Registered Charity No: 274839 (England & Wales).

Wessex Medical Research funds medical research based principally at the Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust but also in the greater Wessex region comprising Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Dorset, South Wiltshire and the Channel Islands.

Current areas of research activity include breast, cervical, ovarian and prostate cancer, leukaemia, melanoma, strokes, respiratory diseases, Alzheimer’s Disease, autism, childhood disorders including child brain injury and developmental studies during pregnancy. We also fund work of direct benefit to patients, particularly with nurses, midwives and other health professionals which will have an immediate application. This includes stroke rehabilitation and the relief of pain from rheumatoid arthritis.

We have a particular interest in encouraging medical scientists during the early stages of their research careers. For all researchers, the most difficult grant to secure is the first one and relatively small pump priming grants from our Innovation Fund can start exciting projects which in turn can attract funds from larger bodies and lead to major advances. We also regularly fund PhD studentships which have significant benefits for both the student and their supervisor.

The benefits of our research are available to the population of the greater Wessex region as well as to the wider community.

We are particularly grateful to receive legacies which enable us to maintain and expand this critical research to the benefit of all.