UCL Health

UCL is a leader in medical, health and life science research, education and innovation. We are committed to addressing some of the world’s most pressing problems, shaping policy, advancing discovery, and transforming care for communities locally, nationally, and globally.

A global health powerhouse

Over half of UCL’s research, teaching and innovation is health-related. Around 70% of UCL’s total research awards (over £500,000 million) are for health research - spanning all eleven faculties – from Arts & Humanities, to Laws and Education.

A cross-disciplinary approach

World-leading teams tackle global health challenges and pioneer new treatments and technologies across the faculties of Brain Sciences, Life Sciences, Medical Sciences and Population Health Sciences, which sit at the core of UCL Health. But the impact extends across all of our faculties and departments.

An exceptional partner network

Our exceptional network of NHS hospital partners, research centres and partners work together to improve patient’s lives, creating a connected community of world-class researchers and front-line practitioners.

We work in partnership with clinicians and healthcare providers including: University College London Hospitals, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Moorfields Eye Hospital and the Royal Free. Our National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centres bring together academics and clinicians to take lab-based scientific breakthroughs and turn them into new treatments and diagnostics and medical technologies and we partner with many research institutions including the Francis Crick Institute – one of Europe’s biggest biomedical labs.

A rich interconnected ecosystem

UCL is unique in its ability to discover, create, translate and implement new healthcare science discoveries and has built up an ecosystem that has created one of the largest translational clinical portfolios in the UK. Our researchers and clinicians receive practical, co-ordinated support from experts in a world class environment, which allows them to thrive. State-of-the-art research technology platforms, an advanced research computing centre and our comprehensive clinical trials units enable bench-to-bedside research to translate discoveries into life-changing treatments and cures.

Top ten in the world

UCL is consistently ranked as one of the top ten universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2010-2025) and rank first in the UK for research power in medicine, health & life science; psychology , psychiatry & neuroscience and Education (UK Research Excellence Framework 2021 (REF))

Our Impact

Huntington’s disease slowed for first time

UCL researchers have slowed the progression of Huntington’s disease for the first time with a ground-breaking gene therapy treatment, which saw patients receiving the treatment experiencing 75% less progression of the disease

Making gaming accessible for all

Groundbreaking software MotionInput 3 makes computers and gaming accessible, allowing people to control what’s happening on their screens using voice commands, facial expressions and physical gestures captured by their webcam

‘Incurable' T-cell leukaemia treated for first time

A new gene therapy, developed by UCL and Great Ormond Street used base-editing technology to transform immune cells into cancer-fighting agents, targeting T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia - a previously untreatable blood cancer.

World-first one-shot cure for haemophilia

UCL researchers worked with St Jude Children’s Research Hospital to develop the first ever gene therapy for adults with severe haemophilia A. Roctavian, means that adults with the disease can now access a one-off, life-changing treatment.

Upcoming Events

UCL-Lancet Lecture 2026: Professor Natalia Kanem

Thursday 12 March 2026, 5pm
Cruciform Lecture Theatre

Future spaces of women’s health: equity in public life

Tuesday 17 March 2026, 6pm
22 Gordon Street

UCL Health of the Public Symposium 2026

Wednesday 29 April 2026, 10:30am
Kennedy Lecture Theatre (and online)

UCL Prize Lecture in Life and Medical Sciences

Nobel Prize laureate Professor Ardem Patapoutian delivered 2025's lecture: 'Your sense of touch is remarkable'. Patapoutian's pioneering work revealed how our bodies sense touch and pressure – essential for movement, pain perception, and survival. The prize has been awarded annually by UCL since 1997 and has become one of the pre-eminent series on contemporary science in Europe.

Watch the 2025 UCL Prize Lecture in Life and Medical Sciences here.

Vice-Provost (Health)

Professor Ibrahim Abubakar is UCL's Vice-Provost (Health), providing senior academic leadership for UCL’s work with its health partners, in coordination with our faculties, uniting UCL’s strengths in health research, education, and innovation

He leads the Academic Careers Office, multidisciplinary school Health of the Public and the Health Partnerships team, who are responsible for external health relationships with NHS partners, NHS London, UCL Partners, The Francis Crick Institute, and with a range of medical research organisations.