NUH’s mobile research unit makes its debut in Nottingham city centre

Researchers at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust took their research out on tour last week, and invited people in Nottingham to take part in research into two serious conditions – undiagnosed liver disease and screening for Type 1 diabetes in children.

People in Nottingham were the first to gain the experience of taking part in research thanks to a brand new Mobile Research Unit. The unit, which literally brings a fully equipped research clinic and laboratory onto the streets, made its debut in the city centre on Thursday, 6th July.

This self-contained research clinic with an on-board laboratory is designed to increase access to research which is usually carried out in NUH’s dedicated research facilities at QMC, Nottingham City Hospital and Ropewalk House.

Professor Ian Hall, Co-clinical Director for Research & Innovation at NUH, said:

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“Last year, almost 14,000 patients took part in over 600 research trials at Nottingham University Hospitals and our new mobile research unit will make our research studies more accessible than ever to people in Nottingham, without the need to travel into our hospitals.

“The mobile unit literally brings research to people’s doorsteps and will help us further our clinical research studies into chronic diseases that affect many people, including liver disease, diabetes and asthma.”

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On Thursday and Friday last week, the Mobile Research Unit was stationed in Smithy Row, adjacent to Nottingham Council House, just off Old Market Square.

Clinical research staff on board invited the public to take part in screening for undiagnosed liver disease and asked parents to consent for their children to become part of the national ELSA Study, which is screening for Type 1 diabetes in young people aged three – 13 years

• The rollout of Nottingham’s Mobile Research Unit coincided with the 2023 UK Clinical Research Facility Network Conference, a national gathering of experts in experimental medicine research, which was hosted by NUH and took place at Nottingham Trent University.