Driving South Coast research

Through partnerships across Wessex and the wider South West, the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre: Southampton is tackling major health challenges.

By sharing expertise, developing research talent and creating opportunities for collaboration, we are strengthening research capacity across the South Coast and helping new discoveries reach patients, services and communities more quickly.

Bringing Wessex together

Our Wessex Experimental Medicine Network (WEMN) brings together NHS organisations, universities, researchers and communities across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Dorset to expand access to world-class experimental medicine research.

Working through the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre: Southampton, WEMN helps develop research talent, build regional capacity and ensure patients can benefit from innovative research closer to home.

Since its launch, WEMN has supported more than 30 collaborative projects and helped secure around £60m in funding. The network mirrors our Centre’s current research themes or evolving new areas of experimental medicine expertise. The current themes are:

Nutrition, Lifestyle and Metabolism
Respiratory and Allergy
Data, Health and Society
Microbiology, Immunology and Infection
Perioperative and Critical Care

Our Wessex Health Partners - WEMN small grants scheme supports new collaborations that focus their activities on experimental medicine, with a view to attracting further external funding into the region. 

We also offer shared learning through our weekly BRC Science Forum and run network events including workshops, symposia or forums.

For more information

please email:  WEMN@uhs.nhs.uk.

Discover the range of activities and hear from project leads on our small grants scheme research projects page.

Connecting across the South West

Bristol, Exeter and Southampton Biomedical Research Centres are working together to turn promising research into better health and care.

The South West BRC Alliance connects expertise, people and research facilities across the region.

Together, we can take on bigger health challenges, reduce inequalities and help new discoveries reach patients faster.

Our partnership includes:

Collaborating on research projects
Providing joint training, placements and PhD opportunities
Creating stronger links with the NHS and industry
Working with diverse communities to shape research
Organising shared events and webinars