Research we've funded

Investigation of MHC Class II accessory molecule CD74 in human ovarian cancer.

Injectable void forming hydrogel for articular cartlidge repair.

User evaluation of a home monitoring kit for patients with diabetes.

Non-invasive monitoring of intracranial pressure using ultrasound shear wave elastography: a proof-of-concept study.

SPLaT ER - Symptom patterns and life with post-acute COVID-19 in children and young people: An Electronic healthcare Records review of long-Covid coding in primary care compared with long-COVID identified by questionnaire.

Mucous profiling of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Analysis of lung microbiome in children with protrated bacterial bronchitis.

A novel Prediction tool to predict prostate cancer (PCa).

Advancing Cancer Pathology: Single cancer cell detection in blood using Fourier Transform Infrared Microspectroscopy.

Evaluating conserved Mycobacterium tuberculosis proteins as new vaccine candidates for Tuberculosis.

Developing a vessel-on-a-chip model of human cerebral vasospasm.

Professor Mamas Mamas is internationally recognised for his pioneering heart research, funded in part by grants from the Wade Charitable Foundation. In 2015, the Wade Foundation awarded Professor Mamas a landmark £250,000 grant, helping to fund research that led to two PhDs, 11 peer-reviewed publications, and papers cited more than 500 times. This work has influenced international clinical guidelines, including being cited in the 2023 European Society of Cardiology Guidelines on the management of Acute Coronary Syndromes. It has supported young researchers in North Staffordshire and attracted further external funding, highlighting the lasting impact of charitable investment in local medical research.

The Wade Foundation has supported Professor Pensee Wu’s research for several years, helping fund projects focused on improving maternal and infant health in North Staffordshire. In 2023, the Foundation funded research into perinatal mortality, including the causes of hospital readmissions and GP consultations, with the aim of reducing risks and improving bereavement care for families affected by perinatal death. The research findings will help to shape future local and national health policy, while also supporting talented researchers and strengthening the local medical community. This is a clear example of our grants funding having a focus on an area of local health concern and helping to retain talented researchers while contributing towards an informed and networked local medical community.

Professor Gwenllian Wynne-Jones received a research grant from the Wade Charitable Foundation for a 12-month study on GP attitudes to sickness certification in Stoke-on-Trent. The project led to a programme of research showing that vocational advice could significantly reduce sickness absence and improve support for people returning to work. In short, a £4969 starter grant seeded a major research programme that has influenced UK sickness policy, reduced work absence, and leveraged over £15 million in follow-on funding with national and international policy influence.