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The С����Ƶ has officially launched its Centre for Integrated Health and Wellbeing (CiH-Well), a research hub dedicated to tackling complex health challenges that affect people from childhood through to older age.

The new centre will focus on tackling health inequalities, ensuring everyone has fair access to good health regardless of their background or where they live. It will also develop practical solutions for conditions that impact millions of people, including chronic illnesses, mental health disorders, and preventable diseases. 

By combining cutting-edge research with real-world applications, CiH-Well aims to improve health outcomes for individuals and communities locally, nationally, and globally.

The new centre represents a significant milestone in the University's Research and Innovation strategy, bringing together expertise from diverse disciplines including psychology, sports and exercise science, social care, healthcare, and digital technologies to address complex health and wellbeing challenges.

CiH-Well builds upon an impressive foundation of research success, with its members having generated over £5.4 million in research funding over the past five years from prestigious bodies including UK research councils, Innovate UK, the European Union, charitable foundations, and industry partners.

Director of CiH-Well, Associated Professor Dr Tim Exell, said: “The launch of CiH-Well represents a pivotal moment in our mission to tackle the most pressing health challenges of our time. By bringing together experts from a range of fields, we're creating a powerhouse for innovation that will drive meaningful improvements in health outcomes and wellbeing across all stages of life, both locally to С����Ƶ and Wessex and with further global reach.”

The centre's research spans multiple critical areas including chronic conditions, mental health, and public health. Key areas of expertise include:

• Health and Wellbeing Technologies
• Biological Sciences
• Dental and Oral Health
• Health Informatics
• Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences
• Psychology

CiH-Well operates as part of a broader ecosystem of health research at the University, working closely with the Centre for Simulation in Health and Care, Clinical Health and Rehabilitation Team (CHaRT), Research Group for Applied Psychology (R-GaP), and the Research Group in Breast Health.

A key mission of CiH-Well is fostering the next generation of health researchers. The centre is committed to providing crucial support for early-career researchers while facilitating new collaborations through its extensive Public and Patient Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) networks.

The centre is located within the Faculty of Science and Health at the С����Ƶ and serves as an international hub for innovative health and wellbeing research. Last year, the University launched the UK's first branch medical degree in partnership with King's College London, training the next generation of doctors to address the severe GP shortage in С����Ƶ and surrounding areas. The Faculty also recently reinvented its Institute of Life Sciences and Healthcare to strengthen collaborations with NHS trusts and regional partners in tackling health challenges across the South East.

Executive Dean for the faculty, Professor Richard Thelwell, added: “CiH-Well exemplifies the University’s commitment to world-class, multidisciplinary research that makes a real difference to people's lives. With millions of pounds in research funding already secured, this centre positions С����Ƶ at the forefront of integrated health and wellbeing research.”

The CiH-Well was launched at a special event on Monday (29 September) featuring presentations from С����Ƶ researchers and external speakers, facility tours, laboratory demonstrations, and networking opportunities. It was organised by the Faculty of Science and Health with support from the NIHR part of the .

Director of the NIHR Southampton BRC, , said: “Today the launch of the new CiH-Well centre has been a great event with a real buzz as new connections are made, and existing strengths highlighted. The NIHR WEMN group has been thrilled to support the launch day, and we are looking forward to strengthening our existing collaborations and forming new collaborative teams. This will achieve greater outcomes than when working alone to address the unmet health challenges, particularly health inequalities, within the Wessex region.”

For more information about the Centre for Integrated Health and Wellbeing here.