The MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing established in 2008 is the new home of the National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD).

The National Survey of Health & Development is a Medical Research Council

Medical Research Council (UK)

The Medical Research Council is a publicly-funded agency responsible for co-ordinating and funding medical research in the United Kingdom. It is one of seven Research Councils in the UK and is answerable to, although politically independent from, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...

 (MRC) longitudinal survey of people born in Britain in March 1946. Originally designed to explore the impact of a National Health Service on health and to explore differences in child development by factors like social class, health and education, it has continued and has itself developed into a study of ageing. The regularly updated information about this cohort also contrasts with data from other longitudinal studies in Britain

British birth cohort studies

Birth cohort studies in Britain include four long-term medical and social studies, carried out over the lives of a group of participants, from birth. Two of these studies have continued for over 50 years.-Principal cohort studies:...

 and elsewhere.

The mission of the Unit is to realise the scientific potential of the NSHD as a world class, interdisciplinary life course study by:

• Scientific discovery of life course influences on normal and healthy ageing
• Transfer of knowledge to policymakers, health practitioners, and other research users
• Promotion of healthy ageing

The NSHD was formerly based at the London School of Economics

London School of Economics

The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...

 (under the direction of Dr. James Douglas

James Douglas

-Lords of Angus:* James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Angus , Scottish nobleman* James Douglas, Earl of Angus , son of the 2nd Marquess of Douglas-Lords of Douglas:...

and at the University of Bristol), and then the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London

University College London

University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...

 (under the direction of Professor Michael Wadsworth). The survey now operates under the recently established MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing based in Bloomsbury

Bloomsbury

-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...

, London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

, directed by Professor Diana Kuh.

Directors

• 1946–1981: Dr James Douglas
• 1982–2006: Professor Michael Wadsworth
• 2007–Present: Professor Diana Kuh

External links

• MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing web-site
• Medical Research Council UK (MRC)
• UCL Department of Epidemiology and Public Health