and comprehensive phenotyping from sample to data. The Hub is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment including high-speed cell sorters, bench-top analysers and high content/high throughput equipment.

A further function of the Hub is to collect and to disseminate the unique technological and scientific expertise crucial for promoting and supporting patient-based basic research and for translating basic biological findings into clinical practice. The Hub drives technological innovations and applies technical and instrumental advances to expand the portfolio of services and fulfill the emerging research needs. Our group consists of research and support scientists and technologists with a long history record of research and development and with commensurate levels of scientific and technical expertise. Through our collaborative Research and Development service we foster and fortify collaborations that result in many major publications across nearly all Departments of the Clinical School and BRC themes.

The main Hub laboratories are located in the Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre and on Levels 5 and 6 of the Addenbrooke’s main hospital block. Additional outlet is being established in the laboratories of HLRI. For access to the Hub services, all new clients and prospective collaborators are invited to attend a Hub induction to discuss their research needs and to customise service provision (contact via e-mail below).

MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology

The LMB has made revolutionary contributions to science, such as pioneering the sequencing of DNA and the development of monoclonal antibodies. Ten Nobel Prizes have been awarded for work carried out by our scientists.

Since 2013 the LMB has occupied a purpose-built, £212 million facility on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, providing an unsurpassed environment for both young and established researchers, with state-of-the-art facilities and a unique scientific culture. The LMB has always been very diverse, with a truly international outlook – we currently employ more than 600 staff from over 50 countries.

Glaxosmithkline (GSK)

Innovative early phase 1 and 2 studies are designed, set up and executed using the principles of experimental medicine. Scientists and clinicians are trained and interact to support the scientific knowledge and advance innovative and experimental clinical trial design in GSK. Our  position on the campus has enabled us to develop a large number of academic links and collaborations to support and conduct experimental and translational studies and to recruit patients by partnering with the local networks as well as in the wider environment.

For Researchers

The NIHR Cambridge BRC PPI team can offer:

• Advice and support
• Access to the CUH PPI panel – 70 lay members who can help you incorporate PPI into your research
• Training for research teams
• Other resources to help you embed PPI into your research

Visit Patient and Public Involvement in your research for more details or our ‘useful links and documents’ page.

If you require any PPI training, head to our training sessions for researchers.

Patients input into study design and protocol for ‘pill on a string’ cancer diagnostic tool

What? Professor Rebecca Fitzgerald and team have developed a new diagnostic tool for Barrett’s Oesophagus called the cytosponge. Barrett’s oesophagus is linked with the occurrence of oesophageal cancer. The cytosponge has been extensively tested in studies with patients and healthy volunteers at the Cambridge Clinical Research Facility. The team now want to find out if the tool can be used effectively in GP surgeries, and prove if it can be used to diagnose Barrett’s oesophagus early and therefore detect patients who might be at risk of developing this cancer.

The CUH PPI Panel volunteers were involved in reviewing the study design and protocol, patient information sheets and summaries, and have received feedback and updates on trial progress.

How? They met as a focus group to hear a presentation from the study data coordinator and research nurse and to provide feedback on study documents. There have been subsequent meetings to update the group on progress. The panel asked many questions including how GP surgeries were chosen and why not all GP surgeries. The team explained that GP surgeries close to endoscopy units were chosen in case of any emergencies, for example, swallowing of the capsule and string. They also need to have some GP surgeries as control groups to assess the normal level of diagnosis in the community.

Why? As a result of the focus group, patient information sheets were simplified and the ethical considerations and selection choices explained. The public group are now informed of progress and hope to retain a role in oversight for further research. The research team were hugely appreciative of the support they received and are now advocates for the early involvement of patients and the public in the research process.

University of Cambridge

Founded in 1209, the University comprises 31 autonomous Colleges, which admit undergraduates and provide small-group tuition, and 150 departments, faculties and institutions.

Cambridge is a global university. Its 19,000 student body includes 3,700 international students from 120 countries. Cambridge researchers collaborate with colleagues worldwide, and the University has established larger-scale partnerships in Asia, Africa and America.

The University sits at the heart of one of the world’s largest technology clusters. The ‘Cambridge Phenomenon’ has created 1,500 hi-tech companies, 14 of them valued at over US$1 billion and two at over US$10 billion. Cambridge promotes the interface between academia and business, and has a global reputation for innovation.

Primary Care Unit

We carry out research to identify and target the behaviours that lead to chronic disease, to improve early detection of illness and to improve the delivery of health services in community settings; and we teach medical students, clinicians, researchers and educators.

Our research is organised into five research themes: Behaviour and Health, Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes, Cancer, Health Services Research and End of Life Care.

MRC Biostatistics Unit

BSU’s critical mass of methodological, applied and computational expertise provides a unique and stimulating environment of cutting edge biostatistics, striking a balance between statistical innovation, dissemination of methodology, and engagement with biomedical and public health priorities.

BSU is based at the Cambridge Institute of Public Health at the Forvie Site, and since December 2016 is part of the School of Clinical Medicine at the University of Cambridge.

Office for Translational Research

The OTR provides:

• Partnering and project advice
• Project advice at all stages (“Bench to Bedside”) and big initiatives
• Training and Events

The OTR receives core-funding from the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre and the University of Cambridge’s HEFCE Higher Education Innovation funding (HEIF).

Cambridge University Health Partners

By inspiring and organising collaboration, CUHP aims to ensure patients reap the benefits of the world class research, clinicians and industry which are based in Cambridge and the surrounding area.

 We are at the forefront of the changing face of medicine and healthcare as researchers and doctors look to treat patients by understanding the mechanisms of disease rather than simply treat the symptoms.

 This means various fields of science are collaborating as physicists, mathematicians and engineers are now working with clinicians to develop new and more effective treatments. Cambridge, with its rich history of research and innovation, is ideally placed to be the global leader in healthcare.

Cambridge University Hospitals

CUH is a leading national centre for specialist treatment for rare or complex conditions and a university teaching hospital with a worldwide reputation.

CUH is a key partner in Cambridge University Health Partners (CUHP), one of only six academic health science centres in the UK, and is at the heart of the development of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus (CBC), which brings together on one site world-class biomedical research, patient care and education.  As part of the Campus development, Papworth Hospital is creating a bespoke, purpose-built hospital, and AstraZeneca is building a new global R&D centre and corporate headquarters.  The Campus is one of the government’s 11 National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) comprehensive biomedical research centres.  

The Trust already works closely with a number of research partners across the Campus, for example, the Medical Research Council (MRC), Cancer Research UK (CRUK), the University of Cambridge and The Wellcome Trust, to develop new drugs and new therapies to improve treatment and patient care.http://www.cuh.org.uk/

AstraZeneca and MedImmune

Our major focus is to develop medicines for Oncology, Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, and Cardiovascular and Metabolic diseases, with an opportunity-driven approach to Infection, Neuroscience and Gastrointestinal diseases.

Our two R&D biotech units, MedImmune and IMED, use novel science and innovation in biologics, small molecules, immunotherapies, protein engineering and devices, to provide candidate medicines for our late-stage development unit.

By co-locating our R&D next to world leading bioscience clusters in Cambridge, UK; Gaithersburg, Maryland, US; and Gothenburg, Sweden, we can collaborate with leading scientists and research organisations.

We have extensive research collaborations with our neighbours on the Campus including with the hospital and University departments and partner institutions.

SMCL Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Hub

The Stratified Medicine Core Laboratory (SMCL) NGS Hub is involved in world class sequencing research partnerships with clients both within the University of Cambridge and the Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, along with further external Academic and Commercial organisations.

The SMCL NGS Hub aims to provide a comprehensive and expert Next Generation Sequencing service to the academic, clinical & commercial community, with the distinctive mission of providing a clinical translational service.

The SMCL NGS Hub is hosted by the Department of Medical Genetics of the University of Cambridge and, uniquely, housed in the Medical Genetics Laboratories of the East Midlands and East of England NHS Genomic Laboratory Hub (East GLH), allowing us to offer researchers access to clinical grade next generation sequencing services.

What can SMCL offer to the academic, clinical and commercial communities?

• SMCL offers researchers access to clinical grade next generation sequencing; a range of platforms to suit all budgets and coverage requirements at short turnaround times.
• SMCL can provide a complete ‘end to end’ service with a fully flexible approach, encompassing nucleic acid extraction and sample QC, full library preparation and sequencing and bioinformatics analysis or support (or individual parts of this pathway).
• SMCL also offers advice on experimental and project design, and can tailor services (e.g., bespoke NGS assays) to specific project needs.
• SMCL’s typical services include:

• • Extraction services
  • Library Prep
  • Clinical Grade Whole Genome Sequencing
  • Clinical Grade Whole Exome Sequencing
  • Clinical Grade Targeted Sequencing
  • RNA-SEQ
  • Epigenetic analysis (targeted methylation assays, genome wide methylation profiling, RRBS).

• SMCL equipment

• • Illumina sequencers
  • Illumina cBot
  • Agilent Tapestation
  • QIAGEN QIAsymphony
  • Beckman Coulter Biomek FXP
  • Covaris E220 Focused Ultrasonicator

Please visit SMCL website for further details about the facility’s services and equipment.

For quotes and general enquiries, please contact SMCL by email.

PET/CT Merck

The MRC clinical infrastructure funding has provided exciting new opportunities with the upgraded 3T and new 7T MRI, PET-MR and a second clinical hyperpolariser. In addition, an upgraded and extended GMP PET radiopharmaceutical unit with an on-site cyclotron and state-of-the-art radiochemistry systems with the capability of producing a large range of short-lived and longer-lived PET radiotracers. These installations will particularly facilitate and enhance experimental therapeutic trials in dementia, oncology, cardiovascular medicine and within other themes in the Cambridge BRC.

NIHR BioResource for Translational Research in Common and Rare Diseases

The NIHR BioResource have a panel of around 200,000 volunteers nationally, both with and without health conditions, who are willing to be approached to participate in research studies investigating the links between genes, the environment, health and disease. Volunteers donate their DNA via a blood or saliva sample and complete a health questionnaire to match them to specific research studies.

The BioResource Centre Cambridge is one of the local sites run at the NIHR Cambridge BRC.

Cambridge Clinical Trials Unit

The CCTU works with researchers from Cambridge University Health Partners (CUHP) to conduct the highest quality clinical research, addressing important questions related to human health and disease. Major areas within our portfolio include: oncology, cardiovascular disease, infection and immunity, paediatrics, neurology, neurosciences and trauma, imaging, surgery and peri-operative care.

We strive to deliver world class clinical trials ranging from national to international, single to multi-centre, CTIMPS, non-CTIMPs and medical device trials. The CCTU supports all trial stages, from study design, costing grant proposals, developing protocols, obtaining necessary approvals, delivery and quality control, to data management, final analysis and dissemination.

The CCTU is part of the NIHR UKCRC Registered CTU Network, and receives NIHR CTU Support Funding to develop and conduct NIHR trials. The CCTU is also a member of the NCRI Cancer CTU. We are a founding member of the International Clinical Trials Centre Network, which aims to improve clinical research by fostering collaborations worldwide.

Find out more details of their studies and Covid-19 research.

Core Biochemical Assay Laboratory (CBAL)

The majority of the 300+ different tests offered by CBAL use immunoassay technology. CBAL performs MesoScale Discovery, Luminex Magpix, DELFIA and ELISA assays plus those available on the Siemens Dimension EXL, Diasorin Liaison XL and Randox Daytona+ Autoanalysers.

CBAL has a good track record of developing novel high quality assays for biomarkers that are not readily available from commercial vendors.

The laboratory is located on Level 4 of the Addenbrooke’s Laboratory block. It currently has CPA-accreditation for its two most requested ‘clinical’ assays (insulin & c-peptide); other assays are unaccredited but performed to the highest standard. CBAL is staffed by up to seven highly experienced NHS Biomedical Scientists, funded by the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre. All staff have received GCP training and participate in CPD schemes.

• Download the CBAL Users’ Handbook (updated July 2020).

Brain Bank

The donation of post-mortem brain tissue for research is of fundamental importance to further understanding of the causes of these disorders and to develop more effective diagnostic tools and treatments for these conditions.

Eastern Academic Health Science Network

Innovation is our business. We have deep rooted knowledge of the academic, industry and NHS sectors, and the challenges of diffusing best practice and innovation.

Our regional focus ensures that we are grounded in the specific context of our local populations and clinical communities. We understand their challenges and are able to translate innovations to achieve better health outcomes at pace and scale.

We don’t work alone. The strength of our partnerships uniquely positions us to connect diverse bodies from across the health and care system enabling us to successfully co-create solutions to achieve better patient outcomes.

Gut Reaction

Gut Reaction was funded for an initial 3-year period by Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), through the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF), to facilitate research into IBD by bringing together datasets from different sources.

From September 2022, Gut Reaction will continue as part of the NIHR Bioresource. Working with their partners, collaborators and the IBD community, they will continue to support research that makes a difference to those living with IBD. You can browse or apply to access available datasets by visiting their data pages and learn more about how they work with the IBD community on their patient pages.

If you would like to get in touch with the Gut Reaction team, please email them on gutreaction@bioresource.nihr.ac.uk