Page controls
Eastern LRN
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Clinical Lead
Professor Nick Wareham
Network Manager
Sandra Mulrennan
Telephone: 01223 769169
Email: drn@mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk
Addenbrooke's Hospital
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 0QQ
New Clinical Research Facility opens in the Eastern Region Diabetes Local Research Network to help prevent diabetes and obesity.
The Eastern region has an active and collaborative diabetes research programme across acute and primary care Trusts, the university and academic institutions. The EDLRN supports the delivery of clinical diabetes research, including randomised trials and devises and implements strategies to prevent, diagnose and treat diabetes.
The Medical Research Council (MRC) in Cambridge unveiled a newly refurbished MRC Epidemiology Unit Clinical Research Facility, as part of its scientific research into the links between lifestyle and health.
The new facility at North Cambridgeshire Hospital in Wisbech facilitates the assessment of local volunteers in the MRC Fenland Study, a population based research project to help to prevent diabetes and obesity. The study will investigate the interaction between genetic and lifestyle factors in determining obesity, diabetes and related metabolic disorders that are currently a major health concern regionally and nationally. The aim of this study is to investigate strategies for the prevention of these diseases.
The opening coincides with the recruitment of the 500th Wisbech area volunteer to The Fenland Study, which will eventually include 5000 members of the public. Dr Liz Robin, Director of Public Health for Cambridgeshire Primary Care Trust and Cambridgeshire County Council opened this upgraded facility.
Professor Nick Wareham, both Director of the MRC Epidemiology Unit, and clinical lead for the Eastern Diabetes Local Research Network said:
“Our new facility will provide enhanced opportunities for carrying out ground-breaking research into diabetes and obesity, right in the heart of the wider community. It is an important part of our strategy to have accessible facilities conveniently located close to people volunteering to take part in the study. We have been very pleased with the response to our invitations through GP surgeries for volunteers, but we need many more.”
Professor Wareham added:
“I am convinced that this research will lead us to important discoveries about the links between lifestyle and health and how we can help to prevent these debilitating diseases.”
All people who were born between 1950 and 1975 and who are registered at surgeries in Cambridgeshire are being invited to take part in the Fenland study. Participants will be asked to make a single visit to the new research facility in Wisbech (or Ely), where they will have a very thorough health check. This will include measurements of their metabolic health, diet and other lifestyle patterns, body composition and fitness and physical activity levels.
This is an exciting time for the region, as studies such as Fenland which are on the UKCRN portfolio, will receive additional support from the EDLRN in achieving the study aim.