MRC & Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma

One in six people in the UK has an allergy, and one in twelve—5.2 million people—is currently being treated for asthma, a condition that costs the NHS an average of £889 million each year and accounts for at least 12.7 million lost working days. This matters because the UK has one of the highest rates of asthma in young adults in Europe, and the number of children reporting asthma symptoms has risen sixfold over the past 30 years. Despite this growing burden, the underlying mechanisms that trigger allergic reactions and asthma attacks remain incompletely understood. This Centre brings together doctors and scientists specifically to uncover those mechanisms and to develop new treatments—and ultimately a cure—for allergy and asthma. If successful, this research could change how millions of people manage their condition. Instead of relying on symptom control with inhalers and antihistamines, patients might gain access to therapies that prevent allergic responses from starting in the first place. That would reduce hospital admissions, cut NHS costs, and return millions of lost working days to the economy. For the 5.2 million people currently receiving asthma treatment, the difference would be a life less disrupted by breathlessness, medication schedules, and emergency visits.