Clinical Trials Unit launched by University and NHS Trust to tackle health inequality

A new Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) designed to expand research capacity, improve patient outcomes and address health inequalities across the region will be officially launched at the University of Wolverhampton this month.

The launch event took place at the University's City Campus on Wednesday 16 September and will bring together researchers, clinicians and partners from across the healthcare and higher education sectors to celebrate a significant milestone in the University's growing research ambitions.

The Clinical Trials Unit has been established through a joint venture between the University of Wolverhampton and The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT), creating infrastructure and expertise to support the delivery of high-quality clinical research in Wolverhampton and beyond.

The project has been led by Professor Prashant Pillai from the University of Wolverhampton and Professor Tonny Veenith from The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and the University of Wolverhampton.

The development of the CTU forms part of the University's wider commitment to strengthening research quality, capacity and provision across its academic portfolio. Alongside the appointment of Clinical Professors and the establishment of the Black Country Medical School, the creation of the CTU demonstrates the University's ambition to play a leading role in advancing healthcare research and innovation.

The Unit will provide researchers with the facilities and support needed to design and deliver clinical trials, helping to increase research capacity across the region while ensuring local communities have greater opportunities to participate in studies that could benefit their health and wellbeing.

Importantly, the CTU will support research that reflects the diverse population of the Black Country and wider West Midlands, helping to address health inequalities by ensuring underserved communities have access to clinical trials and the advantages they can bring.

Professor Prashant Pillai, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange at the University of Wolverhampton, said:

“We are really excited to launch our new clinical Trial Unit in collaboration with The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust. The University Strategy 2035 sets our ambition to develop high-quality, impactful research and knowledge exchange (RKE) that transforms lives, and which makes a world-leading contribution in the areas of green innovation and sustainability, health and wellbeing and inclusive communities. This CTU will provide new opportunities for our academic and research community in the University to collaborate on a wide variety of clinical trials and accelerate medical research and innovation. While many of our clinical professors already carry out cutting edge research, the CTU will bridge gaps between academic research and practical patient care.”

The CTU will focus on four core objectives:

• Providing researchers with the infrastructure needed to deliver clinical trials
• Increasing clinical research capacity across the region
• Improving access to clinical trials for underserved populations
• Generating evidence to inform healthcare interventions and improve patient outcomes

Professor Tonny Veenith, Consultant in Critical Care Medicine at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and Professor at the University of Wolverhampton, said:

"By co-directing the Black Country Clinical Trials Unit through the University of Wolverhampton and The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, we are embedding clinical research directly into England's second most deprived Integrated Care System. Our collaborative unifies four acute trusts across a catchment of 1.5 million people, ensuring our region transforms from a recruiting outpost into a hub of scientific leadership. Historically, communities carrying the heaviest burden of ill health have been excluded from clinical trials, which represents both an equity failure and a science failure. Establishing this unit changes that arithmetic so that patients in Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley, and Sandwell can access tomorrow's treatments today in hospitals they already trust. As we progress toward UKCRC registration by 2030, we will ensure that national healthcare guidance is built upon the real needs of our diverse population."

The Clinical Trials Unit will work closely with the University's Black Country Medical School, which is due to welcome its first cohort of medical students in 2026. The Medical School is being developed to train the next generation of doctors while responding to the healthcare needs of the region. Research will be a key pillar of its activity, with the CTU providing a platform for clinical academics, healthcare professionals and students to collaborate on research that addresses local and national healthcare challenges. Together, the Medical School and the Clinical Trials Unit will help establish Wolverhampton as a centre for medical education, research excellence and healthcare innovation.