The integration of scientific research into clinical practice is one of the many challenges healthcare professionals face. Here, Mariam Jamal-Hanj, BSc, MBBS, PhD, of University College London, London, UK, discusses the implementation of longitudinal studies, such as TRACERx (NCT01888601) and PEACE (NCT03004755), into the real world in the context of the NHS. She discusses the logistical issues surrounding this, including patient recruitment, and the resources, funding and infrastructure that the NHS often lacks. She further explores how learning from these studies might inform how we can adapt standard clinical practice within the NHS, allowing us to implement new methods and processes to improve treatment.