The NIHR Leeds Clinical Research Facility (CRF) is funded by the National institute of Health and Social Care Research to support the delivery of early translational and experimental medicine research. Our state-of-the-art infrastructure and expert team support a diverse portfolio of over 200 studies including new treatments being used in patients for the very first time (first-in-human trials) through to early safety and efficacy trials (Phase IIa trials) and high-intensity studies, many with translational/laboratory elements. Our trials are funded by the NIHR, the life sciences industry, charities and other organisations.
The NIHR Leeds CRF comprises “one CRF on 5 sites in a single Trust”, safely delivering innovative studies across a wide range of therapeutic areas, including oncology/haematology, cardiology, neurology, dental and oral health, musculoskeletal, dermatology and rare diseases. Many of our trials involve drugs but others evaluate cellular therapies, oncolytic viruses, vaccines and MedTech devices; we support trials in patients (both adults and children) and healthy volunteers.
We prioritise trials with the potential to benefit patients so patient and public involvement (PPI) is key to, ensuring our work is relevant and impactful. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of research governance and ethics, ensuring patient safety and to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). Through our educational programs, we also aim to nurture the next generation of diverse clinical researchers, building a sustainable workforce equipped to address future health challenges.
Why Leeds
Leeds is the UK’s third-largest city and one of its fastest-growing economic hubs. It is a creatively vibrant and culturally diverse city but with significant areas of deprivation and health inequalities. Positioned at the heart of the UK’s Northern Powerhouse, Leeds benefits from excellent national and international transport links.
The city is a leader in digital, data, and tech industries and it headquarters the world’s largest healthcare system – the NHS. Leeds also excels in academic research, particularly within its dynamic new Innovation Arc, which focuses on health, life sciences, and technological research.
Leeds’ healthtech and AI industries are market-leading, supported by world-class academic institutions, an integrated health and care partnership, and state-of-the-art facilities. The city’s diversity, collaborative culture, and focus on reducing health inequalities make it an ideal place for innovation, where new ideas can be trailed and scaled rapidly.
A major component of Leeds’ health innovation ecosystem is the NIHR Leeds Clinical Research Facility (CRF). The CRF supports over 300 early-stage and experimental medicine clinical trials annually in collaboration with industry, academia, research councils, and charities. Based at St James’s University Hospital, the CRF has delivery sites at 5 hospital locations within Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust The NIHR Leeds CRF is central to the city’s global reputation for pioneering healthcare research.
Leeds’ health research ecosystem also includes a £40 million NIHR infrastructure, one of Europe’s leading teaching hospital trusts, world-leading research from three major universities (with the University of Leeds a member of the Russell Group and ranked 85 in the top 100 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2025) and an outstanding health industry cluster all part of Health Innovation Leeds.
Leeds is a pioneering city at the forefront of health innovation, supported by a strong talent pool, academic excellence, industry collaboration, and the cutting-edge work of the NIHR Leeds Clinical Research Facility.