Tommy's Edinburgh Research Centre

Following a rigorous selection process, Tommy’s selected the University of Edinburgh as the home of our third medical research centre. This research unit is located on the site of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in the new state-of-the-art buildings of the Queen’s Medical Research Institute, which boast some of Europe's finest facilities for clinical and laboratory research. The centre was opened early 2008 and we will invest in it on a long-term basis, aiming to raise £400,000 annually. 

The Aim and Focus of the Edinburgh Centre

The key focus of the Edinburgh centre's work is on discovering ways to alleviate the risks and problems caused by maternal obesity. In the UK nearly 50 per cent of women attending antenatal bookings are obese or overweight - and obesity in pregnancy causes an increased risk of spontaneous miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death rates. Emerging evidence also suggests that maternal obesity has long-term consequences for the fetus, including childhood obesity.

With the healthcare costs of obesity set to top £4.5 billion in the next three years, obesity is now a top priority on the government agenda and has been identified as a key area for research. In order to overcome the problems of child and adult obesity, it is becoming increasingly clear that we must tackle obesity during pregnancy. This means researching and developing a thorough system of prediction, diagnosis, management and treatment for those most at risk.  

The work of the Edinburgh centre will be led by the university’s world-renowned Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Andrew Calder. "The youngest Tommy's centre draws on our existing world renowned scientific and clinical expertise to develop realistic treatments for women affected by the world's latest epidemic obesity," says Professor Calder. "We are delighted to be working with Tommy's and look forward to welcoming supporters to the new centre."

For further information about the new centre, please contact Tommy's Edinburgh Campaign Manager Tom Custance at tcustance@tommys.org or call 020 7398 3436.

Click here to make a donation towards the funding of the Edinburgh Centre.