Take part in research

How to find out about clinical trials

If you are interested in taking part in a research study, you can ask your doctor or nurse if they know of any studies that you may be suitable for.

Another way is to visit the NIHR Be Part of Research website, which is dedicated to help you find out about health and social care research taking place in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

A list of research studies that are actively recruiting at our Clinical Research Facility, are listed below.

Multicoloured waves of colour in the shape of head and shoulders

Often, clinical trials (research), are looking for people living with a particular health condition, others may be looking for people who care for someone with a long-term illness, or people who do not have a health condition at all, known as healthy volunteers.

At Cambridge Clinical Research Facility, we have a database of healthy volunteers and send information about our trials and studies listed on this page that you might be able to take part in. If you are over 18 years old and would like to join this database, register your interest by completing the contact form below.

Register your interest in Healthy Volunteer research

You can also search for a trial or study currently recruiting healthy volunteers on the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) website.

Why should I take part?

If more people take part in research, we can make faster improvements to people’s health and care. There are many reasons why people choose to participate in research: 

  • To learn more about a personal health condition 
  • To help others and give hope for the future of treatments in healthcare 
  • To try a new treatment or device
  • To help researchers learn important new information. 

Why do we need healthy volunteer research?

Healthy volunteers can help researchers better understand a variety of health conditions. Using data or information from healthy volunteers, can be compared with people who do have a specific disease or condition.

Healthy volunteer research

We have opportunities for healthy volunteers to participate in healthy metabolic measurement studies.

If you would like to find out more, please get in touch Email Us or telephone 01223 596077

If you’re over 17 years old- CRF 149, Patient Information Sheet

If you are age 6-16 years old- Patient Information Sheet 6-10 years

Patient Information Sheet 11+ years

Patient Information Leaflet for parents/ carers

A day in the life video: taking part in Healthy Metabolic Measurement Research

Volunteers Advancing Medicine Panel (VAMP)

The VAMP Panel is a recallable panel of healthy volunteers (aged 18 years and over) and was established to set up a quality-controlled supply of human biological samples to researchers undertaking basic science experiments. Joining the VAMP Panel means you are willing to provide fresh biological samples such as blood, urine and saliva, These will be used by researchers associated with the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.

If you would like more information or would like to take part, please contact us.

Volunteers Advancing Medicine Panel logo with pegs on a rope asking can you help?

The VAMP research study is classed as a research tissue bank. Samples of blood, urine or saliva are requested by investigators aligned to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus (NHS, academic, and/or industry). All requests have to be approved by the CCRF SAB. No fresh samples are stored. They are processed by the CRF team and the anonymous samples are given to the investigators as described in the patient information sheet. As a research tissue bank under the Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) Human Tissue Licence, we are audited regularly by the CUH Human Tissue Licence department to make sure that we are complying with the law around human tissue. Any studies extracting DNA will be discussed with participants before any samples are taken. A participant has the right to refuse to give a sample and can withdraw from the VAMP panel at any point.

Email: cuh.crfvampvolunteer@nhs.net for more information.

The VAMP research study gives investigators the opportunity to access anonymised biological samples such as blood, urine and saliva. To apply to use these samples in your research you must complete the VAMP Proforma and apply to access the tissue bank via our CRF SAB. Applications must include the study protocol and be accompanied by all relevant approvals (e.g. ethic commitee, MHRA and local R&D confirmation of capacity and capability). To be eligible for approval to receive human tissue from the CRF for a specific study, you would need to refer to the VAMP tissue bank within your IRAS application forms and have received ethical approval. You may also be eligible to receive tissue from us if you hold a Human Tissue Act licence coverig the handling and processing of that sample. If your department lies outside of Cambridge University Hospitals or Cambridge University, you will need a Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) with the NIHR CRF: Cambridge. Although the CRF lies within the CUH Human Tissue Licence, we do not store processed samples for more than 7 days and there may be costs incurred for specific sample processing.

Email: Dr Laura Watson if you have any questions. 

Improving Black Health Outcomes (IBHO) BioResource

The Improving Black Health Outcome (IHBO) BioResource is a new research programme from the NIHR BioResource (research tissue bank sponsored by CUH) in collaboration with King’s College London and is focusing on improving our knowledge and understanding of health conditions and their unique impacts on UK Black communities.
We are inviting anyone from a Black community who is 16+ and living in England to join the IBHO BioResource as a research volunteer.
For more information on eligibility and what is involved, please visit their website. To find out more please email: cuh.crf.bioresource@nhs.net 

Join the D-CYPHR children’s health research programme

D-CYPHR (the DNA, Children + Young People’s Health Resource) from NIHR BioResource and the NHS, sponsored by CUH, is encouraging more families to get involved in science and health research.
D-CYPHR is a nationwide children’s health research programme looking for participation from all children and young people aged 0-15.
They are invited to provide a saliva sample and health and lifestyle information to support a wide range of health research studies.
There is an easy opportunity for families to sign up to D-CYPHR at our  NIHR Cambridge Clinical Research Facility.
To arrange an appointment to provide consent and a saliva sample with your child, please email: cuh.crf.bioresource@nhs.net

Help shape our research

Participating in research doesn’t always mean taking part in a clinical trial. You may want to help us to improve our clinical research processes, or work with us to ensure that our research participants have the best experience.  We need your help to make sure that our research trials and studies provide maximum benefit to people’s health. 

Email us to find out more

Patient stories

Why Hannah took part in research- I have MS and treatment effects my immune system. Blood samples were collected after my covid vaccine to see how effective it is with my treatment and alongside this, to help the amazing NHS. I love that one day, my many vials of blood could one day make a difference to other people.
A man with his thumb up explaining why he took part in research

The NIHR Clinical Research Facility (CRF): Cambridge is the largest, single site NIHR CRF. It is located in the heart of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, the largest centre of medical research and health science in Europe.

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Phone: 01223 254642

Email: cuh.crfenquiries@nhs.net

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