The CTU is a joint venture between the University of Wolverhampton and The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT), creating infrastructure and expertise to support the delivery of high-quality clinical research in Wolverhampton and beyond.

The project has been led by Professor Prashant Pillai from the University of Wolverhampton and Professor Tonny Veenith from The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and the University of Wolverhampton and follows the appointment of Clinical Professors and the establishment of the Black Country Medical School.

The CTU will provide researchers with the facilities and support needed to design and deliver clinical trials, helping to increase research capacity across the region while ensuring local communities have greater opportunities to participate in studies that could benefit their health and wellbeing.

It will support research that reflects the diverse population of the Black Country and wider West Midlands, helping to address health inequalities by ensuring underserved communities have access to clinical trials and the advantages they can bring.

The CTU will work closely with the University's Black Country Medical School, which is due to welcome its first cohort of medical students in 2026.

Professor Prashant Pillai, pro vice-chancellor for research and knowledge exchange at the University of Wolverhampton, said: ‘We are really excited to launch our new clinical trial unit in collaboration with The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust. The University Strategy 2035 sets our ambition to develop high-quality, impactful research and knowledge exchange that transforms lives, and which makes a world-leading contribution in the areas of green innovation and sustainability, health and wellbeing and inclusive communities.

‘This CTU will provide new opportunities for our academic and research community in the university to collaborate on a wide variety of clinical trials and accelerate medical research and innovation. While many of our clinical professors already carry out cutting edge research, the CTU will bridge gaps between academic research and practical patient care.'