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Research Centers and Programs

• Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
• American Joint Replacement Research-Collaborative (AJRR-C)
• Biomedical Ethics Research Program
• Bipolar Disorder Biobank
• Cardiovascular Disease and Outcomes Research Program
• Cardiovascular Research Center
• Center for Advanced Imaging Research
• Center for Biomedical Discovery
• Center for Cell Signaling in Gastroenterology (C-SiG)
• Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCaTS)
• Center for Individualized Medicine
• Center for Multiple Sclerosis and Autoimmune Neurology
• Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics
• Children's Research Center
• Clinical Immunology and Immunotherapeutics Program
• Colon Cancer Family Registry
• CT Clinical Innovation Center
• Department of Defense Medical Research Office
• Enteric Neuroscience Program
• Epidemiology and Genetics of Lung Cancer Research Program
• Evidence-Based Practice Research Program
• Hospital Experiences to Advance Goals and Outcomes Network (HEXAGON)
• IBD Biobank Study
• Mayo Clinic Biobank
• Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center - Research
• Mayo Clinic Housing-Based Socioeconomic Status (HOUSES) Program
• Mayo Clinic Robert M. and Billie Kelley Pirnie Translational Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Center
• Mayo Clinic SCORE on Sex Differences
• Mayo Clinic Study of Aging
• Mayo Mammography Health Study
• Mayo Nephrology Collaborative Group
• Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research Program
• Migraine Research Program
• Military Medicine Program
• Nicotine Research Program
• Nutrition Obesity Research Program
• Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and Research Training
• Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection Research Program
• Precision Neurotherapeutics Innovation Program
• Program on Physician Well-Being
• Psychiatric Genomics and Pharmacogenomics Program
• Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging
• Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery
• Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP)
• SPARK Research Mentorship Program
• Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD) Research Program
• Sports Medicine Research
• Thyroid Eye Disease Research Program
• Todd and Karen Wanek Family Program for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)
• Translational Nanomedicine Program
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• Van Cleve Cardiac Regenerative Medicine Program
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COVID-19 Research Studies

More information, about clinical center, clinical trials and you, participate in a study, referring a patient, about clinical research.

Research participants are partners in discovery at the NIH Clinical Center, the largest research hospital in America. Clinical research is medical research involving people The Clinical Center provides hope through pioneering clinical research to improve human health. We rapidly translate scientific observations and laboratory discoveries into new ways to diagnose, treat and prevent disease. More than 500,000 people from around the world have participated in clinical research since the hospital opened in 1953. We do not charge patients for participation and treatment in clinical studies at NIH. In certain emergency circumstances, you may qualify for help with travel and other expenses Read more , to see if clinical studies are for you.

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Find NIH Clinical Center Trials

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center Search the Studies site is a registry of publicly supported clinical studies conducted mostly in Bethesda, MD.

NCI-Designated Cancer Centers

The NCI Cancer Centers Program was created as part of the National Cancer Act of 1971 and is one of the anchors of the nation’s cancer research effort. Through this program, NCI recognizes centers around the country that meet rigorous standards for transdisciplinary, state-of-the-art research focused on developing new and better approaches to preventing, diagnosing, and treating cancer.

Find an NCI-Designated Cancer Center

NCI-Designated Cancer Centers deliver cutting-edge cancer treatments to patients in communities across the United States. Find a center near you and learn about its specific research capabilities, programs, and initiatives.

NCI-Designated Cancer Centers and the National Cancer Plan

The NCI-Designated Cancer Centers are recognized for their scientific leadership in laboratory and clinical research. This research aligns with the goals of the National Cancer Plan. Read about the plan and explore each goal.

There are 72 NCI-Designated Cancer Centers, located in 36 states and the District of Columbia, that are funded by NCI to deliver cutting-edge cancer treatments to patients. Of these 72 institutions:

• 8 are Clinical Cancer Centers, recognized for their scientific leadership, resources, and the depth and breadth of their research in basic, clinical, and/or prevention, cancer control, and population science.
• 57 are Comprehensive Cancer Centers, also recognized for their leadership and resources, in addition to demonstrating an added depth and breadth of research, as well as substantial transdisciplinary research that bridges these scientific areas.
• 7 are Basic Laboratory Cancer Centers that are primarily focused on laboratory research and often conduct preclinical translation while working collaboratively with other institutions to apply these laboratory findings to new and better treatments.

Most of the NCI-Designated Cancer Centers are affiliated with university medical centers, although several are freestanding institutions that engage only in cancer research.

At any given time, hundreds of research studies are under way at the cancer centers, ranging from basic laboratory research to clinical assessments of new treatments. Many of these studies are collaborative and may involve several cancer centers, as well as other partners in industry and the community.

Why the Cancer Centers Program Is Important to Cancer Research

The NCI-Designated Cancer Centers are recognized for their scientific leadership in laboratory and clinical research, in addition to serving their communities and the broader public by integrating training and education for biomedical researchers and health care professionals.

NCI-Designated Cancer Centers dedicate significant resources toward developing research programs, faculty, and facilities that will lead to better and innovative approaches to cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. NCI supports the research infrastructure for cancer centers to advance scientific goals and foster cancer programs that draw together investigators from different disciplines.

Hope for Millions through Cancer Centers

NCI-Designated Cancer Centers provide breakthrough approaches to preventing, diagnosing, and treating all types of cancers.

The Impact of Cancer Centers on Cancer Care

The cancer centers develop and translate scientific knowledge from promising laboratory discoveries into new treatments for cancer patients. The centers serve their local communities with programs and services tailored to their unique needs and populations. As a result, these centers disseminate evidence-based findings to their own communities, and these programs and services can be translated to benefit similar populations around the country.

Each year, approximately 400,000 patients receive their cancer diagnoses at an NCI-Designated Cancer Center. An even larger number of patients are treated for cancer at these centers each year, and thousands of patients are enrolled in cancer clinical trials at NCI-Designated Cancer Centers. Many of the centers also provide public education and outreach programs on cancer prevention and screening, with special attention to the needs of underserved populations.

The rapid pace of discovery and the improved cancer treatments that the NCI-Designated Cancer Centers have helped pioneer over decades have increased the number of cancer survivors in the United States and improved the quality of patients’ lives immeasurably.

Clinical and Translational Research

Clinical research draws on the partnership of patients who volunteer to enroll in clinical studies.

MyDukeResearch is a user-friendly website for patients and community members, enabling anyone to easily locate research studies, volunteer for upcoming studies, and view study results.

Duke's vast clinical research enterprise also includes the  Duke Clinical Research Institute, (DCRI)  the world’s largest academic clinical research organization. DCRI’s faculty and staff conduct groundbreaking multi-national clinical trials, manage major national patient registries, and perform landmark outcomes research. 

Translational research turns observations from the laboratory, clinic, and community into interventions that improve health.

The  Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute , (CTSI)  helps investigators from across Duke navigate the complex path from the lab to the real world, bringing innovations in the health sciences to life. CTSI partners with researchers to accelerate discovery and bridge the translational space that leads to improved health outcomes. 

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The nexus of human research at MIT

The MIT Center for Clinical and Translational Research handles everything related to human subject research at MIT. Our team of experts help scientists design and conduct safe, IRB-compliant tests to translate scientific breakthroughs into ground-breaking technologies that advance human health.

Side by side, by science

Scientific research is a fundamentally human endeavor. We take a compassionate, consultative approach that helps researchers understand—and expand—the scope of what’s possible. We help teams see around the curves, change course when necessary, and overcome hurdles along the way.

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Research Studies

Project Highlights

The world’s first portable, non-invasive white blood cell monitoring device!

LeukoLab looked to the MIT CCTR for usability and reliability testing of PointCheck: the world’s first portable, non-invasive white blood cell monitoring device.

In the News

Technologies at the edge of life: mehi february sandbox networking event at the cctr.

Join the Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI) and the MIT Center for Clinical and Translational Research (CCTR) on February 28th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for the third event in the Mass Digital Health Sandbox Networking Series.

Digital Health Challenge Launch Mobilizes Companies with Innovative Solutions to Address the Health of Women+

Entrepreneurs, start ups, and state leaders gathered at the State House to focus on issues ranging from reproductive care to disease control, kicking off the latest Massachusetts eHealth Institute at MassTech (MeHI) Digital Health Challenge.

Chronic Lyme disease research gets big boost

‘This is a solvable problem’: New Massachusetts studies, including one conducted in collaboration with the CCTR, aim to unlock the mysteries of chronic Lyme disease. A distinct ‘antibody signature’ could herald a new test to pinpoint who will recover. 

“The MIT CCTR provides a warm welcome to researchers and participants alike in a professional environment, with invaluable, practical clinical guidance to keep our human studies ticking along!”

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Biomedical Research Centres

NIHR's 20 Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs) are networks of experts that work collaboratively between NHS trusts and internationally renowned universities. They facilitate early stage experimental medicine research and support the translation of scientific discoveries.

On this page:

What are the nihr biomedical research centres, where are the nihr brcs located, what are the brc themes, how do brcs support research, brc support for the life sciences industry.

NIHR Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs) bring together academics and clinicians to translate early scientific breakthroughs into potential new treatments, diagnostics and health technologies. 

The NIHR has awarded nearly £800m in funding to facilities across England, creating an environment where experimental medicine can thrive. 

BRCs attract the best scientists and produce world-leading research, improving patients’ lives, and contributing to the local and national economy. Their high-quality, innovative research also attracts significant investment from external funders, furthering the nation’s economic growth.

Watch how the NIHR Biomedical Research Centres are transforming patients' lives.

BRCs are based within the NHS trusts hosting them and the collaborating universities. The 20 BRCs are:

• NIHR Barts Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR Exeter Biomedical Research Centre 
• NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR The Royal Marsden Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre
• NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre  

Each BRC provides expertise across a broad range of health and disease areas. Their work is structured around a number of cross-cutting themes, including:

• Multimorbidity
• Data and digital health
• Precision medicine
• Rare diseases

The BRCs make use of their host organisation’s facilities, as well as other NIHR infrastructure such as NIHR Clinical Research Facilities, to conduct innovative research.

NIHR Translational Research Collaborations are hosted by BRCs, which collaborate with charity partners to develop and deliver early-phase translational research at scale. These collaborations convene UK-wide expertise in specific research areas addressing a gap or unmet need, serving as a platform to support emerging priorities in the research landscape and to co-ordinate efforts in early phase research. 

Several BRCs support the work of the NIHR BioResource , which provides a national infrastructure for volunteers to be consented and recalled for research based on their genotype and phenotype, supporting human health research and its transformation into medical practice.

The BRCs receive sustained funding from NIHR to translate promising scientific breakthroughs and develop them into new treatments, diagnostics and medical technologies for the benefit of patients, the public and the health and care system. BRCs support research by:

• creating an environment where scientific endeavour can thrive, attracting the foremost talent and producing world-class outputs
• supporting a critical mass of people and infrastructure focused on biomedical innovation and early translational and experimental medicine research
• supporting capacity building through Early Career Fellowships and training/development opportunities
• delivering NIHR-funded research, while working with other public funders, charities and the life sciences industry
• leveraging and attracting funding from external organisations to undertake experimental medicine and early translational research while forming key strategic partnerships

BRCs are designed to accelerate the translation of preclinical studies from experimental to early-phase research. They are skilled at overcoming bottlenecks and moving breakthroughs along the research pipeline.

For the life sciences industry, BRCs can provide:

• collaboration between globally recognised academic researchers, specialised NHS clinicians, the life sciences industry and other BRCs
• world-class laboratory and research facilities
• bespoke specialised equipment, such as sleep clinics, PET scanners, and simulation suites
• access to large and diverse patient populations
• access to tissue samples and health data through the NIHR BioResource testbed for translational research

They will also provide project management support for every stage of a study, including:

• care pathway and health economic analysis to identify unmet clinical needs
• protocol design, including patient-and-public involvement from the first stage of protocol development
• oversight of early phase studies across all specialties

The life sciences industry and sponsors of commercial research should contact the NIHR industry team to discuss their requirements and explore which facility would be best suited to support them.

Contact the Industry team

Visit our ‘ Offer to the Life Sciences Industry ’ page to discover the full range of support available to commercial research sponsors developing and delivering research in the UK.

Latest news from BRCs

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For medical questions, we encourage you to review our information with your doctor.

Managing Cancer Care

• What Is Oncology?
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• The Doctor-Patient Relationship

Choosing a Cancer Center or Hospital

• Choosing a Cancer Doctor
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• Who Provides Home Care Services?
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• Finding a Home Care Agency
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• How Treatment Is Planned and Scheduled
• When Treatment Should Start
• Cancer During Pregnancy
• Questions to Ask Your Doctor When You Have Cancer
• What Is Informed Consent?
• When Is Informed Consent Needed?
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• What Is an Advance Directive?
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When you or another family member has cancer, you want to get the best possible medical care and treatment. Choosing a cancer center or hospital can be one of the most important decisions you’ll make. There are many excellent cancer care centers in the United States, but how do you know where to look?

Here are some things to think about as you choose where you want to get treated.

Ask for recommendations

Finding a cancer center or hospital.

The doctor who found your cancer is the first person you should ask. Try asking: “If you or someone you loved had this cancer, where would you go for treatment?” Often, the doctor will suggest a cancer center even if you don’t ask.

If your doctor isn’t sure of your diagnosis, but thinks there’s a chance you might have cancer, you can ask: “If you were in my place, where would you go first?” Ask for at least 2 or 3 suggestions and find out if you need a cancer center that specializes in a certain type of cancer. Then find out if these cancer centers accept your health insurance plan.

You might find these websites helpful in locating information about cancer centers near you.*

• The Association of Community Cancer Centers  (ACCC) offers a state by state list of cancer programs that belong to their organization. You can find profiles for each cancer center including basic information such as contact info, treatments offered, and special cancer services. 
• The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is part of the US National Institutes for Health. The NCI works with nearly 70 cancer centers in the United States through its National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Programs . These cancer centers are recognized for their leadership in cancer research and cutting edge treatments. 
• The Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) provides a state by state directory of member institutions in their member directory.  Their membership includes academic and freestanding cancer centers across the US and Canada.
• The Children’s Oncology Group (COG) offers a  listing of cancer centers  that have experts who treat children and teenagers with cancer.  Most children and teens with cancer are treated at large pediatric cancer centers. Pediatric cancer treatment is usually offered to children from birth to age 18 or 19, although some groups extend pediatric treatment to age 21.
• The American College of Surgeons offers a list of breast centers accredited through their National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers . To be accredited, centers must meet standards for providing services, participating in clinical trials, continuing physician education, and community outreach.

* Inclusion of a facility or a health care professional in any of these databases does not imply endorsement by the American Cancer Society.

Choosing a cancer center

Be sure to find out how much experience a center has in treating your type of cancer. It's important to know the cancer center can provide all the services you need. For example, larger hospitals may have more experience with different kinds of cancers and offer more services for people with cancer. This is extra important if you have a type of cancer that is rare or more challenging to treat.

Our How to Choose a Cancer Center or Hospital worksheet can help you figure out what questions to ask and keep track of the information you find. For instance, you might want to ask:

• What type of treatment facilities they have
• Who is part of the cancer care team
• Whether they have tumor boards where experts in different types of cancer care meet to discuss the best way to care for a person with cancer
• You can also ask your doctor and other health care providers about their experience with the cancer centers you are looking into.

If you live in a small town, you may need to travel to a larger city to find a center the best meets your needs. ​This may be the key to getting the best possible treatment and might be worth the extra travel or inconvenience to you. Larger cancer centers or hospitals are also be more likely to have clinical trials (research studies) you might be able to take part in.

In addition, you many want to see whether the healthcare organizations you are looking at are accredited using specific quality standards.

• The Joint Commission accredits and certifies healthcare organizations based on a variety of quality measures. Accreditation by The Joint Commission does not necessarily mean the organization has expertise in cancer care, but is a measure of overall quality of services. To check a healthcare facility, you can go to their Quality Check website. If you don’t have Internet access, you can call The Joint Commission customer service line at 630-792-5800.
• The Commission on Cancer (CoC) is the cancer quality program of the American College of Surgeons (ACoS). The COC accredits organizations that are committed to quality cancer care. To be accredited by the CoC, a cancer care organization must meet certain standards and offer a range of state-of-the-art cancer services. No matter its size or location, a cancer center's ability to deliver quality cancer care is monitored by the CoC. CoC-approved cancer programs are found in many different kinds of hospitals or facilities. They may be freestanding or in major medical centers, community hospitals, or other diagnostic and treatment centers. You can search for an accredited cancer center near you on the CoC website.

The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team

Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as editors and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.

American College of Surgeons. Commission on Cancer: Improving Outcomes for Patients with Cancer. facs.org. Accessed at https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/cancer/coc on September 15, 2021.

National Cancer Institute. Finding Health Care Services. Cancer.gov. Accessed at https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/managing-care/services on August 3, 2021.

The Joint Commission. About Quality Check®. Accessed at https://www.qualitycheck.org/ on September 15, 2021. 

Last Revised: September 17, 2021

American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy .

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MRC institutes, units and centres

The Medical Research Council (MRC) provides funding to research institutes, units and centres across the UK.

MRC has a mission to support research and training with the aim of maintaining and improving human health. To address important scientific opportunities and health needs, and when stand-alone grant support alone is insufficient, our three main support mechanisms are:

• Institutes – very long-term flexible multidisciplinary investments
• Units – more focused investments established for as long as needed to support a scientific need or deliver a research vision
• Centres – build on existing MRC, and other, support to add value and help establish a high-profile research centre

See a list of our institutes, units and centres .

All three are mission-focused and carry out ground-breaking research including innovative methodology and technology development. Developing strategically driven initiatives, led by an expert scientific director, can help promote novel, high risk approaches, cooperative research programmes, or the development of shared infrastructure.

They are all expected to recruit and, in partnership with the higher education institutions (HEI) and other organisations, develop outstanding researchers with specialist and transferable skills for academic research, the health services and the national economy. They work in partnerships to ensure maximal knowledge transfer for health benefit.

Find out more about the directors and MRC investigators and their research programmes at MRC institutes and units.

In any field, the need for these support mechanisms will change over time. Successful research progress may mean that approaches are quickly integrated into HEI research in the area, or that a unit or centre has to change its form and direction.

New funding model: MRC Centres of Research Excellence

We are changing the way we fund long-term research through units and centres, to adopt a new challenge-led, time-limited approach, the MRC Centres of Research Excellence (MRC CoREs). The first investments to be made under the new MRC CoRE funding model will start in 2024.

Find out more about the MRC Centres of Research Excellence funding model.

Institutes adopt broad multidisciplinary approaches to address major challenges in health-related research often requiring ground breaking methodology and technology development.

They are provided with sustained support and state-of-the-art facilities over a long period of time. This allows the use of highly innovative and risky approaches across a flexible range of disciplines, that would not be feasible in a university setting, to tackle crucially important and complex issues over long periods of time.

Institutes attract and develop outstanding students and early career scientists from the UK, and internationally, providing in-depth, advanced research training and a broad multidisciplinary research environment.

Institutes are often preferred when the MRC intends to be the keystone of support for a particular area. Institutes may be based on MRC or non-MRC employment models according to the setting. In either case, support is only justified if a suitable high quality research director can be found.

Units are set up to meet specific needs, for example, to provide scientific leadership in key research fields, or to tackle important research questions where the need cannot easily be addressed through grant funding. This can be because the research area calls for:

• Strong and distinctive scientific leadership
• Close coordination across disciplines and activities
• Development of methods and technologies
• Support for the development of novel or higher risk programmes and capabilities.

Units are embedded as fully as possible in a research-active university. They attract and develop outstanding students and early career programme leaders from the UK and internationally and often have a major impact through developing future research leaders in their specialist areas.

Centres allow us to help HEIs develop and consolidate internationally competitive, high-profile research centres with a clear strategic direction in areas of importance for UK medical research.

Centres provide intellectually stimulating and well-resourced programmes and environments which not only are attractive to established researchers but also to new researchers. They are usually set up to provide the core for developing initiatives in partnership with others.

Centres have an important role in capacity development in a focused area, with MRC funding for training often focused at the PhD and individual fellowship level, in both clinical and non-clinical research.

MRC core funding is provided for a set period to develop the centre’s capabilities and research strategy, and is expected to help HEIs attract further support from other funders as well as the MRC.

Last updated: 17 August 2023

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