MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
The MRC's translational stem-cell research scheme has awarded £4.7 million to seven new projects. The trials, which will look at various aspects of stem-cell biology, will focus on transplanting or stimulating patients' individual stem cells. Listed below are details of four early-stage clinical trials that have been made available, which will receive a total of nearly £3 million in funding.
Award winner: Tessa Holyoake
Institution: University of Glasgow
Developing drug combinations to eradicate chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) stem cells
Award winner: David Marsh
Institution: University College London
Using autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) to treat human fractures
Award winner: Simon Pearce
Institution: Newcastle University
Reviving adrenocortical stem cells (ACSC) in autoimmune Addison's disease
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 June-July research grant award winners.
Award winner: David Burn
Institution: Newcastle University
Value: £2,037,487
Multicentre UK study of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor donepezil in early dementia associated with Parkinson's disease (MUSTARDD-PD)
Award winner: Mary Morrell
Institution: Clinical and Academic Unit of Sleep and Breathing, National Heart and Lung Institute
Value: £1,507,799
A randomised controlled trial of continuous positive airway pressure treatment in older people with obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome (PREDICT)
Award winner: Monty Mythen
Institution: Portex Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Respiratory Unit, Institute of Child Health
Value: £1,362,835
Clinical and cost-effectiveness of early parenteral compared with early enteral nutritional support in critically ill patient study (CALORIES)
Award winner: Philippa Anne Logan
Institution: University of Nottingham
Value: £1,219,983
Getting out of the house: a multicentre trial to evaluate an outdoor-mobility intervention for people who have suffered a stroke
Award winner: Stefan Priebe
Institution: Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
Value: £1,054,180
Financial incentives to improve adherence to anti-psychotic maintenance medication in non-adherent patients - a cluster randomised controlled trial
Award winner: Ruth Gilbert
Institution: University College London
Value: £1,712,753
Catheter infections in children - the CATCH trial
Award winner: Simon Gates
Institution: University of Warwick
Value: £ 2,176,422
A randomised controlled trial of the LUCAS mechanical compression/decompression device for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
Award winner: Cathryn Glazener
Institution: University of Aberdeen
Value: £2,230,463
Clinical and cost-effectiveness of surgical options for the management of anterior and/or posterior vaginal wall prolapse: two randomised controlled trials. PROSPECT: prolapse surgery, pragmatic evaluation and randomised controlled trials
ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL
Award winner: H.J. Stone
Institution: University of Cambridge
Value: £2,756,313
Structural metallic systems for advanced gas turbines
Award winner: P.A. Goddard
Institution: University of Oxford
Value: £608,965
What stabilises unconventional superconductivity?
IN DETAIL
Award winner: Francisco Figueiredo
Institution: Newcastle University
Using cultured limbal epithelial stem cells (LSC) to treat limbal stem-cell deficiency (LSCD)
This project aims to treat patients who are deficient in limbal stem cells, which are usually present in the eye. A lack of them can cause the outer layer of the cornea to break down, resulting in severe pain and blindness. Mr Figueiredo will grow limbal stem cells in the laboratory without the use of animal products, thus reducing the risk of disease transmission. He also aims to develop a freezing method to supply clinical-grade LSC for transplantation at other UK centres.