The SMILE BioResource is a national initiative creating a re-contactable research resource of volunteers with severe mental illness to support future studies into the causes, symptoms and treatment of psychosis and related conditions.

Summary of the project and objectives

The Severe Mental Illness Longitudinal Evaluation, known as the SMILE BioResource, is part of the NIHR BioResource. It aims to build a UK-wide cohort of people aged 16 and over with a recorded diagnosis of severe mental illness, including psychosis spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorders and severe mood disorders with psychotic symptoms.

Participants are invited to provide a blood or saliva sample, complete questionnaires and cognitive tasks, and give consent for relevant health record information to be used for research. The resource will allow approved researchers to study biological, social and environmental factors linked to severe mental illness, and to invite participants to future studies based on their health profile.

Why the project is important

There is still not enough understanding of the causes of severe mental illness, whether current diagnostic categories fully reflect underlying biology, or how best to target new and more personalised treatments. SMILE is important because it will create a long-term research resource that can support future studies into risk, symptoms, treatment response, medication side effects and long-term outcomes for people living with severe mental illness.

How we plan to achieve this

SMILE aims to recruit up to 2,000 participants from across the UK. Participants will be seen by a trained research nurse or clinical researcher, who will collect questionnaire information, cognitive task responses and a blood or saliva sample. With consent, relevant information from health records may also be gathered. Participants may then be contacted about future ethically approved research studies that match the information they have provided.

Funding source

The study is sponsored by the University of Oxford and funded by the NIHR Mental Health Translational Research Collaboration. It is delivered as part of the NIHR BioResource.

Who is supporting the project

The SMILE BioResource is led nationally by the NIHR Mental Health Translational Research Collaboration Mission, the University of Oxford and the NIHR BioResource. The University of Nottingham is participating as a Mission institution, supporting the development of this national resource alongside other academic and clinical partners. Patient and Public Involvement, Engagement and Participation has helped shape the study design and participant-facing materials, ensuring the research reflects the priorities of people affected by severe mental illness and uses accessible, appropriate language.

Further information online

Further information is available on the NIHR BioResource SMILE webpage

Contact the team

For enquires relating to the Nottinghamshire study site, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

For general study queries, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.