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Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing

Conducting and facilitating interdisciplinary research on health and wellbeing across all four University Faculties.
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Welcome to the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing

The Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing is Durham’s flagship interdisciplinary Institute tasked with delivering the Health@Durham Strategy. Established in 2001, we foster research relating to human health and wellbeing in both developed and developing countries from the individual to global scale.

Find out more

Interdisciplinary approaches

We foster a complexity-informed, place-sensitive paradigm for health inequalities research.

We work across disciplines, professions and sectors to understand how local systems function, evolve and can be steered towards equity.

We research in the interplay of place, systems and lived experience

  • In places such as prisons, local authorities, healthcare organisations, community and voluntary sector organisations,
  • In towns and cities that experience deprivation and disadvantage
  • In north-east England and across the world.

 

Wolfson Motif

Health at Durham

We're a collaboration of 44 specialist centres, academies and projects, with over 40 undergraduate courses and postgraduate programmes. Unbound from clinic, we frame health differently. Our vision for health is for people to thrive in the places they live. We embrace physical, mental, social and environmental health, envisioned as a synergy of self, beliefs, culture, family, community and planet.

  • A world leading programme

    Our vision is for people to thrive in the places they live. We embrace physical, mental, social and environmental health, envisioned as a synergy of self, beliefs, culture, family, community and planet.
    Small group of students sat working at their laptops together

  • Explore Health at Durham

    Discover more about what is taking place across our three interrelated frames of health. From individual health to communities and environments.
    Family in the park with hands in the air crouching among leaves

A world leading programme

Our vision is for people to thrive in the places they live. We embrace physical, mental, social and environmental health, envisioned as a synergy of self, beliefs, culture, family, community and planet.
Small group of students sat working at their laptops together

Explore Health at Durham

Discover more about what is taking place across our three interrelated frames of health. From individual health to communities and environments.
Family in the park with hands in the air crouching among leaves
Research excellence

Discover more

The Institute conducts and facilitates interdisciplinary research on health and wellbeing across the University Faculties. We support a community of Fellows, Postgraduate Associates, Research Centres and projects across almost all of the University's departments and schools. In collaboration with our sister Institutes at Durham University, particularly the Biophysical Sciences Institute and the Institute for Medical Humanities, and our external partners such as the AHSN, NHSA and BioNow, we address Health related research in a 360° way, looking at all of the influences on our Health and Wellbeing, and how they interact with each other.

Explore the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing

News

  • Understanding mental health difficulties in pupils with SEND

    A major new study will provide the first national picture of how often pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are referred for, and diagnosed with, mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and stress-related disorders.
    Research news
    School pupils wearing red school uniform writing at desks in a classroom.

  • Live Well with Pain is entering a new phase of its development, as a community interest company

    The new CIC structure for Live well With Pain will: 1) Create a strong and sustainable structure to support the future development of LWWP 2) Help ensure LWWP’s valued resources continue to be freely available into the future 3) Enable LWWP to explore new partnerships, opportunities and sources of funding that support its mission
    Durham news
    A hand holding a Live Well With Pain leaflet

  • Celebrating our Ninth ECR Conference

    Health and wellbeing research becomes most interesting when it refuses to stay in one lane. The WolfsonECRConf2026 was a great reminder of that. Across the day, we heard from early career researchers within Durham University working across mental health, social systems, medical imaging, ageing, chronic illness, technology, biology, culture and many other areas connected to health and wellbeing.
    Research news
    An image of a post it ideas board

Understanding mental health difficulties in pupils with SEND

A major new study will provide the first national picture of how often pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are referred for, and diagnosed with, mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and stress-related disorders.

Research news
School pupils wearing red school uniform writing at desks in a classroom.

Live Well with Pain is entering a new phase of its development, as a community interest company

The new CIC structure for Live well With Pain will: 1) Create a strong and sustainable structure to support the future development of LWWP 2) Help ensure LWWP’s valued resources continue to be freely available into the future 3) Enable LWWP to explore new partnerships, opportunities and sources of funding that support its mission
Durham news
A hand holding a Live Well With Pain leaflet

Celebrating our Ninth ECR Conference

Health and wellbeing research becomes most interesting when it refuses to stay in one lane. The WolfsonECRConf2026 was a great reminder of that. Across the day, we heard from early career researchers within Durham University working across mental health, social systems, medical imaging, ageing, chronic illness, technology, biology, culture and many other areas connected to health and wellbeing.
Research news
An image of a post it ideas board
More News

Get in Touch

Find out more about the Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing.

Wolfson Research Institute

 

Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing

Level 5

Mountjoy Centre

Stockton Road

Durham

DH1 3LE

Tel: + 44 (0) 191 334 0013