Institute of Metabolic Science (IMS) Epidemiology
Our mission is to inform, develop and evaluate approaches to promote health and wellbeing through precision prevention and population health improvement
Obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a major and growing global public health challenge. The cost of treating these conditions is unsustainable for many health care systems, and they create many broader economic and social difficulties.
Non-communicable diseases result from a complex interplay of genetic, developmental, behavioural and environmental factors that operate throughout our lives.
The Epidemiology Unit’s approach to these challenges is founded on two complementary strategies:
- developing and evaluating precision prevention interventions targeted at sub-groups in the population defined in different ways, such as stage of the life course, level of risk, or nature of the risk factor.
- investigating the influences on health for whole populations to inform the development and evaluation of population level interventions.
Together, these strategies are helping us to gather and apply evidence – from our biology, behaviour and environment – that can improve the lives of people in the UK and around the world. Globally we are working with researchers in low, middle and higher-income countries in Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America, and Asia.
We work with a range of partners to develop and improve our research, and to discover how best to translate our findings into practice and policy. As well as our collaborations with research scientists across the world, partner with members of the public, research participants, health professionals, policymakers, community organisations, the media, and the private sector.
From 2003 to March 2026, IMS Epidemiology was known as the MRC Epidemiology Unit. Learn more about this change.
Our research themes
We study the genetic, developmental, behavioural and environmental factors that cause obesity, diabetes and related metabolic disorders, as well as approaches to the prevention of these diseases and their consequences.
Our research mission is to inform, develop and evaluate approaches to promote health and wellbeing through the joint strategies of precision prevention and population health improvement.
Our research themes are:
- Causes and Mechanisms. Investigating the causes and mechanisms of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases in individuals and populations.
- Precision Prevention. Developing and evaluating precision prevention approaches to address the causes, consequences and complications of non-communicable diseases.
- Population Health Improvement. Informing, developing and evaluating population-based approaches to improve health and reduce inequalities in the UK.
- Global Public Health. Investigating and developing approaches to improving global public health, including work in low, middle and higher income countries in Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America, and Asia.
Our research groups
We have Research Groups in a range of complementary scientific areas, all closely aligned with our research themes. Areas of study include the causes and mechanisms of diabetes and related metabolic disorders, nutritional and physical activity measurement and epidemiology, prevention-focused research in young people and adult populations, global public health, and interventions in patient populations.
We also play leadership and coordination roles in national and international research projects and networks.
Get in touch
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IMS Epidemiology
Box 285 Institute of Metabolic Science
Cambridge Biomedical Campus
Cambridge
CB2 0QQ
Telephone: +44 (0)1223 330315
