LSBU joins major national investment to support clinical research careers
London South Bank University (LSBU) has been named as a partner in a £9.7 million national investment by the Medical Research Council (MRC) to strengthen clinical research careers across the UK.
LSBU is part of the London Launchpad, one of 10 Regional Accounts for Clinical Researchers (RACR) established by the MRC, bringing together six London universities alongside NHS Trusts, hospital charities and NIHR Biomedical Research Centres to support clinicians at critical points in their research careers.
Professor Adéle Stewart-Lord, project co-lead at LSBU, said the investment was particularly significant for LSBU given its position as one of London's leading providers of nursing and allied health professionals — groups that would directly benefit from the dedicated funding to develop their research careers.
“Working with six London universities and our NHS partners at scale allows diverse cohorts of clinicians to access resources across institutions providing a more integrated approach,” she added.
The London Launchpad RARC consortium includes King's College London, Kingston University, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Queen Mary University of London and is led by University College London.
Supporting clinicians to stay in research
The RACR initiative addresses a well-documented challenge: many clinicians, including doctors, nurses, dentists and pharmacists, face significant barriers to sustaining research careers alongside demanding clinical roles. A report by the Office for Strategic Coordination of Health Research identified a long-term decline in the clinical research workforce, with particular pressures around funding, time and access to mentoring.
Through the London Launchpad, participating clinicians will receive tailored support including protected research time, bridge funding, mentoring, skills development and help for those returning to research after a career break. The programme specifically aims to support clinicians from under-represented groups and address health inequalities in areas of urban deprivation.
Each regional consortium will receive between £250,000 and £350,000 per year for up to four years, with the programme designed to generate evidence on the most effective ways to support clinical researchers in different settings.
The full list of regional consortia and further details about the national investment are available on the UKRI website.