About the MRC Name Medical Research Council Date [This presentation was last updated in August It uses data from the 2014/2015 annual report (correct at 31 March 2015) and the 2014 Researchfish data collection. Please delete this from your presentation.]

Encourage and support high-quality research with the aim of improving human health. Produce skilled researchers. Advance and disseminate knowledge and technology to improve the quality of life and economic competitiveness in the UK and worldwide. Promote dialogue with the public about medical research. MRC mission

MRC history The Medical Research Committee and Advisory Council was set up in 1913, initiating its own research programmes and funding research by outside bodies or individuals. Became the Medical Research Council in 1918 and received a Royal Charter. The ‘Haldane Principle’, that the MRC should make scientific decisions independently from government, was also first proposed in The first central research institute was established. It later became the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), opening in London in The MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology opened in Cambridge in 1962.

Rickets caused by lack of vitamin D (1916) Discovery and development of penicillin (1940s) Pioneered randomised controlled trial design (1940s) Discovery of link between smoking and cancer (1950s) Clinical trials for radiotherapy for cancer (1960s) Clinical trials of chemotherapy for leukaemia (1970s) Invention of DNA fingerprinting (1980s) Gene for Huntington’s disease discovered (1990s) Humanised therapeutic antibodies in widespread use (2000s) MRC discoveries and developments

MRC Strategic Plan Research Changes Lives Strategic intent: to support excellent discovery science and partnerships to promote translation to accelerate the pace of improvements in health and wealth. Strategic Aim One: Picking research that delivers Setting research priorities which are most likely to deliver improved health outcomes Strategic Aim Two: Research to people Bringing the benefits of excellent research to all sections of society Strategic Aim Three: Going global Accelerating progress in international health research Strategic Aim Four: Supporting scientists Sustaining a robust and flourishing environment for world- class research

Strategic Aim One Picking research that delivers Setting research priorities which are most likely to deliver improved health outcomes Research priority theme one: Resilience, repair and replacement – Natural protection – Tissue disease and degeneration – Mental health and wellbeing – Repair and replacement Research priority theme two: Living a long and healthy life – Molecular datasets and disease – Life course perspective – Lifestyles affecting health – Environment and health

MRC investment in research, 2014/15 MRC gross research expenditure - £771.8 million in 2014/15 £366.7m on grants and to researchers in universities, medical schools and research institutes. £240.3m on programmes within the MRC’s own units and institutes (inc £7.2m on studentships). £84.2m on programmes within university units. £63.9m on studentships and fellowships in universities, medical schools and research institutes. £16.6m on international subscriptions.

Spending reviews: CSR 10 (2010/11–2014/15) and CSR 15 (2015/16) Overall UK science resource budget maintained in cash terms at £4.6 billion a year. MRC research spend maintained in real terms to 2014/15 (and in cash terms for 2015/16) by allowing us to retain all our IP income. The outcome of the current CSR is expected 25 November CSR 10CSR 15 £m 2010/11 baseline 2011/122012/132013/142014/152015/16 Resource Capital

Spending reviews: additional information Not shown in CSR 10: – £220m capital from the Department of Health earmarked for the construction of the Francis Crick Institute. – £91m of additional capital allocation (for Regenerative Medicine, Big Data, Structural Therapeutics, and Infrastructure) during the four year period. – £31m of capital towards the construction of the new Laboratory of Molecular Biology. – £188m of non-cash allocation (depreciation & amortisation) over the four- year period). Not shown in CSR 15: – £150m from the Department of Health earmarked for Clinical Research Infrastructure. – £44m of non-cash allocation.

MRC locations In the UK: 3 institutes 25 units 22 centres/partnerships 2 overseas units: The Gambia Uganda

MRC spend by research activity, 2014/15

MRC spend by health category, 2014/15

MRC Council and committees The Council is the MRC’s governing body and directs and oversees corporate policy, deciding all issues of major importance. Membership consists of the Chair, the Chief Executive and Deputy Chair, and 12 other members, at least half of whom are appointed on account of their scientific qualification. The Council has four subcommittees made up of Council members and other expert members: – Council Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (CARAC) – Ethics, Regulation and Public Involvement Committee (ERPIC) – Nominations Committee (NomCom) – Remuneration Committee (RemCom)

Molecular and Cellular Medicine Board MRC strategy and delivery Strategy Board Population and Systems Medicine Board Infections and Immunity Board Neurosciences and Mental Health Board Population Health Sciences Group Translational Research Group Global Health Group Training and Careers Group Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme Methodology Panel

MRC MRCT NIHR Patients and carers UK Government Departments OSCHR Medical charities Parliamentarians Policy-makers Industry International Public Research Councils Research community Universities NHS Learned societies UK Clinical Research Collaboration Partnership working Innovate UK

NIHRMRC HM Treasury DH Devolved Administrations Funding flow Policy input BIS OSCHR Coordinated public sector health research strategy Research

Discovery and exploratory researchApplication and delivery research MRC leadNIHR lead Pharmacogenomics Animal/human models Regenerative medicine Genetics/genomics Structural biology Imaging Systems medicine Global health Ageing: life course Stem cells Infections Population science Experimental medicine Methodology Global health Stratified medicine Public health E-health HTA Trials EME Trials (Late stage III) Programmes in Applied research Research for Patient Benefit Invention for Innovation Service Delivery and Organisation CSO (Scotland) Health and Care Research (Wales) HSCNI (Northern Ireland) Current focuses of MRC activity

Strategic Aim Two Research to people Bringing the benefits of excellent research to all sections of society – Securing impact from medical research – Regulation, ethics, governance and working with decision- makers – Engagement

Economic benefits There were more than 1,000 products and interventions in development between 2006 and Creation or growth of 88 companies between 2006 and There were 1,047 patents granted or published between 2006 and 2014, with around 22 per cent licensed per cent of the MRC’s further funding came from outside of the UK – this equates to £659m since Seven per cent of the MRC’s further funding came from the private sector – equalling £286m. MRC researchers have reported embarking on 13,972 unique collaborations since 2006 – 8 per cent of these are with industry partners.

What is it? Turning discoveries into clinical benefits, while maintaining the basic research that drives it. The MRC’s translational strategy: – builds on the MRC’s existing role in pushing forward basic knowledge to improve people’s health and wealth. – strengthens the support and oversight of the translational processes. Basic medical research Prototype discovery and design Pre-clinical development Early clinical trials Late clinical trials Translation

Innovate UK Basic research Prototype discovery and design Pre-clinical development Early clinical trials Late clinical trials Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme Developmental Clinical Studies Targeted initiatives to alleviate bottlenecks Infrastructure/Resources Methodology Training Continued commitment to basic lab, clinical and population research Capacity building NIHR Translational Stem Cell Research Programme Translational Research Support MRC translational activities

Public engagement Researchers reported that a total of 28,306 separate engagement activities took place between 2006 and – Public: 30 per cent – Other academic audiences: 19 per cent – Health professionals: 13 per cent – Schools: 13 per cent – Patient groups and study participants: 9 per cent – Media: 8 per cent – Policymakers and parliamentarians: 5 per cent – Postgrad students: 2 per cent – Undergraduate students: 1 per cent

Strategic Aim Three Going global Accelerating progress in international health research via: International partnerships and shaping the agenda Global health Shaping the agenda Managing research council for the RCUK offices in Beijing, Delhi and Washington. UK lead on health for FP7 Programme Committee. Partner in the Joint Programme for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Global health Intramural funding (The Gambia, Uganda and UK) and extramural grants. Managing the joint MRC/Wellcome Trust/DFID clinical trials scheme and co-founder of the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases.

Strategic Aim Four Supporting scientists Sustaining a robust and flourishing environment for world class medical research – Capacity and skills – Research environment More than 2,531 people employed in MRC units and institutes Around 390 fellows and 1,500 postgraduate students £63.9m on training and career development in 2014/15.

The Francis Crick Institute The MRC, the Wellcome Trust, Cancer Research UK, University College London, King’s College London and Imperial College London. Due to open Scientific Vision and Research Strategy published: “Its goal will be to understand the basic biology underlying human health, driving forward better treatment and prevention of the most significant diseases affecting people today.”

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