Moorfields Clinical Research Facility

Since 2017, the NIHR Moorfields Clinical Research Facility (CRF) has pioneered the translation of laboratory discoveries for the benefit of patients with eye conditions and the NHS. This includes:

• The first gene therapy trial to cure, Leber's congenital amaurosis (LCA), a rare inherited eye disease

• The first stem cell membrane therapy trial to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

These advances have cemented the Moorfields CRF’s international reputation for experimental eye treatments and attracted industry investment, underpinned by funding from the NIHR.


What is the Moorfields CRF?

The Moorfields CRF contains 26 patient examination rooms with associated research and treatment units, and is designed to test new methods of diagnosing common and rare eye diseases, as well as evaluate innovative treatments for them.

The CRF is part of the internationally renowned partnership between Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology in London that includes the NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre.

Who funds the Moorfields CRF?

In 2017, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust received a five-year funding award of £5.3 million for clinical research from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), recognising our centre's world-leading excellence in this area.

A short video about the Moorfields CRF

UK Clinical Research Facility Network


NIHR Clinical Research Facilities (CRFs) for experimental medicine are dedicated and purpose-built facilities. They are places where specialist clinical research and support staff from universities and NHS Trusts work together on patient-orientated commercial and non-commercial experimental medicine studies.

Life science companies can access assistance for their studies throughout the research process, from study design to data collection and management. NIHR CRFs are designed to support high-intensity studies and overnight stays.

Following a competitive application and assessment process, £112.3 million of funding was awarded to 23 NHS organisations to operate from 2017 to 2022.