A new clinical research centre has opened at the Royal London in the week the trust running the hospital is named top NHS organisation for the sixth year running for medical trials.
Around 18,000 patients took part in clinical trials last year alone at Barts Health trust.
Now the £500,000 centre opened in Whitechapel funded by Barts Charity means yet more people can join research to help push pack the frontiers of medical science.
"I came up here as a patient with diabetes," former patient Angela Hancock said. "I am now a member of the diabetes research panel with people regularly coming to talk about research—it's amazing having something like this on our doorstep."
Patients got involved in research in 153 studies, according to the National Institute for Health Research.
The hospital's chief executive Alwen Williams said: "We have a moral responsibility to end health inequality in a diverse east London community. This new research centre helps us to do this."
The centre helps researchers translate treatments from drawing board to the hospital bedside easier and faster.
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