A new £50 million Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Research Excellence in Restorative Immunology, led by the University of Birmingham, has launched to advance research towards cures for immune-mediated diseases.
The centre will investigate conditions including inflammatory arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune liver disease and Sjögren’s disease, which are estimated to affect more than four million people in the UK. These conditions occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues, causing inflammation, pain and, in some cases, permanent tissue damage and disability, according to the researchers.
The initiative brings together experts from eight universities, alongside charities, public engagement organisations and sector partners. Researchers will focus on understanding how healthy tissues are maintained, why inflammation persists in some patients and how new therapies could restore immune and tissue health.
Dr Ceri Williams, executive director of Challenge Led Portfolio at MRC, said, “By bringing together expertise from across disciplines, sectors and countries to tackle these fundamental questions, this centre has the potential to transform our understanding of inflammatory disease and accelerate the development of treatments that deliver lasting benefits for patients.”