Why and how we do research
We’re the UK’s leading charitable funder of palliative and end of life care research. We fund our own researchers, and work in partnership with other organisations, to ensure high-quality research in this area of care continues to be a priority.
All our research investments have one key aim: to improve the care and support that people affected by any terminal illness and their families receive − now and in the future.
Why do we do research?
- End of life and palliative care research is still significantly underfunded
As our report on research spend in the UK shows, the amount spent on this area of care since 2002 has been consistently below 0.16% of the total amount spent on all health-related research in the UK. - There’s a very limited pool of research evidence on palliative and end of life care
This makes it challenging for us, and others, to completely understand what excellent care looks like for people with terminal illnesses, and how we can improve on what we’re doing now. Read our report on the under-researched areas of end of life care. - We need to find better ways to care for people at the end of their lives
As more people are living longer and have increasingly complex care needs, we urgently need more research-based knowledge and expertise to help us design and deliver the best possible care and support for everyone.
Our research, policy and public affairs strategy, 2021-2025
Our new five-year strategy is evidence led and impact oriented with the following key priorities:
- To provide quality care and support for the mental and physical health and wellbeing of people affected by dying, death and bereavement.
- To end financial insecurity at end of life, and ensure that everyone has the support they need to address their practical concerns.
- To ensure that everyone affected by death and dying – including the family, friends and carers of the dying person – are supported through and beyond the end of life.
- To end inequity in end of life experience by ensuring access to excellent standards of care and support for all.
How do we do research?
Our research activities
How we work with others
How we involve people in research
Our research management team
Research reports
Our research activities
To manage our research outputs effectively and efficiently, we’re focusing on three key areas of activities.
Open and competitive funding stream
We work with other researchers and organisations by offering grants through our annual Marie Curie Research Grants Scheme as well as partnerships, such as the Dimbleby Marie Curie Research Fund .
Since 2010, we’ve funded more than 100 research projects.
Research centres
At our palliative care research centres in London and Cardiff we’re working on a portfolio of peer-reviewed projects and programmes covering an extensive range of research types and themes.
Hospice-based research leads programme
Five of our nine hospices currently host Research Lead posts. Research Leads develop our research capacity and links with local universities, help more staff and people we support be involved in research, and encourage an evidence-driven culture across our services.
How we work with others
We’re working with people and organisations with a common interest in palliative and end of life care to help us identify our research priorities, fund vital research projects and share knowledge.
Palliative and end of life care Priority Setting Partnership (PeolcPSP)
This ground-breaking project, initiated in partnership with the James Lind Alliance , provided an opportunity for clinicians and people with experience of end of life care to have their say in informing our top 10 priorities for research. Read a full report about the partnership.
Read a short report on the 83 unanswered research questions in palliative and end of life care which the partnership discovered.
Marie Curie Research Funding Committee
Our Marie Curie Research Funding Committee is responsible for reviewing and awarding grants provided through the Marie Curie Research Grants Scheme. Find out more about the committee.
UK End-of-Life Care Research Interest Group
Launched in 2012 by the National Cancer Research Institute , we’re now leading this group (UKeolcRIG) of more than 25 member organisations with a shared interest in improving end of life care for all diseases and conditions through research. Find out more about the UK End-of-Life Care Research Interest Group.
Partnerships in research
We’re partnering with other charities and organisations to increase our funding, and share knowledge and best practice, in research for different disease groups and focus of care.
How we involve people in research
People are at the heart of what we do, so involving those who have experience, expertise and interest in palliative and end of life care in our research is vital.
Research Voices Group
Members of our Research Voices Group have direct experience of caring for someone at the end of their life, as well as an interest in research. As volunteers, they help us improve care for the future by sharing their personal experience, ideas and views. Find out more about our Research Voices Group. If you would like to involve members of the group in any aspect of your research, please email research.info@mariecurie.org.uk.
Taking part in research
As some of our projects are based at our hospices, there are opportunities for patients, families and carers we support there to take part in research.
Our Research Management team
Our Research Management team has oversight of all Marie Curie research funding and communications activities. Meet our team.
From our Palliative and end of life care Priority Setting Partnership (PeolcPSP):
Read about the impact of our work, including our latest research impact reports or take a look at our policy publications.
