Members

Medical Research Council

The Medical Research Council (MRC) is a publicly-funded organisation dedicated to improving human health.

It supports research across the entire spectrum of medical sciences, in its own units and institutes in the UK, through partnerships with UK universities and hospitals, and also in its units in Africa.

Mission:

Encourage and support research to improve human health
Produce skilled researchers
Advance and disseminate knowledge and technology to improve the quality of life and economic competitiveness of the UK
Promote dialogue with the public about medical research

Research

Over £500 million is invested each year on medical research through MRC, from fundamental lab-based science to clinical trials, and in all major disease areas.

High-level research priorities:

Resilience, repair and replacement: Natural protection, tissue disease and degeneration, mental health and wellbeing, repair and replacement.
Living a long and healthy life: Genetics and disease, life course perspective, lifestyles affecting health, environment and health.

International development

Global health remains a major area of research with the current focus on:

Helping governments of developing countries improve local health systems
Responding quickly to emerging infections
Addressing problems in health inequalities
Tackling HIV, TB, malaria and tropical diseases

Two dedicated MRC units in Africa are also improving treatments and interventions for major infectious diseases in developing countries. These are the MRC/UVRI Research Unit on AIDS in Uganda and the MRC Unit in The Gambia.