NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH RESEARCH
The NIHR's Health Technology Assessment programme produces independent research information on the effectiveness, costs and broader impact of healthcare treatments and tests for those who plan, provide or receive National Health Service care. Listed here are the November 2008-January 2009 research grants awards.
Award winner: John Field
Institution: University of Liverpool
Value: £154,714
UK lung cancer screening trial (UKLS) - feasibility study and protocol development
Award winner: David Cottrell
Institution: University of Leeds
Value: £2,849,082
SHIFT - self-harm intervention, family therapy: a randomised controlled trial of family therapy versus treatment as usual for young people seen after second or subsequent episodes of self-harm
Award winner: Barney Reeves
Institution: University of Bristol
Value: £940,067
A multi-centre randomised controlled trial of transfusion indication threshold reduction on transfusion rates, morbidity and healthcare resource use following cardiac surgery (TITRe 2)
Award winner: Elizabeth Goyder
Institution: University of Sheffield
Value: £1,189,730
A randomised controlled trial and cost-effectiveness evaluation of "booster" interventions to sustain increases in physical activity in middle-aged adults in deprived urban neighbourhoods
Award winner: Sube Banerjee
Institution: King's College London
Value: £495,595
Generation of preference-based indices from DEMQOL and DEMQOL-PROXY for use in economic evaluation
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
Fifteen grants have been awarded under the discipline-hopping programme.
Award winner: M. Alexander
Institution: University of Nottingham
Value: £131,741
Directional guidance of neural outgrowth using topography and surface chemistry
Award winner: C. Binns
Institution: University of Leicester
Value: £130,023
A novel method for producing functional nanoparticles for medical applications
Award winner: F. Bransby
Institution: University of Dundee
Value: £138,165
New geotechnical approaches to soil biological processes
Award winner: P. Buxton
Institution: University College London
Value: £124,106
Small-molecule mediated bone regeneration using a degradable polymer membrane
Award winner: A. Cheong
Institution: University of Leeds
Value: £129,252
Targeting the electric field of blood vessels for the treatment of vascular disease
Award winner: R. Djukanovic
Institution: University of Southampton
Value: £124,381
Impedance spectroscopy for label-free cell analysis
Award winner: M. Jaekel
Institution: University of Cambridge
Value: £119,951
Controlling the precision of gene expression during embryo development
Award winner: A. Kaban
Institution: University of Birmingham
Value: £124,186
Generative-discriminative hybrids for disease prediction and cell-communication modelling
Award winner: S.F.C. O'Rourke
Institution: Queen's University Belfast
Value: £115,705
Mathematical modelling of bladder cancer: effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy
Award winner: G. Richardson
Institution: University of Nottingham
Value: £115,374
Mathematical modelling of mechanisms of multi-drug resistance
Award winner: A.B. Seddon
Institution: University of Nottingham
Value: £122,166
Development of infrared optical-fibre devices and systems for applications in medical diagnosis
Award winner: B. Su
Institution: University of Bristol
Value: £100,017
Creating 3D biomimetic collagen extracellular matrices for use in cell biology and tissue engineering
Award winner: E.W. Tate
Institution: Imperial College London
Value: £117,817
Chemical probes of surface-layer formation in pathogenic bacteria
Award winner: G. Wagner
Institution: University of East Anglia
Value: £86,788
Novel tools for glycobiology - integrating chemical and genetic approaches
IN DETAIL
Award winner: L. Smith
Institution: University of the West of England
Value: £120,244
Use of facial asymmetry in better diagnosis and treatment of plagiocephaly
UWE's Machine Vision Laboratory will examine the use of a 3D face-imaging technique to treat plagiocephaly (skull deformities). Researchers working with consultants at Frenchay Hospital aim to provide quantitative facial data in assessing the condition.