Newcastle University is a member of the prestigious Russell Group, comprising 24 leading research-intensive UK universities. We’re ranked in the top 150 of universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2019), 171st in Times Higher Education World University Rankings and 16th in the UK for research power (2014 Research Excellence Framework). Newcastle University is ranked 23rd in the world for our commitment to sustainable development in the recently published Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings 2019. In 2017/2018 we were in receipt of £109.4m of research income, we are involved in approximately 2,000 research collaborations in 62 countries. We have one of the largest European Union research portfolios in the UK: in FP7 we were awarded 235 projects worth over €100m, in Horizon 2020 to date we have been awarded over 160 projects worth approximately €87m. The projects span wide research fields ranging from archaeology, to engineering, transport, genetic medicine, and many others. We are one of a few UK universities to hold a silver Athena SWAN charter award which recognises excellent working practices to support women in STEM, we also hold the EU approved HR Excellence in Research Award. Research is supported by the joint R&D office for both Trust and University to allow for the efficient management of clinical studies.
Building on past and current experience in e.g. FP7 EUCLIDS and H2020 PERFORM, for which we have recruited a vast number of patients (>4000), Newcastle University will recruit patients for DIAMONDS. Newcastle University will lead on the recruitment and assigning of categories for immunocompromised patients. In addition, Newcastle University will contribute a very well characterised cohort of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis. Additionally, Newcastle University together with Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NUTH) will contribute to patient engagement, using established relationships with diverse groups of young people and their carers.
Through our current projects like PERFORM, EUCLIDS and CHIMES we have set up the infrastructure to allow for storage of pathogens and samples from patients included. Biobank facilities are available. We have existing cohorts of well described early Rheumatoid Arthritis patients, for who RNA-expression profiles are available. New recruitment will take place in collaboration with clinical partners in NUTH.
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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 848196