Introduction:
The Kennedy Trust for
Rheumatology Research (the Kennedy Trust) was formerly known as the Mathilda and Terence Kennedy Institute of
Rheumatology Trust. It changed its name in 2012 to reflect its wider role in supporting research. The Trust was founded in 1965/66 with a donation of £500,000 by Terence and Mathilda Kennedy. Originally the Trust had its own Research Institute in Bute Gardens next to the West London Hospital in Hammersmith and was the first research institute in the world totally dedicated to Rheumatology. In 1992, the Kennedy Research Institute (KIR) acquired the Sunley Research Centre at Charing Cross Hospital and, following refurbishment and building of a new wing, relocated there in April 1997. In 2000 the KIR was incorporated into Imperial College as a separate division of Imperial College School of Medicine. In August 2011 the KIR was formally transferred to the University of Oxford. The Trust continues to operate as a separate registered charity which currently focuses much of its efforts in supporting the work of the Kennedy Institute of
Rheumatology at the University of Oxford by means of a continuing programme of grant awards and a commitment to fund new research facilities. In July 2012, the Trust changed its name to the Kennedy Trust for
Rheumatology Research to reflect its wider role in funding research. The Institute Director is Professor Fiona Powrie FRS.
Research:
The Trust is committed to supporting research into
rheumatism and allied diseases. At present this is done by means of supporting the work of scientists in the Kennedy Institute of
Rheumatology at the University of Oxford. The Trust is also exploring the funding of new research and facilities outside of the Kennedy Institute. The three major themes of our research -
immunity and microbiome,
inflammation biology and tissue remodelling and repair - are relevant for a diverse range of chronic inflammatory disorders, including arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, tissue fibrosis and certain types of
cancer. Dr Luke Jostins who was previously at Wellcome Trust Centre joined the Kennedy Institute to lead a new research group that will develop statistical methods to decode the
genetics of complex immune diseases.
Academics and Statistics:
The institute has 169 staffs and visitors every year. The institute researches are led by about 25 group leaders under whom there are 37 students from 27 and above nationalities. The institute approximately collects about £9 million of annual income. The institute has about £50 million total grants portfolio with total number of 120 grants, 13 patents filed since 2013 and 7,332 square metre of total Kennedy space. The institute’s largest source of response mode funding is from the UK charity sector, particularly
Arthritis Research UK and the Wellcome Trust. The EU represents the institute’s second largest source of funds and the University is making representations to the UK Government to ensure this funding can be maintained across the University long-term. The exciting science underway at the institute has led to more than 175 publications since 2014.
Last Updated on: Nov 25, 2024