New health research clinic opens at University of Leeds

From Monday 6th March, appointments to join Our Future Health will be available opposite the student union at the University of Leeds campus on Woodhouse Lane. These appointments are open for anyone to book, not just students of the university. 

Our Future Health aims to transform the prevention, detection and treatment of conditions such as dementia, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. With up to five million volunteers right across the UK, the goal is to create one of the most detailed pictures ever of people’s health.   

At their appointment, as well as having a blood sample and some physical measurements taken, volunteers will be offered information about their own health, including their blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In the future, volunteers will also be given the option to receive feedback about their risk of some diseases and have the opportunity to take part in cutting-edge research studies.  

Working in collaboration with the NHS, the programme is sending invitation letters to people who live near the hubs. Anyone over the age of 18 can join by signing up online, completing an online health questionnaire, and booking a short clinic appointment.  

Sagar Sanadi, 24, is a medical student at Leeds University who joined Our Future Health in December.

“It’s a great idea that a clinic is opening in Leeds Uni. Taking accountability of your own health is extremely important and the first step is by knowing your own baseline. The clinic at Leeds Uni will help students and staff with this.  

Prevention is better than cure, and getting an early understanding of your own baseline can help to prevent diseases like hypertension and diabetes in the long-term.” 

Tjala Tiffen, 24, is a student at Leeds University who joined Our Future Health in November.  

“As a Food Science & Nutrition student, I know how much information we can get from large cohort studies like Our Future Health. It’s been great to have the opportunity to take part.   

“At the moment, a lot of research isn’t reflective of the UK population. It’s really important that we try and change that. There are so many different health outcomes depending on your ethnicity, socio-economic status and gender.”   

Dr Raghib Ali OBE, Chief Medical Officer at Our Future Health, said:

“We’re delighted to be collaborating with the University of Leeds to provide a new location for the people of Leeds to join Our Future Health. By putting our hubs in convenient locations like this we’re making it easier for everyone to contribute to health research, particularly people who have never done something like this before.” 

Our Future Health is rolling out on a region-by-region basis to invite adults across the UK to join the programme. Volunteers who don’t live near a location where Our Future Health appointments are currently available can join now and be notified when new appointment locations become available.  

New locations will be announced on the Our Future Health website and social media channels.  

Our Future Health is an ambitious collaboration between the public sector, life sciences companies and leading UK health charities including: Action Against Age-related Macular Degeneration, Alzheimer’s Society, Asthma + Lung UK, Blood Cancer UK, Breast Cancer Now, British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Diabetes UK, Kidney Research UK, Pancreatic Cancer UK, Parkinson’s UK, Prostate Cancer UK, Royal Osteoporosis Society and Stroke Association.