Published: 15 January 2026

By Louise Wren (Director of External Affairs), Chris Macdonald (Director of Research and Impact) and Karen Hobbs (Director of Membership and Operations) 

As 2026 gets underway, it’s clear that this will be another busy year for AMRC and our members. With significant change continuing across the health, research and life sciences landscape, our role in championing, supporting and connecting medical research charities remains as vital as ever.

This blog offers a snapshot of some of our key priorities over the coming months. 

Championing AMRC charities

As ever, one of our key focus areas in 2026 is showcasing medical research charities and telling the collective story of our membership. We’ll kick this off on 27 January with our next Medical Research Charity Showcase in the House of Commons. Last year, over half of our membership attended and we look forward to seeing lots of you later this month.

Our policy and influencing activities continue to focus on the sustainability of charity-funded research in universities, implementation of the 10 Year Health Plan and Life Sciences Sector Plan, as well as UK competitiveness in clinical research. On 3 February, AMRC will host a workshop on the Health Data Research Service (HDRS) to better understand what charities and charity-funded researchers need from HDRS, and to help us inform the development of this important new initiative. We’ll also be keeping an eye on new legislation to abolish NHS England and deliver some of the measures outlined in the 10 Year Plan.

Supporting our members

This year, we’ll be celebrating the results of our Expert Review Audit, which takes place every five years. The audit provides an opportunity not only for assurance, but also to highlight best practice and celebrate excellence across AMRC charities. The audit underpins the high standards associated with AMRC membership, giving confidence to partners and funders, and supporting collaboration across the research landscape. Thank you again to our members and our Review Committee for your time and effort in preparing and reviewing submissions.

Elsewhere, we’ll continue to support our members to be on the front-foot as responsible research funders, in areas including AI, the use of animals in research and alternative methods, and in equality, diversity and inclusion.

Connecting our growing membership

Connecting AMRC members is another key priority for the year ahead. In 2026, we’ll be launching a new digital platform to support connections across our membership, enhance our networks and peer support, and make it easier to share learning and best practice. We’ll also be helping our members to partner more effectively with industry, government funders and the NHS.

Finally, we’re pleased that our community continues to grow, and we hope to welcome even more full members over the coming year, adding to the collective voice of the sector. Our introductory member category also continues to go from strength to strength – last year, we welcomed 11 new charities, bringing the total to 25. 

As always, our work is shaped by your input and expertise. We look forward to working with you throughout 2026 and beyond.