The Lived Experience Lab

Our Mission

The Lived Experience Lab is a dedicated team of researchers committed to understanding the intricate web of factors that influence human health and well-being. Our team is affiliated with the Anthropology Department at University College London, a leading global center for anthropological study. Through ethnographic research methods combined with advanced data analytics, we explore the social, cultural and environmental factors that shape health and well-being around the globe.

At the heart of our mission is the belief that crucial insights into health and well-being emerge from the stories of people's lives, and we place the voices of those directly affected at the center of our work. By listening to and valuing lived experience, we gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and unmet needs people face in their daily lives. This understanding is essential for formulating more insightful and relevant research questions.

The answers to these questions illuminate possible pathways to better health and well-being. We consider lived experience to be vital data, often highlighting determinants of health that are easily missed. This approach ensures our research is comprehensive, relevant to the communities we serve, and ultimately empowers them to thrive.

Health is created largely outside of the walls of hospitals and clinics. Where people are born, grow up, live, and work, as well as their income, education and living conditions, all play a profound role in shaping health outcomes. By investigating these determinants of health, our research enables cities, communities, and organizations to make the healthy choice the easy choice.

What We Do

Assessing Vulnerability Through Innovative and Collaborative Research

Identifying Obstacles to Health and Well-Being

Assessing vulnerability through innovative and collaborative research is central to what we do at The Lived Experience Lab. We are dedicated to identifying obstacles to good health and well-being faced by communities worldwide, and to recommending actions to overcome these challenges. Through our rigorous research methodology, we combine the power of data with rich narratives of lived experience to paint a comprehensive picture of global health issues, their underlying social determinants, and the implications for affected populations and policymakers.

Innovative and Collaborative Data Collection

We utilize innovative tools alongside thorough desk research to efficiently assess the scale and distribution of health concerns within communities, identifying critical patterns and ensuring accurate and ethical data collection. Recognizing that traditional methods can overlook marginalized populations, we pinpoint areas and subpopulations experiencing heightened vulnerability. Our collaborative approach involves working closely with local stakeholders and tailoring our research methods to meet the specific needs of each project, ensuring lasting impact.

Our Ethos 

Our Team and Our Collaborative Network

We are an international and interdisciplinary collective of researchers, bringing together expertise in anthropology, psychology, medicine, global health, and related fields. This diverse team is driven by a shared passion for understanding health inequities and the barriers to health and well-being.

We believe that research is most powerful when rooted in relationships, and collaboration is at the heart of our ethos. We actively engage with core partners in research projects. We place a high value on co-creation and on cultivating lasting collaborations. Over the past two decades, we have built strong, supportive, mutually beneficial relationships with our research partners. We also share knowledge and expand our reach and impact through our wide network of affiliate partners.

How We Work

Fostering Community Engagement for Health Equity

Community engagement is the very foundation of our research at The Lived Experience Lab. We believe that truly ethical and impactful research emerges from genuine partnership and co-creation with the individuals and communities whose health and well-being we seek to understand.

Collaborative Partnerships with Local Organizations

Our team partners closely with a diverse range of local organizations and stakeholders, including community-based non-profits, local government agencies, academic institutions, local healthcare systems, policy makers, and faith-based organizations. Through these collaborations, we ensure that our research tools and questions are relevant, culturally sensitive, and truly address the lived realities of affected communities.

Supporting Communities Through Roundtables and Trainings

A key element of our community engagement is the use of roundtables. These facilitated discussions convene community members, local leaders, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders to share experiences and perspectives on local health challenges. Such dialogues foster mutual learning and identify key priorities for research and intervention, directly informing our research questions and analysis, and maximizing relevance and impact.

We are dedicated to strengthening research capacity within the communities we serve. We provide local individuals with the skills and knowledge to actively participate in the research process and to continue research efforts beyond our direct involvement. By investing in local researchers, we foster long-term research capacity and support the development of local coalitions that can advocate for and implement positive change.