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We are pleased to announce that UCL Advanced Research Computing (ARC) is a partner in TREvolution, a £6.2 million programme supported by £4.94 million from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the DARE UK (Phase 2) Transformational Programme.
Professor James Hetherington, Director of ARC, is a co-lead on this initiative, which will advance the development of Trusted Research Environments (TREs)—secure platforms that enable researchers to access and analyse sensitive data for public benefit.
The programme of work will be delivered in collaboration with NHS Scotland, Lancashire Teaching Hospital, Durham University, Lancaster University, University College London, University of Queensland, University of Basel and University of Cape Town.
TREvolution will address challenges associates with enhancing data access and analysis within TRE's - secure environments where approved researchers can access sensitive data for research to benefit the public, such as national health and population-level surveys.
TREvolution will address these challenges to evolve UK TRE capabilities across three themes:
- TRE reference architecture and implementations: Standardising UK TRE architectures to enable seamless interoperability.
- AI and semi-automated output checking: Enhancing research output review processes to ensure non-disclosure of personal information.
- Federated analysis: Enabling secure analysis of datasets stored in multiple TREs located across the UK.
This project builds on existing work done by the delivery partners, with experience across the themes, as well as the DARE UK (Phase 1) Driver Projects, which developed initial versions of some of the key components of TREvolution.
As part of TREvolution, UCL ARC will contribute to the development of scalable, interoperable research computing architectures while also leading community engagement efforts to ensure broad adoption and usability of TRE technologies. Our expertise in high-performance computing, secure digital infrastructure, and open research technologies will support the advancement of federated data analysis, AI-driven output checking, and cross-institutional collaboration. By working closely with researchers, data custodians, and key stakeholders, we aim to foster a more inclusive and accessible TRE ecosystem across the UK.
