Based in Southampton General Hospital, the CRF provides operational and delivery support to Wessex Research Hubs. Its modern space is dedicated to early-stage clinical research and offers a comfortable, safe environment for people to take part in research. Specialist staff have extensive experience of running vaccine trials in adults and children from phrase 1 through to later phase research. Studies cover a wide range of diseases and conditions. These include many types of cancer, asthma, COPD, infection, inflammation and musculoskeletal and neurological conditions. 

The facility is part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). It is hosted by the University Hospital Southampton Foundation Trust (UHS) and delivered in a long-standing partnership with the University of Southampton. The CRF is where the latest developments first enter the clinic, both from its own laboratories and from leading companies. It is one of 28 NIHR clinical research facilities across the UK, giving superb access to sites and expertise, including the NIHR Vaccine Innovation Pathway. It is also part of the UKCRF Network which consists of around 54 Clinical Research Facilities across the UK and Ireland. It works closely with the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, also based at UHS, and collaborates with other local NHS Trusts and universities through NIHR Clinical Research Network and the Wessex Research Hubs. 

• First-in-human (FIH) and phase I experience

• Facilities developed for early phase research

• Early phase recruitment and trial management expertise

• Near to emergency care (ICU, emergency response teams from NHS acute trust)

• MHRA First-in-human investigators

• An early phase safety committee

• ATIMP expertise

• Child and adult facilities

• Investigators expert in all medical and surgical specialities

• Early phased trained workforce

• Regular emergency scenario training

• Early phase QA/QC experience