UCL Centre for Clinical Research in Infection and Sexual Health (CRISH)

About the Centre

The UCL Centre for Clinical Research in Infection and Sexual Health is dedicated to advancing the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases and improving sexual health outcomes. Alongside expertise in social and implementation science, our research spans clinical, behavioural, and population-level interventions, including new products (antiviral therapies, antibiotics, vaccines) and delivery approaches (digital health, peer support, and biosocial care) to improve the prevention, diagnosis and management of infectious diseases, with a particular focus on sexually transmitted infections.  

We explore the pathogenesis and natural history of infections, assess intervention impacts at scale, and develop evidence-based approaches to improve public health and clinical outcomes. Our work is strengthened by a strong commitment to collaborative science and community mobilisation, and we work closely with national and international partners, including the Africa Health Research Institute in South Africa and the STRIVE network.

As a clinical academic department, we are uniquely positioned to translate research findings into changes in practice through our clinical networks and involvement in national and international committees.

Strategic Priorities

Research

• Lead high-impact clinical research addressing priority questions in sexual health, HIV, viral hepatitis and other infectious diseases, including pandemic preparedness.
• Use a variety of innovative transdisciplinary approaches, often combining clinical and epidemiological research with social science, co-production, and novel trial designs.  
• Collaborate across UCL, with NHS partners, community stakeholders and global academic networks to design and deliver multicentre intervention studies and service evaluations using diverse methodologies.
• Collaborate with commercial companies to lead multicentre, international randomised trials for licensure of novel drugs and diagnostics for the treatment and prevention of STIs, HIV and other blood borne viruses and infectious diseases.
• Innovate in methods that integrate laboratory, social, epidemiological, clinical and implementation sciences to tackle sexually transmitted and blood borne infections in the UK, Europe and globally. 

Engagement

• Enhance study delivery by working with partners to facilitate participant enrolment and increase the proportion of the eligible population who are offered access to studies.
• Expand our research portfolio through strategic partnerships within IGH, UCL, affiliated NHS Trusts, and international networks.

Teaching

• Support teaching and training in clinical research in infectious diseases and sexual health.
• Contribute to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in infection, sexual health and infectious disease epidemiology.

Centre Leadership Team

Our work is led by a multidisciplinary team of researchers, clinicians, and community partners.

The Centre Director is Professor Fiona Burns.

The team comprises:
- Dr Alejandro Arenas-Pinto
- Dr Jo Gibbs
- Professor Richard Gilson
- Professor Robert Miller
- Professor Sarah Pett
- Professor Maryam Shahmanesh
- Dr Shema Tariq