Research and Innovation

Tower Hamlets Health Determinants Research Collaboration 

At a local level, Queen Mary provides expert advice to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets through the Tower Hamlets Health Determinants Research Collaboration. Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the five-year partnership brings Queen Mary together with Tower Hamlets Council, local universities and the voluntary sector to strengthen the use of research evidence in council decision-making. Its work covers child poverty, unemployment, housing, overcrowding, and health inequalities. Researchers work directly with Council teams so that evidence can be used when developing local services and policies. In 2024, the collaboration won the London Higher Award for Best Research Collaboration in London.

Green Grid Project 

Queen Mary researchers also provide practical policy guidance to Tower Hamlets Council on the design of public spaces. In 2024, the Designing Tower Hamlets’ Green Grid project brought researchers together with Tower Hamlets Council, community researchers and other stakeholders. The project produced practical guidance for the Council on making green spaces safer, more inclusive and more accessible, giving local decision-makers evidence they can use in future planning and public-realm projects.

Food Improvement Goals 

The Food Improvement Goals in Schools programme provides another example of research carried out with local government. Led by Dr Meredith Hawking, Queen Mary researchers work with Tower Hamlets Council to evaluate Universal Free School Meals and their effects on children, families and schools. More than 650 people have taken part in or engaged with the research. Findings have been shared with the Greater London Authority and other policy and professional organisations, and a further £155,815 has been secured to assess cost-effectiveness and provide evidence for future policy development.

Health Equity Evidence Centre 

At a national level, Queen Mary provides commissioned expert evidence to NHS England through the Health Equity Evidence Centre. In 2024, the Centre completed 10 evidence reviews identifying effective approaches to reducing inequalities. These reviews convert research findings into practical recommendations that NHS organisations can use when designing services and allocating resources. In 2025, the Centre brought this work together in a comprehensive evidence pack on reducing health inequalities, organised around four areas for action: inclusive care, equity-focused systems, partnerships and equitable organisational structures. This gives NHS organisations, integrated care boards, local authorities and primary-care services a practical evidence base for decisions on reducing inequalities in healthcare.

Dementia and Neurodegeneration 

The NIHR Policy Research Unit in Dementia and Neurodegeneration at Queen Mary, known as DeNPRU-QM, undertakes policy-focused research in collaboration with the Department of Health and Social Care. The Unit conducts research specifically to inform government policy on dementia and neurodegenerative conditions. Its research programme was developed in consultation with the Department of Health and Social Care and focuses on government priorities including prevention, integrated care, workforce, inequalities and social care. DeNPRU-QM works directly with the Department of Health and Social Care throughout its research programme and also provides rapid research responses when new policy questions arise.

 During 2024, the Unit undertook Department-commissioned research on dementia diagnosis and care in England. This included a national survey of memory services developed through co-design workshops with academic, clinical, policy and lived-experience participants. The research was commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care to examine how current services align with government priorities and to provide evidence for future dementia policy and service planning.