The MRC Epidemiology Unit is a department at the University of Cambridge. It is working to improve the health of people in the UK and around the world.
Obesity, type 2 diabetes and related metabolic disorders present a major and growing global public health challenge. These disorders result from a complex interplay between genetic, developmental, behavioural and environmental factors that operate throughout life.
The mission of the Unit is to investigate the individual and combined effects of these factors and to develop and evaluate strategies to prevent these diseases and their consequences.
MRC Epidemiology Unit Seminar series
Find a list of upcoming seminars and recordings of previous ones. Receive emails about future seminars and other alerts: subscribe here.

Become a study volunteer
We are is involved in many studies that look at obesity, type 2 diabetes and related metabolic disorders. But you don’t need to have one of these conditions to help us with our research. We are constantly looking for volunteers to enroll in our studies and help us improve our knowledge of these diseases and how to treat and prevent them.

Data sharing
We are committed to sharing data to maximise the value of our work for the public good. Our Data Sharing pages have details of the principles and processes for accessing and sharing data.

Work and study
We offer an extensive range of career opportunities for scientists, research support staff and management professionals. Whether you are a recent graduate or a senior researcher, we want to attract and train the brightest minds, and invest in their futures through structured career development training and on-the-job learning.

Making an Impact
We are building research, clinical and public health pathways for the application of our work. This means collaborating across sectors, developing new approaches for healthcare, and informing population approaches to disease prevention and public health promotion.
Our latest news
Science journals update guidelines after study highlights incomplete reporting of complex interventions
Unit researchers have joined colleagues at the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education and Bond University in Australia to call on scientific journals…
Genetic variants influencing human fertility identified in study of nearly 800,000 individuals.
Fertility is influenced by mechanisms that influence both reproductive biology and human behaviour, according to the largest study to date identifying genetic determinants…
Daily 11 minute brisk walk enough to reduce risk of early death
One in ten early deaths could be prevented if everyone managed at least half the recommended level of physical activity, say a team…
Identification of disease-causing proteins leads to new potential treatments for diseases like diabetes
New research has identified hundreds of proteins that might contribute to the onset of common, chronic metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes,…