BHF Data Science Centre

About us

• What we do

  The BHF Data Science Centre is a partnership between Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) and the British Heart Foundation (BHF), and sits within HDR UK.

  We work with a wide range of partners including patients, public, clinicians, researchers and NHS organisations to help them carry out research using health data into the causes, prevention and treatment of all diseases of the heart and circulation (such heart attacks, stroke and vascular dementia). We do this to ensure new advances in treatment and care for diseases of the heart and circulation get to the patient as quickly as possible.

  The centre started in January 2020 and has initial investment from the BHF for £10 million over the first five years.

  To find out more about the centre please see our BHF DSC brochure.

• Our aims

  Create a centre of interdisciplinary expertise that provides national research capability in cardiovascular data science.

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  Create strong and durable partnerships with the NHS, incorporating cardiovascular research expertise across the UK and acting as a UK-wide resource to support numerous future studies using electronic health records (EHRs) linked to a range of other multi-dimensional cardiovascular datasets.

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  Engage with patients, the public and practitioners through partnership with the BHF and other bodies to deliver a transparent and publicly acceptable approach to the governance of health data research within the cardiovascular research domain.

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  Create and foster international partnerships that enable the UK cardiovascular research community to engage with, contribute to and lead data-enabled cardiovascular research at international scale.

• Who we work with

  British Heart Foundation, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cancer Research UK, European Bioinformatics Institute, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Health Data Research UK, Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership, Imperial College London, Keele University, King’s College London, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Newcastle University, NHS Digital, NHS England, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Scotland, NICE, Office for National Statistics, Queen’s University Belfast, Royal College of Surgeons of England, Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Swansea Bay University Health Board, Swansea University, University College London, University of Bristol, University of Cambridge, University of Dundee, University of Edinburgh, University of Exeter, University of Glasgow, University of Leeds, University of Leicester, University of Liverpool, University of Manchester, University of Oxford, University of Strathclyde, University of Warwick, University Hospital of North Midlands and Wellcome Trust.

• Our Governance

  Oversight Committee

  The Oversight Committee reviews the progress and management of the centre and advise on future direction and strategic partnerships. They provide recommendations on the strategy and direction of the BHF Data Science Centre (DSC) to the BHF and HDR UK Board.

  The Oversight Committee is chaired by Dr Louise Wood CBE (Director of Science at the Department of Health and Social Care and joint lead for the National Institute of Health Research). The Oversight Committee meet twice a year.

  Steering Group

  The Steering group provides scientific and management advice to the centre’s director and her team in the running of the centre.

  The steering group is chaired by Prof Cathie Sudlow and membership includes clinical academic expertise, leads of professional societies and other relevant associations, data provider expertise, and members of HDR UK.

  Details of our governance and who we report to can be found here