peninsula college of medicine and dentistry

Research within Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry (PCMD) focuses on four main themes: Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risk and Ageing; Neuroscience (embracing both neurology and mental health); Health Services Research; and Environment and Human Health.

Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risk and Ageing | Neuroscience | Health Services Research | Environment and Human Health

Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risk and Ageing

Diabetes and associated metabolic conditions are among the most important medical challenges facing the world today. PCMD has developed a particular strength in this area with researchers focusing on the causes of diabetes, the mechanisms of disease and improved treatments for patients.

Research in this area is wide ranging from genetic analysis of different forms of diabetes, the molecular biology or islet cells in the pancreas and endothelial cell; to exploring the mechanisms of complications such as blood vessel damage causing diabetic eye and kidney problems, to developing practical, simple and cost effective ways of identifying patients with undetected diabetes in primary care and clinical trials.

Neuroscience

The neuroscience theme embraces neurology research, across the whole translational spectrum from basic science to clinical tri als, and mental health research and is funded by the Medical Research Co uncil, Wellcome and the National Institute for Health Research. The college has a strong track record in neurological clinical trials and outcome measures research.

Clinical neurobiology research, an upcoming area at PCMD, is disease orientated and  looks at underlying mechanisms focusing on neurodegeneration including motor neurone diseases and Parkinson’s disease, disorders of myelinating cells, neuronal migration disorder, and brain tumours.

In mental health our research strengths are in suicide research and there are strong links with the University of Exeter's school of psychology mood disorders centre, a joint project in the field of behaviour change.

Health Services Research

Health Services Research at PCMD consists of investigating the ways in which health services are organised, delivered and experienced and how they could be more effective.

This work is carried out in a range of settings in primary and secondary care including mental health, child health, diabetic medicine, neuroscience and complementary medicine. This work is underpinned by methodological research and development and a strong research infrastructure.


Health Services Research researchers have particular skills in evidence synthesis; clinical research, trials and evaluation; service evaluation; and patient and public involvement in research. This work is supported by a range of funding bodies and includes several HTA funded clinical trials, evidence syntheses to support NICE decision making, NIHR programme and project grants, and projects supported by several charities as well as the Medical Research Council and other funding bodies.

Environment and Human Health

Environment and human health research is an emerging theme within PCMD. The objective is to establish a world class Environment and Human Health Centre in Cornwall building upon a previous strength in the region but focusing on human health effects. There are currently several opportunities for attracting national, European and international funding to support such a development.

Being located in South West England provides a unique opportunity to examine the roles of stressors such as radon gas, UV- B radiation, ozone, pesticides, algal toxins, heavy metals and the metalloid, arsenic, in initiating the onset of disease processes.