UoA 1 Clinical Medicine 

Research in the University of Exeter University of Exeter Medical School is organised into two Institutes:

Across the two Institutes, research is focused in four research themes detailed below.

The IBCS carries out people-focused research delivering direct benefit to the NHS, the pharmaceutical industry and patients.

Staff in this area are part of the Catalysts for Public Engagement project, which embeds public engagement with research in University policies, procedures and practices.

This area of research will benefit from the £50million Living Systems Institute, due for completion in 2016, which will establish world-leading interdisciplinary expertise in Systems Medicine. Staff in the Neuroscience and Mental Health theme also benefit from the Sir Henry Wellcome Mood Disorders Centre.

In November 2013 we opened a £27.5million Wellcome Wolfson Medical Research Centre providing enhanced laboratory and clinical research facilities on the Exeter Wonford site to promote our translational research agenda.

Key results

  • 39 per cent of the research was ranked as world-leading (4*).
  • Ranked 11 out of 31 submissions nationally.
  • 80 per cent of our of research impact was graded as world-leading (4*).

Impact case studies

NameSummary
The plastics chemical Bisphenol A and its potential human health effects Research by Professors David Melzer and Tamara Galloway on the bioactivity of Bisphenol A (BPA) an oestrogenic chemical widely used in plastics, has influenced public policy on an international scale and led to improvements in human health. They demonstrated high exposures to BPA are associated with hormonal imbalance and coronary artery disease. The outcomes have stimulated policy debate and led to a reappraisal of the environmental risks associated with BPA exposure. Regulatory authorities across the world are now committed to reducing BPA residues in food and beverages.
Personalised medicine in patients with Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young The diagnosis and treatment of patients with Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) has been revolutionised by the research of Professors Andrew Hattersley (FRS) and Sian Ellard. Prior to this, up to 90 per cent of patients with MODY were misdiagnosed as having type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The team developed new tests and integrated these into routine diagnosis to resolve the issue. They showed patients could be stratified to achieve delivery of the most appropriate therapy and, as a result, as many as 15,000 patients worldwide have now gained a better quality of life.
Stopping insulin; a life-changing therapeutic intervention for patients with neonatal diabetes The treatment of patients with neonatal diabetes has been transformed by the research of Professors Sian Ellard and Andrew Hattersley. Childhood diabetes usually presages a life-long requirement for insulin injections and a reduction in quality of life. A new diagnostic test was introduced and relevant patients were switched from insulin injections to oral therapy. As a result, patients in 77 countries across five continents now benefit from improved care, a better quality of life and reduced healthcare costs.

Research themes

NameAbout the theme
Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risk and Ageing Diabetes and associated metabolic conditions are among the most important medical challenges facing the world today. We have a particular strength in this area with researchers focusing on the causes of diabetes and improved treatments for patients. The mechanisms of disease and the links between diabetes, accelerated ageing and increased cardiovascular risk are also explored.
Neuroscience and Mental Health

The neuroscience theme embraces neurology research across the whole translational spectrum from basic science to mental health research and is funded by the Medical Research Council, The Wellcome Trust and the National Institute for Health Research.

Environment and Human Health The research carried out by the European Centre for Environment and Human Health focuses on several key strands, all of which closely interweave to form a truly interdisciplinary research agenda.
Health Services Research Health Services Research consists of investigation of the ways in which health services are organised, delivered and experienced, and how they could be made more effective. This work is carried out in a range of settings in primary and secondary care including mental health, child health, diabetic medicine and neuroscience. This work is underpinned by methodological research and development and a strong research infrastructure.

Research groups

GroupAbout the group
NIHR Exeter Clinical Research Facility NIHR Exeter Clinical Research Facility is a partnership between the University of Exeter Medical School and the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust. It is dedicated to facilitating clinical and translational research.
PenCLAHRC The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) for the South West Peninsula - or PenCLAHRC - undertakes high-quality applied health research focused on the needs of patients and supports the translation of research evidence into practice in the NHS.
Exeter 10,000

A unique biobank of tissue from up to 10,000 local donors who have consented to its use in on-going and future clinical studies.

Centres / networks

 NameAbout the centre / network
Diabetes genes This is an internationally-recognised centre for genetic testing (and thereby, optimised therapy), based in Exeter, which receives referrals globally and offers advice and guidance for the development of equivalent facilities across the world.
South West Peninsula Academic Health Science Network We have collaborated with regional NHS trusts to form this network, which was established in 2013, and has a primary aim to impact positively on the health and wellbeing of the region’s 2.2 million inhabitants.

UoA 1 Clinical Medicine 

Research in the University of Exeter University of Exeter Medical School is organised into two Institutes:

Across the two Institutes, research is focused in four research themes detailed below.

The IBCS carries out people-focused research delivering direct benefit to the NHS, the pharmaceutical industry and patients.

Staff in this area are part of the Catalysts for Public Engagement project, which embeds public engagement with research in University policies, procedures and practices.

This area of research will benefit from the £50million Living Systems Institute, due for completion in 2016, which will establish world-leading interdisciplinary expertise in Systems Medicine. Staff in the Neuroscience and Mental Health theme also benefit from the Sir Henry Wellcome Mood Disorders Centre.

In November 2013 we opened a £27.5million Wellcome Wolfson Medical Research Centre providing enhanced laboratory and clinical research facilities on the Exeter Wonford site to promote our translational research agenda.

Key results

  • 39 per cent of the research was ranked as world-leading (4*).
  • Ranked 11 out of 31 submissions nationally.
  • 80 per cent of our of research impact was graded as world-leading (4*).

Impact case studies

NameSummary
The plastics chemical Bisphenol A and its potential human health effects Research by Professors David Melzer and Tamara Galloway on the bioactivity of Bisphenol A (BPA) an oestrogenic chemical widely used in plastics, has influenced public policy on an international scale and led to improvements in human health. They demonstrated high exposures to BPA are associated with hormonal imbalance and coronary artery disease. The outcomes have stimulated policy debate and led to a reappraisal of the environmental risks associated with BPA exposure. Regulatory authorities across the world are now committed to reducing BPA residues in food and beverages.
Personalised medicine in patients with Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young The diagnosis and treatment of patients with Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) has been revolutionised by the research of Professors Andrew Hattersley (FRS) and Sian Ellard. Prior to this, up to 90 per cent of patients with MODY were misdiagnosed as having type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The team developed new tests and integrated these into routine diagnosis to resolve the issue. They showed patients could be stratified to achieve delivery of the most appropriate therapy and, as a result, as many as 15,000 patients worldwide have now gained a better quality of life.
Stopping insulin; a life-changing therapeutic intervention for patients with neonatal diabetes The treatment of patients with neonatal diabetes has been transformed by the research of Professors Sian Ellard and Andrew Hattersley. Childhood diabetes usually presages a life-long requirement for insulin injections and a reduction in quality of life. A new diagnostic test was introduced and relevant patients were switched from insulin injections to oral therapy. As a result, patients in 77 countries across five continents now benefit from improved care, a better quality of life and reduced healthcare costs.

Research themes

NameAbout the theme
Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risk and Ageing Diabetes and associated metabolic conditions are among the most important medical challenges facing the world today. We have a particular strength in this area with researchers focusing on the causes of diabetes and improved treatments for patients. The mechanisms of disease and the links between diabetes, accelerated ageing and increased cardiovascular risk are also explored.
Neuroscience and Mental Health

The neuroscience theme embraces neurology research across the whole translational spectrum from basic science to mental health research and is funded by the Medical Research Council, The Wellcome Trust and the National Institute for Health Research.

Environment and Human Health The research carried out by the European Centre for Environment and Human Health focuses on several key strands, all of which closely interweave to form a truly interdisciplinary research agenda.
Health Services Research Health Services Research consists of investigation of the ways in which health services are organised, delivered and experienced, and how they could be made more effective. This work is carried out in a range of settings in primary and secondary care including mental health, child health, diabetic medicine and neuroscience. This work is underpinned by methodological research and development and a strong research infrastructure.

Research groups

GroupAbout the group
NIHR Exeter Clinical Research Facility NIHR Exeter Clinical Research Facility is a partnership between the University of Exeter Medical School and the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust. It is dedicated to facilitating clinical and translational research.
PenCLAHRC The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) for the South West Peninsula - or PenCLAHRC - undertakes high-quality applied health research focused on the needs of patients and supports the translation of research evidence into practice in the NHS.
Exeter 10,000

A unique biobank of tissue from up to 10,000 local donors who have consented to its use in on-going and future clinical studies.

Centres / networks

 NameAbout the centre / network
Diabetes genes This is an internationally-recognised centre for genetic testing (and thereby, optimised therapy), based in Exeter, which receives referrals globally and offers advice and guidance for the development of equivalent facilities across the world.
South West Peninsula Academic Health Science Network We have collaborated with regional NHS trusts to form this network, which was established in 2013, and has a primary aim to impact positively on the health and wellbeing of the region’s 2.2 million inhabitants.