Hub conducting ground-breaking research into strokes will open at the Royal Preston Hospital
A new hub that could conduct ground-breaking research into strokes is to open next year in Preston.
A new research hub that could improve outcomes for stroke patients across Lancashire will be developed at the Royal Preston Hospital.
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has secured £1.48 million in capital funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to develop a Centre for Stroke, Neuroscience and Ageing Research (CSNAR).
Subject to approvals, the funding will refurbish 198sqm of unused ‘mothballed’ space beneath the Rosemere Cancer Centre, converting it into a modern clinical and academic research hub.
The redeveloped hub will include flexible clinical, administrative and meeting space including academic collaboration space, and accessibility improvements including modular lift access. This purpose‑built environment will enable expansion of commercial and academic research, bringing together clinicians and academics from the University of Lancashire, Lancaster University, and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals’ stroke and neurosciences teams.
Why is it needed?
Lancashire experiences some of the highest stroke incidence and poorest outcomes in the country, with high levels of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular and respiratory disease. The region also includes communities with significant ethnic diversity and some of the most deprived local authority areas nationally.
The Trust says that establishing CSNAR in Preston presents an opportunity to increase participation in high‑quality research, improve early diagnosis and treatment pathways, and strengthen long‑term rehabilitation outcomes across Lancashire and South Cumbria. The facility will also support NIHR‑aligned academic training, including clinical academic pathways in neurology and stroke medicine.
Trust ambition
The investment underpins the Trust’s ambition to not only become a University Hospital but also to grow its commercial research portfolio from 20 to 25 open commercial trials to more than 30 in the coming year, sustaining growth over the following two years.
As part of Lancashire and South Cumbria’s integrated research strategy, the hub will increase capacity in high‑priority areas including cancer, respiratory and renal research and is expected to help retain specialist staff, attract further investment and stimulate the regional economy by drawing life‑science and biotech partners to Lancashire.
Professor Pierre Martin-Hirsch, Director of Research and Innovation at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, said: “This investment marks a major step forward for research in our region. By transforming the existing space into a dedicated home for stroke, neuroscience and ageing research, we are building a future‑ready, sustainable and cost-effective research ecosystem, that will directly benefit patients across Lancashire and South Cumbria.”
Paul Brown, Deputy Director of Research and Innovation, added: “The new hub gives us the space and capability we need to expand commercial research, develop our academic partnerships, and provide more opportunities for local people to participate in ground‑breaking studies. We are deeply grateful to NIHR and our university partners for their support.”
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The Trust will work closely with local faith organisations, cultural groups and community networks – including the Lancashire Health Mela – to ensure the space is inclusive, welcoming and co‑designed with public input.
The new facility is scheduled to open by Spring 2027.
The award forms part of the £47.8 million national NIHR capital programme, funded through the Government and industry‑supported Voluntary Branded Medicines Pricing, Access and Growth (VPAG) Investment Programme.