University of Portsmouth opens new research centre

The University of Portsmouth 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 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.

And the 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 £5.4m 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.

Associated professor, Dr Tim Exell, director of CiH-Well, 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 Portsmouth 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.

And 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 University of Portsmouth and serves as an international hub for innovative health and wellbeing research.

Executive dean for the faculty, Professor Richard Thelwell, said: “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 Portsmouth at the forefront of integrated health and wellbeing research.”