Academics and researchers

Turning your research and expertise into reality is important to keep healthcare moving forwards

Turning your research and expertise into reality is important to keep healthcare moving forwards. We can help you commercialise your ideas, facilitate partnerships and link you with entrepreneurship schemes.

We connect academics with citizens, health services and industry to ensure your research programmes have the right insight and expertise represented. We can help you navigate the innovation cycle, support you in understanding where your idea fits into the market and can deliver the most impact.

We can also help you with applying for funding, help to facilitate partnerships with commercial organisations or investors and link you with appropriate entrepreneurship schemes.

We have a close working relationship with the East of England NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) to support applied health and care research that responds to, and meets, the needs of local populations and local health and care systems. Sarah Robinson, our Director of Delivery, is the ARC East of England Implementation Lead and our CEO Piers Ricketts is a member of the ARC East of England board.

We hosted ‘Sandpit Sessions’ for research organisations to collaborate in applying for grants together. The first of these initiatives brought together academics from Cambridge University, the University of East Anglia, the University of Hertfordshire and partner NHS commissioners to discuss research needs for the Eastern region and helped them collaborate, apply and win a NHRI grant worth £2.2 million linked to the CLAHRC work on care homes around complex needs and older people.

If you have an innovation which you believe is ready for the market, find out about how we support innovators to turn their great ideas into positive health impact.

Impact story: From early idea to prototype with the MedTechBOOST Programme

We partnered with the Cambridge Judge Business School Entrepreneurship Centre, Studio Zao, the Bradfield Centre, healthcare providers and local business leaders including AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson to deliver an intense five-day programme for academics and entrepreneurs.

 

The MedTechBOOST 2019 provided successful applicants with the support and conditions to rapidly turn early ideas into a clear business proposition and prototype over the course of the week, ending with a pitch session with healthcare industry professionals and industry experts. The programme included teams of academic researchers, technologists and developers to focus on artificial intelligence-based solutions to problems associated with healthy ageing and mental health. The teams are now being supported by Health Innovation East and other partners to refine their prototypes and proposals and secure funding.

Irene Debiram-Beecham Research Nurse

Because cancer patients deserve the best chance of success

Irene Debiram-Beecham, Principal Research Nurse for Early Detection and Cytosponge Trials

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