Led by Universities of Bristol, Edinburgh and University College London, and in collaboration with academic, industry and government partners from across the UK, the Centre aims to dramatically improve understanding of health and wellbeing by revolutionising how researchers can use and access data.

The rise of the internet and digital technologies such as mobile phones and wearable technology like smart watches over the last few decades has meant that more data than ever before has been collected about us. This data can reveal important information about who we are and what we do. These types of data are called Smart Data. Historically, much of the data used by researchers into how our actions and behaviours might affect our health and wellbeing has been collected through studies called Longitudinal Population Studies (LPSs). These studies typically run for many decades, and follow the same individuals through the course of their lives which can show how behaviours and health change over a long period of time. The methods for collecting information in LPSs do not normally use Smart Data, and most major studies of this type began before it was available. Both Smart Data and LPS data can provide different types of vital information about how our actions can affect our health, but these two types of data are not often joined up. Our Centre aims to integrate Smart Data into LPSs and will enable researchers to understand and answer questions about health and wellbeing that were previously unattainable through separate efforts.

The Centre will support bringing together Smart Data derived from our everyday interactions with digital services—such as shopping records, wearable sensors, environmental data, banking, and apps—together with the rich Longitudinal Population Studies’ data linked to health and other administrative data in the UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration (UK LLC) Trusted Research Environment, supporting cutting edge research for public good. Our ultimate objective is to seamlessly integrate Smart Data into the UK's Longitudinal Population Studies (LPS, or Studies) and make it available to researchers with other key datasets, thereby establishing a pioneering Centre for Longitudinal Smart Data. Through this innovative approach, we will create a platform that will allow scientists to uncover fresh perspectives on lifelong health and wellbeing, enriching our comprehension of people’s health, behaviours and how they change over time. This novel approach holds the potential to transform how we understand and address societal and health challenges.

Our initiative tackles various challenges concerning participant acceptance, ethical considerations, legal frameworks, and beyond. With participants' consent as a cornerstone, the Centre for Longitudinal Smart Data is designed to offer secure access to a diverse range of research-ready Smart Data for authorised researchers. Through close collaboration with study participant advisory groups, we ensure that the use of Smart Data aligns with the preferences and priorities of the participants themselves. This approach prioritises transparency, accountability, and respect for individual choices, fostering a culture of responsible data usage and research ethics.

The Centre establishes a Community of Practice, bringing together experts to tackle the hurdles linked to individual-level Smart Data within the UK's Longitudinal Population Studies. It will strive to foster opportunities for studies across various domains, including wellbeing, health, sustainability, productivity, and digital society.