Human Challenge Facility

Designed to speed up effective solutions for infectious diseases among the world’s most vulnerable populations, our Human Challenge Facility strengthens the UK’s capacity to respond to future outbreaks.

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Accelerator Research Clinic The Liverpool Vaccine Group

Healthcare worker wearing a mask and gloves prepares to take a blood sample from a seated volunteer’s arm in a clinical room.

Our Human Challenge Facility provides 12-bed in-patient isolation unit that helps us test things like vaccines, diagnostic tests and treatments for infectious diseases more quickly and safely.

We run high quality controlled human infection studies, where volunteers are carefully monitored in a clinical research setting. Human infection models like this can provide a unique window into how vaccines and new treatments work in the body. They can reduce the timeline for their development and approval by several years.

What the facility includes

The facility has been designed to support world leading infection research, including studies involving high consequence infectious diseases. It includes:

12 in-patient isolation beds with HEPA filtration negative air pressure
18 outpatient spaces
Containment level 3 laboratories
An on-site pharmacy

Close-up of a gloved hand using a pipette to dispense liquid into a small tube beside a laboratory testing device.

Built on proven expertise

We have more than a decade of experience delivering human challenge studies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we supported the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine trial, with Liverpool the largest trial site outside Oxford.

Strengthening national capacity

Our Human Challenge Facility is the largest academic in-patient human challenge isolation facility in the UK. We deliver this work in partnership with Liverpool University Hospitals Foundation Trust and the University of Liverpool, helping to increase national capacity for human infection research.

A platform for innovation

We will apply our controlled human infection expertise to actively tackle serious threats to human health across the globe.

Explore our current and future studies

Without volunteers, progress in our research would be impossible.

By taking part, you can:

find out the facts about lung, gut and other infections and how your participation could potentially benefit millions of people
understand what participating in a clinical trial involves, from start to finish
receive compensation for your time and participation

There are two main ways to get involved.

Be part of our community engagement and advisory structures
Make a difference by volunteering to take part in a clinical trial for new vaccines, drugs or diagnostic tests