Edinburgh Clinical Research Facility (CRF) provides state of the art facilities to support multidisciplinary clinical research locally, nationally and internationally.

History
In 1997 the Wellcome Trust, in collaboration with the English and Scottish Executive Health departments, launched an initiative to strengthen clinical research in the UK by funding the construction costs of five new Wellcome Trust clinical research facilities.
The aim was to provide purpose-built environments for patient-oriented research that were specifically designed to encourage collaborations between basic and clinically trained scientists.
As a result of a joint bid submitted by the University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian, Edinburgh was the only Scottish site to receive funding and became the first CRF in Scotland.
Purpose-built facility
Edinburgh CRF operates on all the clinical sites in Edinburgh. The original Wellcome Trust award funded a purpose-built facility (WTCRF) on the Western General Hospital site. This was quickly followed by the opening of a facility embedded in the new Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Edinburgh BioQuarter (RIECRF).
Our paediatric facility (Children’s CRF) is housed in the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People at Edinburgh Bioquarter.
MHRA Phase I Accreditation and Quality Assurance
In July 2011, we became the first academic non-commercial clinical research facility in the UK to receive accreditation under the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Phase I Scheme. Our tried and tested Quality Assurance system ensures that your study will be conducted in line with current governance and regulatory requirements.
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Phase I Scheme
Our Directors
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![]() Steve Cunningham | Children’s CRF Director and CRF Associate DirectorSteve joined the CRF management team in 2016 having helped develop the portfolio of studies at the Children’s CRF, including those leading to MHRA Phase I accreditation for children – the first standalone Phase I children’s CRF in the UK. Steve leads national and international trials in children’s respiratory research.
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