“A fascinating place” That’s how Thomas Strangeways described his Cambridge Research Hospital in 1905. He founded Strangeways Research Laboratory to study rheumatic arthritis. It started small just six beds and research in renovated coal sheds.
The hospital struggled for funding. It even closed briefly in 1908. Thanks to Otto Beit’s support it reopened in 1912 at its current location. World War I temporarily changed its purpose. It became a hospital for military officers. Research resumed in 1917.
In 1923 Strangeways shifted the clinical work. He focused the laboratory’s research on tissue culture and cell biology. His death in 1926 created uncertainty. Honor Fell a dedicated scientist saved the laboratory. She secured funding largely from the Medical Research Council. The name changed to Strangeways Research Laboratory.
Fell became the director from 1928 to 1970. She was a remarkable woman. She actively supported women in science. Despite limited funding the laboratory gained a strong reputation. It attracted scientists worldwide. It became a center for tissue culture and cell biology. The laboratory even hosted Francis Crick’s first research position.
The laboratory wasn’t always focused on arthritis. In 1997 it restructured. The research shifted to genetic epidemiology. It is now managed by the University of Cambridge’s Department of Public Health and Primary Care. The legacy of Strangeways Research Laboratory continues to inspire. This small institution had a huge impact on medical research. Today it remains a significant part of Cambridge.