NSMI Research Awards celebrate more than £100,000 of local medical research
The North Staffordshire Medical Institute (NSMI) celebrated another successful Research Awards Presentation Evening, with more than £100,000 awarded to local researchers working across a wide range of medical and healthcare challenges.
The funding supported studies into childhood asthma, sleep apnoea, lung disease, cancer, health literacy, bowel disease, traumatic brain injury and nosebleeds, reflecting the breadth of clinical and scientific research taking place across North Staffordshire.
The awards were presented at the Institute’s Hartshill Road premises in Stoke-on-Trent by then Chairman Professor Shaughn O’Brien, in front of guests from the local medical, academic and research communities.
£19,244 for Childhood Asthma Research
Consultant paediatrician Dr Will Carroll, based at University Hospitals of North Midlands, received £19,244 to investigate the possible relationship between vitamin D deficiency and childhood asthma.
The project aimed to explore whether maintaining healthy vitamin D levels could help reduce asthma attacks in children.
The research was designed to contribute towards a controlled clinical trial examining whether vitamin D supplementation could improve outcomes for young patients with asthma.
£20,000 to Study Childhood Sleep Apnoea
Fellow paediatrician Dr Martin Samuels received £20,000 for research into obstructive sleep apnoea in children.
The condition causes repeated interruptions to breathing during sleep and can sometimes lead to children being referred for removal of their tonsils and adenoids.
Dr Samuels planned to examine a large database containing thousands of sleep studies to improve understanding of how the condition should be diagnosed and which patients might benefit from treatment.
Improving health literacy in General Practice
Dr Paul Campbell of Keele University received £14,769 for research into health literacy.
The study aimed to identify patients who might find health information particularly difficult to understand and develop a method of alerting GPs when they may need to adapt the way information is communicated during consultations.
The award provided important early-stage funding to analyse medical records and investigate whether an effective identification system could be developed.
Investigating Pleural Effusion
Researcher Dr Abigail Rutter received £18,000 to investigate pleural effusion, sometimes referred to as fluid or “water” around the lungs.
The project used advanced analytical technology to examine compounds within pleural fluid.
The researchers hoped the technique could help distinguish between different causes of pleural effusion and potentially contribute towards quicker and less invasive approaches to diagnosis.
Developing tests for Prostate and Bladder Cancer
Mark Kitchen, a urology lecturer at Keele University, received £4,200 towards research into a urine-based test for prostate and bladder cancers.
The project investigated potential biomarkers that could indicate the presence of cancer without relying solely on more invasive diagnostic procedures.
Research into reliable biomarkers has the potential to contribute to earlier and more convenient methods of detecting disease.
Almost £26,000 awarded through the Firelighter Programme
The evening also celebrated the winners of the Firelighter Awards, organised jointly by NSMI and the Research and Development Department at University Hospitals of North Midlands.
The initiative invited NHS staff to pitch their research ideas to a panel of experts in a Dragon’s Den-style competition, with successful projects receiving grants of up to £10,000.
Almost £26,000 in total funding was awarded to three projects.
Dr Arun Kurup received support for research into bowel disease, Dr Stuart Harrison for work relating to traumatic brain injuries and Dr Jackie Mclennan for a project investigating nosebleeds.
Consultant gastroenterologist Dr Adam Farmer collected the awards on behalf of the successful researchers.
Investing in research with clinical impact
Together, the Research Awards and Firelighter Awards demonstrated NSMI’s commitment to supporting innovative work at different stages of development.
From early diagnostic research and large-scale data analysis to studies with the potential for direct clinical impact, the funded projects addressed a diverse range of healthcare challenges.
The evening also highlighted the value of collaboration between NSMI, Keele University and University Hospitals of North Midlands, creating opportunities for clinicians and scientists to develop new ideas and generate the evidence needed to take their research further.
Supporting medical research in North Staffordshire has long been central to the work of the North Staffordshire Medical Institute and Wade Charitable Foundation, helping local researchers pursue projects with the potential to improve healthcare for patients locally and beyond.