Moorfields Clinical Research Facility (CRF) has an international reputation for ophthalmic research. With world-class researchers and staff supported by investment in state-of-the-art specialist devices, Moorfields CRF has 26 patient examination rooms with multiple associated research and treatment units to test new methods to diagnose eye diseases and to evaluate innovative treatments for common and rare diseases.
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is located on City Road, is the largest provider of eye service globally. We are a world-leading centre of excellence for research and education and are at the forefront of ophthalmic innovation. As a major education centre, we attract very large numbers of ophthalmology trainees and researchers.
The £20 million Richard Desmond Children’s Eye Centre is the largest ophthalmic children’s hospital in the world and is located on the main hospital campus. A hub for paediatric research and treatment, it supports world-class specialist expertise in all eye conditions. The rapid transference of ‘bench to bedside’ research is promoted by its proximity to the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology.
Henry Wellcome Building for Translational Eye Research (£11M Wellcome Trust funding) supports extensive cellular and molecular biology facilities for cellular and gene therapies, gene editing, ocular pharmacokinectic, microdevice testing and retinal chip research. It houses stem cell therapy groups including Cells for Sight, the first UK MHRA accredited facility for human stem cell therapy.
UCL Institute of Ophthalmology has the largest number of ophthalmic scientists in Europe. Our research partnership is delivering an extensive provider of ophthalmic research portfolio, ranked 1st globally for publications. Its location adjacent to Moorfields Eye Hospital enables rapid translation of biomedical research to clinical studies at Moorfields CRF.
Rooms and equipment
Our CRF activities are integrated with various departments in Moorfields Eye Hospital. In addition, dedicated laboratory facilities available to support CRF activities are also housed in the adjacent Henry Wellcome Translational Building for Eye Research and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology with direct corridor link to the CRF.
Our campus
- Moorfields CRF provides dedicated space for specialist staff and equipment for experimental medicine research.
- Retinal Therapy Unit is a specialised recruitment hub for patients receiving intravitreal injections to treat age related macular degeneration.
- Moorfields R&D houses research management and administration staff supporting all Moorfields CRF studies.
- Diagnostic Hub monitors patients with chronic retinal conditions recruited for experimental medicine and NIHR Bioresource.
- The Garfield Weston Assessment Unit is a dedicated facility for functional vision assessment and developing clinical end-points.
- Genetic Service links CRF patients to Genomics England and NIHR Bioresource, providing genetic information to inform gene therapy studies.
- Moorfields Children’s CRF is one of the world’s largest children’s eye research facilities, leading innovative trials ranging from a new treatments for lazy eye to gene therapy.
- Image Reading Centre is a global clinical trial image grading centre, which is also developing and validating digital analytical tools to enhance clinical trials
- Electrodiagnostics Centre is the UK’s largest centre with the most advanced devices for studying electric activity of the eye as endpoints in clinical trials.
- Moorfields Accident & Emergency is the largest ophthalmic A&E in the UK and is a source of recruitment for clinical trials, with acutely presenting patients, for example, retinal detachment and optic neuritis.
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology delivers advanced ophthalmic research and education in partnership with Moorfields Eye Hospital and part of UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences.
- The Henry Wellcome Building for Translational Eye Research supports extensive molecular biology facilities for translational projects including cellular and gene therapies.
- Moorfields Eye Hospital Operating Suite supports the delivery of CRF trials with novel genes, stem cells, devices and intraocular therapeutics.
For more information on the CRF facilities, please download our brochure,