West County's first biomedical research centre 'already showing results'
Lynne Wright, who lost her husband to Parkinson's, is encouraging others to take part in the research like she has
Last updated 9th Oct 2023
A Devon widow says her late husband would have been proud of her for helping develop new Parkinson's research and treatments.
Today marks a year since the first Devon research hub was opened - to help boost existing research in hospitals across the region.
The South West peninsula’s first National Institute for Health and Care Research Biomedical Research Centre aims to 'help achieve its goal of translating scientific discoveries into patient benefits' as it reaches a year since government funding was confirmed.
Lynne Wright says she wishes it had been in the region for her late husband Adrian who had Parkinson’s disease - as many relevant research trials took place outside the South West.
She said: "I’ve taken part in Public and Patient Involvement for over twelve years and over that time have been concerned about the lack of trials carried out in the South West. Nothing seemed to happen West of Bristol."
Lynne, who battled colon cancer during her husband’s illness, said: “We have excellent universities and hospitals here in Devon and Cornwall, but over the years taking part in research has mostly mean travelling to London, Bristol, Manchester or Oxford.
"If you’re ill, you often just can’t travel miles to take part in a trial. If we had lived in other parts of the country my husband might have been able to have taken part in research that could have considerably improved his quality of life.”
Lynne, who lives in Budleigh Salterton, added: “I want to try and make access the same for everybody, no matter where in the country they live.
"We’ve needed a centre of research like the BRC in the South West to bring together clinicians and researchers to make scientific discoveries which means that people here can help test and shape new treatments and technologies.
“I’m so pleased that we now have the BRC here in Exeter so that people from the South West can benefit from the treatments that come from the different stages of research made possible through this new partnership.”
As Adrian’s health declined, Lynne found that her involvement in research became a lifeline. “Working as a patient advisor kept my brain active – it kept me focused on other things as well as my husband’s condition. It’s helped me, and I hope I’ve helped other by being involved.”
Funded through a £15 million investment from National Institute for Health and Care Research last year, it is one of a network of 20 across the UK.
The research focuses on five core themes: Neurodegeneration (including dementia and Parkinson’s); frailty; diabetes; genetics; and medical mycology (tackling potentially deadly fungal diseases). The new centre has patient involvement at its heart and bosses say 'will soon be appealing for patients to get involved, to ensure research is directly addressing need'.
The new NIHR Exeter Biomedical Research Centre partnership is led by the University of Exeter and the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The partnership encompasses the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, Devon Partnership NHS Trust, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, working with St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Professor Sallie Lamb, of the University of Exeter, is director of the new centre. She said: "This investment and innovation is helping to bridge the gap between basic research and output for patients. Ultimately, it will mean more clinical trials to get effective treatments into clinical practice where they can benefit people, improve diagnoses and develop better precision approaches to target the right therapies to the right people.”
Paul Roberts, interim chief executive officer at the Royal Devon, said: “We are really proud to be a research-led organisation and our partnership with the University of Exeter is helping us to stay at the forefront of global research.
“The new NIHR Exeter BRC brings healthcare staff and patient experts together to accelerate the impact of research on care, and we are hugely excited about the positive benefits for patients.”