Progress towards UN SDG 3: Good health and wellbeing
Our research
Glasgow researchers have found that adding a deadline to bowel screening invitation letters boosted test returns, with the largest effect for a 2-week return deadline. The study, which was led by Professor Katie Robb from the University of Glasgow’s School of Health and Wellbeing, involved 40,000 adults in the nationwide Scottish Bowel Screening Programme.
Screening by self-sampled faecal immunochemical testing (FIT) reduces colorectal cancer mortality. However, a major challenge for colorectal screening worldwide is achieving high uptake. In Scotland, colorectal screening is offered to people aged 50-74, every two years, with participants mailed a single-sample FIT.
The study team found that adding a single sentence suggesting a deadline for FIT return in the invitation letter to FIT colorectal screening boosted FIT return. The largest effect (2% absolute increase in FIT return) was seen with a 2-week deadline.
It is estimated that a 2% increase in FIT return would mean an additional 39,000 people participating in a two-year Scottish Bowel Screening round, with approximately 23 colorectal cancer deaths being avoided as a result.
In addition, by increasing uptake in response to the initial invitation letter, fewer reminder letters will need to be sent to non-responders at six-weeks, and the burden on primary care and public health efforts outside the screening programme to increase uptake will also be reduced, further reducing costs.
Researchers at the University and the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute have developed an innovative imaging approach that enables scientists to track cancer from the whole-body level down to individual cells for the first time. The approach addresses a longstanding challenge in cancer research: linking the large-scale view provided by medical imaging with the microscopic biological processes that drive tumour growth, spread and treatment response.
This enables scientists to study not only cancer cells themselves but also their interactions with surrounding tissues, immune cells and blood vessels, all of which influence disease progression and treatment outcomes.
Funded by Cancer Research UK and published in Nature Biotechnology, the approach allows researchers to track tagged cancer cells across different imaging systems and investigate why some tumours respond to therapies while others do not. By connecting whole-body imaging with cellular-level analysis, the technology provides a more comprehensive understanding of cancer behaviour and supports the development of more precise and personalised treatments.
The work strengthens Scotland and Glasgow's position as a leader in advanced medical imaging and world-class cancer research, with the potential to accelerate the discovery of more effective therapies and improve future patient outcomes.
Learning & teaching
The Health & Communities theme within Curriculum for Life equips students to address complex health, wellbeing and societal challenges through interdisciplinary learning, real-world problem solving and community engagement.
A range of innovative courses gives students opportunities to tackle contemporary issues from multiple perspectives. Reimagining Global Health: From Local Challenges to Global Solutions develops students’ understanding of how policy decisions across sectors influence health outcomes, while building skills in collaboration, critical analysis and professional communication.
Life Lab: The Art and Science of Thriving combines psychology and neuroscience research to help students build resilience, adaptability and wellbeing through practical experimentation, reflection and the design of projects that improve student success and sustainability on campus.
The programme also addresses pressing local issues through Making Sense of Problem Substance Use in Scotland, which explores substance use from health, social, legal and cultural perspectives. Students work collaboratively to communicate evidence-based solutions, engage with experts and community initiatives, and consider how their own disciplines can contribute to reducing harm.
The Gateway to Medical Studies Programme (previously known as the Glasgow Access Programme - GAP) was introduced in 2017, aiming to increase widening access to medicine by providing alternative entrance pathways for students from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds to ultimately create a more diverse and inclusive medical profession. Funded by the Scottish Government, the programme focuses on equipping students with the necessary academic and study skills, knowledge and confidence within a clinical context. Upon successful completion of the course students meet the admission criteria for undergraduate Medicine or may continue their studies in second year of a Lifesciences degree.
In 2023/24, the Medicine programme at The University of Glasgow achieved parity in SIMD20 entry for the first time, with 21% of pre-clinical Home entrants being from SIMD20 postcodes. This milestone was reached in part through the work of the GTMS (formerly GAP) programme.
The Wintering Well initiative works closely with libraries, community practitioners, healthcare providers and local organisations to ensure support reaches communities including those in remote areas experiencing long winters and limited access to mental health services.
University operations
We strive to make the University a place where all colleagues feel balanced, respected, trusted and supported. To this end, we launched a Colleague Wellbeing Strategy and an accompanying Health & Wellbeing Hub online. Our strategy recognises the different kinds of wellbeing: social, financial, physical, mental, and spiritual, and the Hub provides practical support, contact information and material in each of these areas.
In 2022, the University launched a dedicated Menopause and Hormonal Changes Policy to raise awareness, address stigma and support our colleagues. The policy was developed with our trade unions and in collaboration with academics who conduct research in this area. The policy includes evidence-based resources created by Menopause Information Pack for Organizations (MIPO), a research-based, free, open access suite of resources to help workplaces support menopausal transition. MIPO’s UK-based lead is Professor Kat Riach, Adam Smith Business School.
In August 2025, the University was awarded a certificate of accreditation as a menopause friendly employer by an independent panel recognising the work undertaken across the University over the last 3 years.
The University has partnered with Kadans Science Partner and a range of public and private stakeholders to establish the Health Innovation Hub, a flagship life sciences facility designed to accelerate innovation in precision medicine and digital health. Officially opened in March 2026 by the UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the 87,000-sq ft development represents a major investment in Scotland’s health innovation ecosystem.
Located beside the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital within the Glasgow Riverside Innovation District, the Hub transforms a former brownfield site into a collaborative centre for research, innovation and economic growth. Supported by £18.8 million from UK Research and Innovation’s Strength in Places Fund, the facility enables researchers, clinicians, entrepreneurs and industry partners to work together to translate scientific discoveries into real-world healthcare solutions.
The Hub is home to the University’s Living Laboratory for Precision Medicine and the Digital Health Validation Lab, as well as high-growth life sciences companies. By co-locating expertise from academia, the NHS and industry, it creates an environment that accelerates the development, testing and adoption of new healthcare technologies.
The project strengthens Glasgow’s position as a global centre for life sciences while supporting inclusive economic growth, regeneration and improved health outcomes for communities across Scotland and beyond.
Civic engagement
The Byres Community Hub is located in the Clarice Pears building, home to the School of Health & Wellbeing. The Hub is the gateway to the University’s west end campus as we are based on the site of the old Western Infirmary. It brings researchers from across the School together to foster opportunities for cross-disciplinary work. The ground floor is open to the public.
We also want to support community organisations undertaking their own research and bring research questions and community perspectives into the University to ensure our teaching and research is reflective of the issues for people in the communities we serve.
A key part of the building (which serves as part of our commitment as a Civic University and delivers on our research strategy’s priorities of collaboration, creativity and careers) is the development of a community health research hub. Byres Community Hub enables us to extend the reach of our public engagement and share our research findings with the wider community of Glasgow and further afield to meet our core vision of improving health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities.
The Wintering Well programme demonstrates how research-driven community engagement can improve mental health and wellbeing during the winter months.
Developed through a partnership between the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh and co-designed with people living with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the initiative provides practical support for individuals affected by low mood, anxiety and depression associated with reduced daylight.
At the heart of the programme are Wintering Well Boxes, which can be borrowed free of charge from local libraries. Each box contains a therapeutic light lamp, self-help resources, guidance on outdoor and indoor wellbeing activities, and access to an online course designed to help people manage the effects of SAD.
Funded through UK Research and Innovation, the programme highlights the role of community partnerships in translating research into accessible wellbeing interventions.
