1. 1 MRC perspectives on the changing UK research agenda 14 March 2007 University of Birmingham Mike Davies, MRC

2. 2 MRC Mission To encourage and support high quality research with the aim of maintaining and improving human health; To produce skilled researchers, and to advance and disseminate knowledge and technology to improve the quality of life and economic competitiveness in the UK; To promote dialogue with the public about medical research.

3. 3 Now… MRC spends about £530 million of public money per annum: providing funding for research programmes and infrastructure, and by investing in training and employment both in universities and in MRC's own research centres from basic discoveries right through to developing treatments, to achieve health benefits as quickly as possible with an increasing emphasis on prevention Medical Research Council

4. 4 MRC Background - Facts & Figures Funds spent in 2005/06 over £50m on training researchers in universities and hospitals Support over 3,500 people in UK & overseas 3 research institutes 29 research units > 3,000 researchers supported by MRC-funded programmes in universities & hospitals (including 15 MRC Centres) 350 Research Fellowships 85 Career Establishment Grants/New Investigator Research Grant holders 726 Post-doctoral researchers on MRC grants

5. 5 MRC Strategy

6. 6 Council and the Boards NEW STRATEGY BOARD RESEARCH BOARDS HSPHRB, IIB, MCMB, NMHB, PSCSB COLLEGES OF EXPERTS STRATEGY & PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW GROUPS (SPOGS) COUNCIL OTHER AWARDS PANELS (Competitions) TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT BOARD RESEARCH CAREER AWARDS PANELS

7. 7 Translational Research

8. 8 Delivering Medical Research Basic Research Clinical Research Experimental Medicine Population Sciences Implementation & Delivery Translational research

9. 9 Clinical Candidate DevelopmentCommercialization Cumulative Investment £600 M £270-320 M £110-160 M £10-30 M Risk Target Identification and Validation Assay Development Lead Generation Lead Optimization Pre-Clinical Development Phase 1 Phase 11 Phase 111 Registration Global Launch Global Optimization The Risk/Cost/Time Development Paradigm Time 8 – 12 Years Hypothesis Generation 1. Drug Discovery and Biomarkers 2. Experimental Medicine 3. Methodological Research

10. 10 Spectrum – recent targeted initiatives Basic Research Clinical Research Experimental Medicine Population Sciences Implementation & Delivery Translational research MRCT Drug DiscoveryBiobank launched Exp Med initiative Clinical Research Facilities Population Health Network Biostatistics – capacity build Translator awards Translational Centres Biomarkers initiative University partnerships NPRI Methodological/Implementation

11. 11 Comprehensive Spending Review 2007

12. 12 CSR 2007 Priorities Basic Research Clinical Research Experimental Medicine Population Sciences Implementation & Delivery Translational research Lifelong Health Fundamental insights Energising clinical research Health of Disciplines Translation – push & pull

13. 13 Lifelong Health Basic Research Clinical Research Experimental Medicine Population Sciences Implementation & Delivery Translational research Early origins of health and disease Healthy children Elderly

14. 14 Fundamental insights into better health Basic Research Clinical Research Experimental Medicine Population Sciences Implementation & Delivery Translational research Gene regulation Translating genomic knowledge into improved health Integrative/systems biology Regenerative medicine/stem cells

15. 15 Energising Clinical Research - Targeting opportunities and needs Basic Research Clinical Research Experimental Medicine Population Sciences Implementation & Delivery Translational research Diseases of modern life Innovation in healthcare technologies New approaches to prevention and public health Neglected populations Orphan Areas – unmet clinical needs Linking cohorts and using the data goldmine

16. 16 Health of Disciplines Basic Research Clinical Research Experimental Medicine Population Sciences Implementation & Delivery Translational research New generation ofClinical scientistsPartnerships: chemicalbiology, predictivetoxicology, clinicalpharmacology, pathologyClinical and public healthmethodological researchTargeted initiatives withDevolved Administrations

17. 17 Translation – push and pull Basic Research Clinical Research Experimental Medicine Population Sciences Implementation & Delivery Translational research Applied Research + Co-operation FundApplied R&D close toimplementation orcommercialisationPartnerships withindustry - NICETargeted initiatives –Research ImpactMonitoring Programmeand translators

18. 18 Single Health Research Fund

19. 19 Single Health Research Fund Opportunity to improve translational research in UK through the Single Health Research Fund Announcement by the Chancellor in March 2006 budget of a single ring-fenced budget to support health research funded by MRC and the NHS R&D programme Sir David Cooksey led the review into publicly funded health research in the UK The Chancellor announced the outcome of the review in his pre-budget speech on 6 December

20. 20 Ideas on the health research base Problems in translation lie in gaps between: Clinical / basic science and new intervention Getting evidence-based intervention into practice DH should provide a stronger “user” voice in medical research priority setting. Relative payback from basic & applied medical research unknown. We need evidence. Peer review, career paths, and NHS environment discourage applied health research.

21. 21 Ideas for innovation and industry A clearer health research strategy will help engagement and industry investment A new, more strategic, approach to adoption of new ideas / technologies in NHS Shorter drug development process Better experimental medicine / markers / models Streamline clinical trials Fast-track products for priority areas (UK Priority Health Research Projects) Earlier NICE / HTA involvement More conditional licensing of new products Remove barriers to collaboration (e.g. VAT) and gaps in translation Sustain and build on excellent research base – basic and clinical

22. 22 MRCNIHR Treasury SoS HealthSoS DTI DG OSIDG R&D OSCHR TMFB

23. 23 OSCHR Chaired by John Bell CEOs of MRC and NIHR Directors General of OSI and DH R&D (England) Three others Sets overall health research strategy Approves bids to CSR, allocates funds between MRC and NIHR Promotes joint working Annual report to Parliament, monitors delivery Oversees Translational Medicine Funding Board

24. 24 MRC Portfolio of Vision Research (1) MRC spends ~£2.5m pa on research relevant to vision Current support covers whole spectrum from basic underpinning to surgical treatments Support includes research grants, new investigator awards and personal fellowships Also consider proposals trials and epidemiological studies a

25. 25 MRC Portfolio of Vision Research (2) Examples of research supported Molecular genetics of human retinal degeneration (MRC HGU); genetic susceptibility to AMD (Cambridge) Plasticity in the visual cortex in amblyopia (Cardiff) Visual Developmental disorders Improving surgical techniques for wet AMD (Moorfields/UCL) Stem cell research: 4 awards made under call including development of retinal stem cell therapies (Institute of Ophthalmology)