Medical Research Foundation

The Medical Research Foundation is the charitable foundation of the Medical Research Council. With support from the scientific and medical communities and the public, the foundation funds high-quality medical research, focusing on health conditions that are overlooked and underfunded.

The foundation is a purely research-led organisation, meaning all its efforts are centred around funding scientists and research. This allows them to focus solely on finding and funding research that has the potential to change lives now, or that may become important in the future.

Research funded by the foundation

While the foundation has access to the best scientific advice through its connection with the Medical Research Council, support from the public allows the charity to remain independent, and to fund the research that is most needed.

Through its new strategy, Giving hope through life-changing medical research, the foundation has pledged to invest at least £25 million in new research between 2024 and 2029, focusing on:

  • improving the lives of children and young people
  • addressing neglected areas of mental health
  • tackling the health impacts of climate change
  • responding to emerging health threats and research opportunities

To address these health challenges, and to remain adaptable to emerging ones, the charity also aims to:

  • become more agile and innovative
  • ensure sustainable funding for future research
  • further maximise the impact of donations they receive

Read the full strategy to find out more.

Get involved

Thanks to support from the public, research funded by the foundation has changed lives. But to improve health for everyone, much more research needs to be done.

You can get involved in various ways: sign-up for updates about their work, donate, host a bake-off, or join a challenge event. From volunteering to fundraising or pledging a gift in your will, your support makes life-changing medical research happen.

Find out more about ways to get involved.

Make a donation to the Medical Research Foundation.

Contact the foundation

Email: contact@medicalresearchfoundation.org.uk

Telephone: 0207 395 2400

You can also follow the foundation on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Last updated: 2 September 2024

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