Cambridge University

The Cambridge Institute for Medical Research (CIMR) is a cross-departmental institute, within the University of Cambridge Clinical School, that is housed in the Wellcome Trust/MRC Building on the Addenbrooke’s Hospital Site of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.

It provides a unique interface between basic and clinical science that underpins its high level objective of understanding the cell biology of disease.  Currently, CIMR comprises approximately 250 scientists, about a quarter of whom are graduate students.  They are organised into around 40 research groups each led by a Principal Investigator (PI) who, along with their group members, is also a member of one of seven home University departments (Medicine, Pathology, Medical Genetics, Clinical Biochemistry, Haematology or Clinical Neurosciences).

Since the establishment of CIMR in 1998, we have aimed to maintain a healthy proportion (around 40%) of PIs who are medically qualified and clinically active. We have also encouraged collaboration amongst our scientists and it is commonplace for these collaborations to be cross-departmental.  There are excellent scientific facilities in CIMR including bioinformatics, genotyping/sequencing, flow cytometry, imaging, and proteomics.

CIMR receives core support from the Wellcome Trust in the form of a strategic initiative award.  The Wellcome Trust is the major source of funding for the individual research groups with approximately 70% of grant income coming from the Wellcome Trust and close to 20% from the MRC.

CIMR is advised by an International Scientific Advisory Board which visits the Institute and attends its Research Retreat every second year.