Research - Kent and Medway Medical School

Kent and Medway Medical School

Research at KMMS

Transforming Health Through Research and Innovation

At Kent and Medway Medical School (KMMS), we bring together researchers, clinicians, and communities to tackle real health challenges.

Our research spans global health, cognitive neuroscience, medical education, mental health, and innovation in health services.

Whether you’re a student beginning your academic journey or a researcher seeking collaboration, KMMS provides the resources, environment, and community to support impactful research.

Our Research Mission

Research that Matters Locally and Globally

KMMS research is driven by the goal to strengthen the bridge between the community of Kent and Medway, the NHS, Social Care and researchers at the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University, to reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes for people across Kent, Medway, and beyond.  

KMMS aims to become a leading hub for interdisciplinary health research that addresses local, national, and global health priorities, while fostering innovation, collaboration, and capacity building.

– Addressing Real-World Health Inequalities

– Integrating Research, Teaching, and Clinical Care

– Building Capacity for Innovation in Kent and Medway

Our Research Themes

Exploring Key Areas of Impact

Our research is organised around major themes that reflect the strengths and needs of our region and beyond.

Understanding and supporting mental health through clinical and community-based research.

Addressing health inequalities in coastal, rural, and global contexts.

  • AH012 – Evidential pluralism in evaluations of carcinogenicity and social interventions.
  • Implementing GRACE: Goal-directed Accessible, Equitable, Evidence-based Post-diagnostic Care
  • The BRIDGES for Dementia Network+: Building Research Innovation to co-Develop Greater Empowerment and Support for people living with dementia (Sheffield-led)

Developing evidence-based teaching and learning for the next generation of doctors.

  • TRANSFORM-VHT: Transforming Healthcare through Virtual Human Technology in underserved communities.

Bridging laboratory discoveries with real-world healthcare practice.

  • Vitassay – Collaboration VITASSAY
  • VISTRA: An AI-Driven Framework Integrating Virtual Clinical Interviewers and Soft Sensors for Decentralised Human Trials for Psychosis

Research Highlights

Our Research in Action

Every year, KMMS researchers contribute to projects that shape healthcare policy, advance medical education, and deliver better patient outcomes.

 

Featured stories

Improving mental health care in coastal communities

New teaching models in medical education

Collaborating for Equitable Global Health Research

Student & Early Career Research

Inspiring the Next Generation of Researchers

At KMMS, we are passionate about enabling our medical students to actively engage in research that is focused on the key healthcare challenges for the Kent and Medway region, particularly the significant gap between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy.

Research is central to our curriculum and from their first year, KMMS students learn to think critically, evaluate evidence, and engage in supervised projects to develop skills in evidence-based medicine, research methodology and data interpretation and presentation, ensuring future doctors understand the science behind medicine.

Structured Research Pathway

KMMS integrates research into its curriculum:

– Years 3-4: Students complete the Individual Research Project (IRP), which builds on the Scientific Basis of Medicine (SBOM) module.

– Student-Selected Components (SSCs): Allow exploration of research topics early in the course.

– Year 3 or 4 Intercalation: Opportunity to broaden their skills and knowledge base by exploring an area of interest outside of their medical degree.

KMMS Students have gone on to present their projects and findings at national and international conferences, winning prizes along the way.

For a further information please visit the Student Selected Components webpage.

Clinical Academic Training Office (CATO)

Clinical Academic Training Office (CATO) supports clinical academic trainees in line with our vision to become a regional hub for high-quality research and knowledge exchange via the .

KMMS offers competitive entry to the Academic Clinical Fellowship (ACF) track, supported by the NIHR Integrated Academic Training programme. This enables early-career doctors to combine clinical work with academic research in partnership with local NHS Trusts.

Find out more by visiting the CATO Webpage

PhD’s

KMMS offers a vibrant and diverse PhD community, with students conducting research across a wide range of disciplines. Whether you are an aspiring researcher or looking to collaborate, we provide access to experienced supervisors with expertise spanning numerous fields. If you are interested in undertaking research at KMMS, explore our supervisor profiles to find the right academic fit and discover the breadth of research opportunities available.

Partnerships & Collaboration

Working Together for Greater Impact

We believe the best research happens through collaboration. Our partners include the NHS, community organisations, and universities in the UK and abroad, working together to drive innovation, knowledge exchange, and positive change.

If you would like to collaborate with KMMS to conduct a research project, please email researchoffice@kmms.ac.uk.

Public & Community Involvement

Research with, not on, our communities 

Public involvement is embedded in everything we do, from education to research. People’s lived experience helps shape our research priorities, methods, and outcomes, ensuring that our research truly serves our local communities.

To get involved with our research or at other institutions, please register with the NIHR’s – Be Part of Research service makes it easy to find and take part in vital health and care research across the UK.

Meet Our Researchers

Contacts and Enquiries

Get in Touch

We welcome partnerships, collaborations, and research enquiries.
For more information about our work or to discuss opportunities, contact research@kmms.ac.uk.