Birmingham will join the MRC funded West Midlands Regional Account for Clinical Researchers, supporting clinicians at critical stages in their research careers.
The University of Birmingham is leading a new partnership which aims to strengthen support for early career clinical researchers, thanks to major funding from the Medical Research Council (MRC), helping build research capacity across the region and beyond.
The MRC has announced funding for the establishment of 10 Regional Accounts for Clinical Researchers (RACR), working with NHS organisations to benefit approximately 200 clinicians across the UK. The investment brings together more than 50 research organisations and over 60 NHS organisations across the UK.
The University of Birmingham will host the West Midlands Regional Account for Clinical Researchers (WMRACR), a partnership programme in collaboration with the universities of Aston, Warwick and Keele, aimed at increasing the number of clinical academics in the region.
Clinicians (including doctors, nurses, dentists, midwives, therapists and pharmacists) play a vital role in delivering patient care and identifying the most pressing challenges faced by health services. Despite serving around 12% of the UK population, the West Midlands currently has only 6.8% of the national clinical academic workforce. WMRACR aims to address this imbalance through a coordinated, region-wide approach that strengthens opportunities for aspiring clinical academics.
The WMRACR links three academic–NHS alliances across four universities; Aston University, the University of Birmingham, Keele University and the University of Warwick, combining expertise in discovery science, primary care, real-world research and widening participation. Together, the partnership will create a shared framework for collaboration, enabling joint supervision, access to specialist facilities, and opportunities to work across institutions.
This investment represents a significant opportunity to strengthen the clinical academic workforce across the West Midlands.
Birmingham Health Partners (BHP) is one of the three academic-NHS alliances within the WMRACR. BHP is a strategic alliance between nine University and NHS members in the region, including the University of Birmingham and Aston University, who collaborate to deliver ground-breaking translational research, world-class education and training, and high-quality patient care.
The WMRACR will focus on key career transition points for clinical academics, particularly the move from PhD to independence and returning to research after time in clinical roles or career breaks. Researchers will benefit from tailored support and structured fellowship development through the University of Birmingham Fellowship Academy.
Professor Lorraine Harper, Professor of Nephrology at the University of Birmingham and Birmingham Health Partners Managing Director, said:
“By bringing together universities, NHS organisations and regional partners, WMRACR will provide coordinated support for talented clinicians at critical stages of their research careers, helping to accelerate innovation and improve patient care across the region.”
Professor of Nephrology
Professor Lorraine Harper, Professor of Nephrology, Department of Applied Health Sciences, University of Birmingham
