The aim of the NCPHWR is to make a significant impact upon the health and wellbeing of the population of Wales through applied research.

The centre is set to make Wales a world leader in population health science by generating an evidence base for public health policies, services and interventions and implementing findings on a scale that makes a population level impact. 

NCPHWR will co-ordinate multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary, multi-agency health and social care research, collaboration with policy and practitioners, and public involvement across Wales.  It will also expand links to leading international population health research groups.  

“Led by Professor Ronan Lyons and an executive team of scientists from the Universities of Swansea, Cardiff and Bangor, and Chief Executive of Children in Wales and Director of Research Public Health Wales, NCPHWR will coordinate population health research for the first time in Wales.”

Professor Ronan Lyons said “This centre will bring together the leading population health researchers across Welsh universities with Public Health Wales NHS Trust, Children in Wales and members of the public. It provides an exciting opportunity to develop and carry out large scale research studies that will have a real impact on the health and wellbeing of children and adults across Wales.”

Building on existing areas of scientific excellence in Wales, NCPHWR’s core research themes will be:

• children and young people;
• the promotion and maintenance of health through an extended working life.

NCPHWR will contribute to Welsh policy goals of giving more children a healthy and safe start in life, reducing inequalities, and adding more years of high quality life. In adults it will focus on improving physical activity and wellbeing in the general population and supporting research into arthritis, asthma, cardiovascular disorders, infection  and injuries. The centre will benefit from the expertise already developed by the co-located MRC funded centres in informatics  (Farr Institute), public health improvement (DECIPHer) and microbial bioinformatics (CLIMB) and the ESRC funded Administrative Data Research Centre

Professor Keith Lloyd, Dean and Head of Swansea University Medical School adds; “The centre is an important component of the Welsh Government funded health and social care research infrastructure for Wales and I delighted it is being host here in Swansea University's flourishing Medical School.”