At the UCL Institute of Health Informatics, we exploit synergies in health informatics across inter-related areas. A central focus of the research taking place within the Institue is to develop undeprinning methods to exploit the scale and phenotypic resolution of electronic health records to accelerate early and late phase translational research. 

Investigators carrying out translational research are using health data to discover new disease mechanisms, drug targets, diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, trial new interventions, assess the quality and outcomes of care as well as challenge approaches to public health. This class of research exploits the beneficial features of linked electronic health records such increased scale, phenotypic resolution and efficiency.

Alternatively, some investigators come from a ‘big data’ tradition. They carry out research that allows the data to ‘speak for themselves.’ Some are focused on using applications of computing, including the internet and mobile communication technologies, to improve and potentially transform the nature and delivery of healthcare, including improved systems and the relation between a citizen and their health.