Engagement
Working with communities, patients, and partners, Queen Mary translates research into real-world health impact — tackling inequalities and promoting wellbeing locally and globally.
East London Genes and Health Project
Genes & Health is one of the world’s largest community-based genetics studies, aiming to improve health among people of Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage by analysing the genes and health of 100,000 local people. Community engagement and public and patient involvement activities ensure communities are involved throughout the research process.
The project is led by Queen Mary University of London in collaboration with King’s College London, Barts Health NHS Trust, and the Wellcome Sanger Institute. It is supported by the Medical Research Council, Health Data Research UK, and major industry partners. The NHS clinical commissioning groups from East London—including Tower Hamlets, Newham, City & Hackney, and Waltham Forest—also play a key role in enabling data linkage and community engagement.
QMSU Sport community partnerships
QMSU Sport has created partnerships and driven positive change throughout the borough of Tower Hamlets through impactful work with educational institutions, grassroots organisations, and key local stakeholders. Through a shared vision of increasing sports and physical activity within Tower Hamlets — an area found to be severely underactive, underfunded, and holding one of the highest childhood obesity rates in the UK — QMSU Sport works in conjunction with Queen Mary’s Strategy 2030, QMSU’s Sports Strategy, and the overarching aims of London Sport and Tower Hamlets Council. Together, these partnerships support and facilitate innovative community projects throughout the area.
For example, in partnership with Globe Primary School, Queen Mary delivered free after-school football clubs for over 100 local girls aged 8–11. Supported by seven Queen Mary student coaches, who gained sports qualifications through the programme, the project enhanced both community wellbeing and student employability.
Academic Centre for Healthy Ageing
The Academic Centre for Healthy Ageing (ACHA) is dedicated to improving care and support for older people in northeast London through research, education, and training. It is a collaborative project between Barts Health NHS Trust, Queen Mary University of London and Barts Charity.
Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC)
Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the Tower Hamlets Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) is aiming to improve health and reduce health inequalities locally by boosting the use of evidence in the local authority.
The collaboration between the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Tower Hamlets Council for Voluntary Service (THCVS), Queen Mary University of London, University of East London and London Metropolitan University will identify, create and use research on what matters to local communities to reduce inequalities in the borough. This will help the council to make sure its services and policies make a difference and support residents to have the best chance of good health now, and in the future.
In 2024, Queen Mary were proud winners of the London Higher Award for Best Research Collaboration in London, alongside the University of East London and London Metropolitan University, as part of the HDRC.
Teddy bear hospital BARTS
The biggest volunteering group on our campus, Teddy bear hospital run fun, interactive clinics in local primary schools every Wednesday. These clinics help children learn about health and feel less scared about visiting the doctors and the dentist to stay healthy.
BARTS community smiles
Founded in 2017 to address an unmet need for raising awareness about oral and dental health within the community of Tower Hamlets, BARTS community smiles is a volunteering student group working to change that. They do this through running events and talks in community and school settings
The Partnership for Black People’s Health
The Partnership for Black People’s Health is a community-led research project that engages Black African and Black Caribbean communities in research to reduce the widely recognised disproportionate burden of health inequalities they face in all areas of medicine and public health.
The project is part of a wider effort to address the systemic racism/issues that contribute to health inequalities in Black communities. By working with communities to develop and implement research, the project is helping to create a more equitable healthcare system for all.
Organisations involved in the PBPH include Positive East; Positively UK; SHARE Collaborative, Queen Mary University of London; The Love Tank; The Black Health Activists Mentoring Empowering Network (BHAMEN); Tottenham Rights; Women’s Inclusive Team; Off the Wall Players; University of Nottingham; University of Oxford.
NIHR Global Health Research Group
The NIHR Global Health Group on developing psycho-social interventions in low and middle income countries is a multi-disciplinary collaboration between Queen Mary University of London, East London NHS Foundation Trust, and partners in Bosnia-Herzegovina (Clinical Center, University of Sarajevo), Colombia (Javeriana University), Uganda (Makerere University, College of Health Sciences), Argentina (University of Buenos Aires), Pakistan (IRD Global) and Peru (Cayetano Herida University). The project aims to:
- Improve community mental health care in people with severe mental illness
- Explore and advance the concepts and methods of global mental health
- Build sustainable research capacity
Migration Health South Asia Network (MiHSA)
The Migration Health South Asia Network (MiHAS) exists to develop a South-South learning platform on Migration and Health rights to strengthen community of research and practice and engender new collaborations to address evidence gaps for responsive and coherent migration and health policies. It has three main objectives:
- Strengthening research capacities, skills and knowledge
- Identifying key priorities and defining research agendas
- Synthesising evidence and advancing the field
Science Training for Aspiring Research Scientists (STARS)
The Barts Cancer Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at Queen Mary University of London, has partnered with the charity Access Work Placements to create a course for local A level students. STARS, allows these students to experience cancer research first-hand.
Our Science Training for Aspiring Research Scientists (STARS) programme offers pupils with an interest in science - whether they're thinking of medical research, dentistry, or are generally curious about lab work - the opportunity to perform experiments, learn techniques and discover the research environment.
Importantly, we also focus on the opportunity for our postgraduate students and senior researchers (we call them STARS Facilitators) to engage with the students to reinforce their science communication and teaching skills.
Helping Londoner’s Wellbeing
The Mile End Institute at Queen Mary University partnered with the think tank, Centre for London to look at ‘What influences Londoner’s wellbeing and what can help?’ With growing awareness that Londoners typically report lower levels of subjective wellbeing and higher levels of mental ill-health than those living elsewhere in England, this project worked to advance our understanding of the drivers of subjective wellbeing in the Capital and develop policy interventions alongside policymakers and practitioners from the GLA, London boroughs, and the NHS in London.
Tower Hamlets – Active Communities Programme
Piloted in 2024-25, this programme delivers free sports and physical activity sessions to local children and young people through a student-led community outreach programme, funded by the Queen Mary Centre for Public Engagement. Our pilot saw over 60 children receive free sessions, with 100% of parents agreeing that these sessions positively impacted their local community and that the sessions improved their child’s physical and mental wellbeing
Continuing into the 2025/26 academic year, student volunteers will deliver free sessions at QM facilities as well as in local schools, youth clubs, and community centres.
DIVERSIFY – Healthy People, Healthy Food
DIVERSIFY is a collaborative research project that aims to understand what changes in practices within the food system are needed to bring about a shift towards healthier, more environmentally sustainable diets for all.
The DIVERSIFY team is led by Dr Julia Vogt. Our Healthy People, Healthy Food researchers are based at a wide range of universities and local councils. This includes Queen Mary University of London, University of Sheffield, University of York, University of Nottingham, University of Leeds, University of Reading and the University of Manchester and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
The Healthy People, Healthy Food platform is designed as a central hub to share information and get input and feedback, connecting people with ‘Healthy People, Healthy Food’ researchers across England who are looking for people to join their studies.
Procyon Diagnostics
Queen Mary University of London has launched a new spinout, Procyon Diagnostics, to take omics-based single cancer early detection tests from research to reality. Procyon launched with an oversubscribed pre-seed round led by Queen Mary University of London, joined by Source Bioscience and a network of experienced life sciences and diagnostics angel investors. The investment will fund the UK launch, regulatory preparation and international expansion of Procyon’s first product, PancRISK, planned for early 2026.
BURSThrough
BURSThrough (Black and Under-Represented into Science Training) is a one-day workshop for Year 12 students who come from Black or other backgrounds under-represented within the scientific research community. Created by Professor John F. Marshall, the goal of BURSThrough is to encourage students with a passion for science at school to develop that passion by choosing to go to university to study a STEM subject.
The inaugural BURSThrough Workshop held on July 15th 2025, at Barts Cancer Institute. Professor John Marshall and Dr Angus Cameron developed and ran the day and feedback from the students showed that they loved the experience. We intend to run the BURSThrough Workshop as an annual event.
Volunteering Fair
Each year the Queen Mary Students’ Union delivers the Volunteering Fair. This is a relaxed, free event for all students to connect with charities supporting causes across the SDGs. For example, each year, in partnership with the Canal River Trust, we run 2-3 Big Green Canal Cleans, keeping our local canal clean and thriving for the wildlife and locals. In 2025, we did our biggest canal clean ever, with over 50 students and staff taking part.
Student Food Support
Two food pantries are available through Queen Mary Students’ Union to students as part of an emergency service supporting those in need of short-term food assistance. The QMSU Food Pantry is based in the Students’ Union Hub reception and is open during normal business hours of 9am-9pm. The Garrod Good Pantry is located on the 2nd floor of the Garrod building and is open 24 hours.
The Queen Mary Supermarket Voucher Scheme also gives students a £25 voucher, to be issued once in an academic year, for use at dedicated supermarkets.
BL Minds
BL MINDS is a student-led society dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive community for anyone with lived experience of, or an interest in, neurodivergence, disability, and mental health, whether personally, as a carer, or through supporting loved ones.
The society aims to unite students, particularly within IHSE, who share these experiences or are passionate about improving understanding of how they intersect with academic, social, and professional life. They achieve this through actively promoting good mental health, socials, peer support spaces, awareness campaigns, and skills workshops.
Mindfulness courses
Queen Mary offers a rich diet of mindfulness activities to students who want to thrive, rather than just survive, at university. The sessions are led by mindfulness teacher Bob Chase. Some take place online, and others in person a St Benet’s Chaplaincy on our Mile End Campus. There is also a Mindful Study app with guided meditations and tools to manage procrastination and pre-exam stress.
Therapeutic Gym Group for Black Women
The Therapeutic Gym Group for Black Women offers a space for Black women to take part in an assisted workout with a trainer at Q-motion, followed by a reflective session. After 40 minutes of active moving, participants come together in a private, safe and confidential space, spending 60 minutes discussing the session and what came up for them, alongside themed topics.
Advice and Counselling Service
Queen Mary’s Advice and Counselling Service offers all students free, confidential access to specialist welfare advisers, counsellors and mental-health professionals. These services cover financial and visa support, one-to-one counselling (both online and face-to-face), crisis support, and group workshops designed for diverse student populations. By proactively supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our students the university helps ensure no student is excluded from education due to health barriers.
All student support staff based in our Schools and Institutes - including Academic Advisors - are trained to signpost students experiencing difficulties with their mental health to appropriate services. Any student declaring a mental health diagnosis as a disability will be proactively contacted by the Disability & Dyslexia Service on application and at enrolment.
All student support staff based in our Schools and Institutes - including Academic Advisors - are trained to signpost students experiencing difficulties with their mental health to appropriate services. Any student declaring a mental health diagnosis as a disability will be proactively contacted by the Disability & Dyslexia Service on application and at enrolment.