About the Faculty of Health and Medicine

A unique blend of biomedical, medical, and social science expertise

In one of the most significant developments in its recent history, Lancaster University formally established a new Faculty of Health and Medicine in August 2008. The Faculty brings together a critical mass of expertise in teaching, research and outreach from four established divisions and their associated centres: Biomedicine and Life Sciences, CETAD, Health Research, and Medicine.

The Faculty is already well-positioned to provide research and teaching in an innovative and distinctive blend of subjects across the health and medicine spectrum. We have established links with private, public and third sector healthcare organisations and work closely with institutions in the region and beyond. We have successfully built our reputation in several key areas such as neurodegenerative disease, end of life care, developmental biology and disability research, where our academic staff are at the fore-front of their fields.

FHM offers a diverse range of both undergraduate and postgraduate taught and research programmes in biology, biomedicine, medicine and the social aspects of health. We deliver innovative Distance-Learning courses and are working with healthcare organisations to provide customised Continuing Professional Development.

While preserving traditional disciplinary strengths we see considerable advantages in bringing together researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds, since contemporary approaches to health and medicine typically demand expertise from scientists with different perspectives, whether substantive or methodological.

Staff in the Faculty have already attracted over £10 million in research funding, and facilities range from recently refurbished laboratories and equipment in Biomedical and Life Sciences to the Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre in Medicine. Many of the research areas within the faculty are related to fundamental issues, with major research topics including the study of end-of-life care, disability, mental health, epidemiology, cancer biology, neurodegenerative disease, immunology and microbiology.

Alongside this, the Faculty also has important partnerships with other parts of the University that carry out related research in, for example, neuroscience (Psychology), medical ethics (Law), NHS leadership (Management School), disability studies (Applied Social Science) and environment and health (Lancaster Environment Centre).