About us
We are Medical Research UK
News and events
We are Medical Research UK
A new name and refreshed look - for every mind and every body.
Today marks the start of an exciting new chapter in our story, as we become Medical Research UK - an evolution of our charity’s brand, shaped by people living with neglected health conditions.
While our name has changed, our mission remains the same: to fund groundbreaking research into neglected health conditions and plug critical gaps in medical knowledge.
Because nobody should face a health condition without clarity and hope.
Our history
As the charity of the Medical Research Council, our roots stretch back more than a century, to a time when medical research was first harnessed to play a critical role in public health, and when we began receiving donations from the public. Since becoming the Medical Research Foundation in 2011, we have invested £65 million into life-changing research, from neglected mental health conditions and chronic pain to drug-resistant infections and more.
Behind the new name and brand
Before refreshing our brand, we carried out audience research, held focus groups, and consulted with key stakeholders. This included conversations with people with lived experience of a range of mental and physical health conditions where research is critically underfunded. They shared their views on our current name, and how they felt we could improve brand recognition, engagement and understanding of what we do.
This research and consultation signalled that Medical Research UK better communicates who we are and what we deliver. It also more effectively supports our ambitions to boost the fundraising potential of the charity and raise our public profile.
What’s next for Medical Research UK?
As we head towards the second half of our current five-year strategy, the intention is for our new identity to help us better engage with the public, invest in more medical research and change more lives in the future.
Our ultimate goal is to build a fairer and more equitable future, for every mind and every body.
Our new name and brand will be introduced across all our digital channels, campaigns and public engagement activities over the coming months.
FAQs about our new name and refreshed look
-
Why have you changed your name?
We've changed our operating name from Medical Research Foundation to Medical Research UK to better reflect who we are: a charity which relies on donations from the giving public, Trusts and Foundations, and other partners.
Medical Research UK is clearer, more memorable and helps people immediately understand our purpose: to fund research into neglected health conditions and build a fairer and more equitable medical future.
Medical Research Foundation will remain our legal name.
-
Are you still the same organisation?
Yes. We are the same charity, with the same vision, mission and values. We are committed to working with researchers, health professionals, partners and our supporters to identify and fund the right research to plug critical gaps in medical knowledge.
Only our name and brand identity have changed.
-
What is a neglected health condition?
A neglected health condition is one where important questions remain unanswered because research into the condition is critically underfunded.
These aren’t always rare conditions. They’re health challenges that could affect any of us – our parents, our children, our friends, ourselves.
We work to identify these gaps and invest in research that can make a real difference to people living with these conditions.
-
What does the new brand represent?
‘Medical research for every mind and every body’ reflects our belief that everyone deserves to benefit from medical research. It channels the optimism, energy and determination that drive our work.
Because nobody should face a health condition without clarity and hope.
-
Will this affect the research you fund?
No. We will continue to fund, both independently and with other organisations, high-quality research into neglected health conditions, supporting researchers whose work has the potential to improve lives and expand medical knowledge.
But we don’t stop there – we also help make sure that research gets translated into policy and practice, so it can reach the people who need it most.
-
Does this affect donations and fundraising?
No. Your generous donations will continue to support our work funding research into neglected health conditions.
Because investing in much-needed research now can change millions of lives in the future.
-
Why should I support Medical Research UK?
Because too many health conditions affecting millions of us still lack the research attention they need. By supporting Medical Research UK, you’ll help to ensure that no one faces a health condition without clarity and hope.
Our story
Medical Research UK has a legacy of public support and charitable giving that goes back more than a century.