Pioneering research and innovation

We know that patients treated at hospitals that carry out research have better outcomes – they have more confidence in their care, they feel more informed and they tend to survive longer.

At GOSH we connect multi–disciplinary teams of healthcare professionals and scientists to improve the lives of children with rare and complex diseases. Our dedicated staff are often researchers themselves and we have more than 500 active research projects underway at any one time. Underpinning all research at GOSH is the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR GOSH BRC), the only centre of its kind in the UK that specialises in child health research. Heading four major themes (Genomics, Gene, stem and cell therapies, Novel therapies, and Structural malformation and tissue damage), much of the research you are about to read about is spear-headed by BRC leaders.

GOSH is also home to the Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, bringing together pioneering research and world-leading clinical care under one roof to drive impact from lab bench to a child's bedside. The Centre is also Europe's largest academic facility dedicated to cell and gene therapy.

Our NIHR Clinical Research Facility provides specialist day care accommodation for children and young people taking part in clinical research studies. This state–of– the–art facility is also available to all staff undertaking clinical research, in particular early phase and experimental medical trials, where teams investigate the safety and effectiveness of new treatments in small groups of patients. Successful research that starts in this facility eventually becomes integrated into the wider hospital translating seamlessly into benefits for patients . But we know we do not do this alone.

We work closely with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH Charity) and the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (UCL GOS ICH) to develop cutting–edge research. We collaborate with national and international hospitals and research institutes across the world to share expertise as quickly and broadly as possible, including within the NHS in the UK. Wherever possible, we involve our patients, families and members of the public in our research design – high quality research depends on listening to lived experiences, priorities and perspectives. This process of joint working is vital to how we design and carry out research. We are focused on embedding research into everything we do, aiming to offer participation in research to every patient, and better understanding of our research to every staff member and volunteer.

Take a look at our guide introducing you to just some of the incredible GOSH staff, research and innovation projects and breakthroughs that go towards making GOSH a true Research Hospital.