NIHR External Advisory Board - Appendix by University of Exeter

External Advisory Board (EAB) Appendix

Appendix 1. NIHR Exeter BRC Objectives and Progress

Objective:

To achieve this, we committed to: Which we have progressed by:

Deliver coordinated BRC launch Finalise board contracts, Terms of Reference; establish meetings; complete recruitment.

Plan and implement the BRC launch strategy. Agree launch strategy with partners and finalise communications, events plans.

Develop and publish the BRC PPIE strategy. Draft strategy prepared and discussed with relevant parties.

Recruitment

To conduct a mid-term review

Schedule funding panels; advertise fellowships.

Leadership continuity ensured with new COO; recruitment and governance completed; collaboration agreement executed; Board terms finalised; strategy developed; all roles filled.

Built strong foundations, launched the BRC, expanded NHS partnerships, and strengthened links with communities, PPIE, industry, and charities.

The PPIE Strategy received NIHR approval in 2023 and has since been implemented.

Ran funding panels with clinical and PPIE input; completed recruitment of fellows; strengthened leadership pipeline.

Conduct Year Three strategic review Completed mid-point review in 2024/25 and remain on track for full review by end of 2025/26.

Double high-quality impact case studies. Double REF impact case studies from eight to 16.

Increase commercial engagement

Double number of clinical trials

Double the number of externally funded studies

Review progress annually; mean number of commercial studies starting per annum to have doubled and/or to have doubled commercial income by year 5

Annually review CRF and LCRN-SW portfolios.

Regularly review UoE HESA returns and BRC application outcomes

Impact progressing strongly with major media coverage, funding wins, awards, and leadership achievements.

Supported multiple spin-out, licencing and patent initiatives, scaled up our rate of external engagement and our partnerships, and launched the UK Human Functional Genomics Initiative.

Green

To support at least 15 PhD students through to completion.

Support external fellowships

To plan the next cycle of the BRC

Monitor PhD research, targeting 80% completion by September 2027.

CRF Director joins Management Board; key roles, clinician appointments, and RRDN engagement boost BRC capabilities, trials, and collaboration.

Monitoring ensures HESA returns and BRC applications exceed targets; recruitment, training, and initiatives like grant-writing retreats strengthen academic capacity and capability.

Supporting 21 BRC (fully or joint) funded PhD students, developed BRC cohorts, leveraged studentships, aided fellows’ opportunities. Supporting a wider network of 230+ PhD students across our research themes.

Monitor pre-fellowship research BRC support enabled researchers to build research capacity and leadership.

Develop and implement plans for NIHR BRC renewal

Prepared for theme expansion by funding emerging areas and partnering with UoE Faculty to create supportive roles.

Green

Green

Appendix 1A. NIHR Reporting Glossary and Calculation Methods

Industry Collaborative: Collaborative research involves multiple partners pooling resources, knowledge, and expertise to jointly address a research challenge, sharing risks, intellectual property, and costs, often also involving public funding.

Industry Contract: Contract research is a fee-for-service arrangement where an organisation pays for research to solve a specific problem with defined deliverables, usually resulting in the funder owning the intellectual property. Costs are privately funded by the organisation, generally at commercial rates.

Calculation methods

Leveraged funding calculations form part of the annual report requirement from NIHR. The request is for each project in set-up, ongoing or closed at any point within the reporting period (April to March) and receiving financial support via the NIHR Infrastructure award (e.g. through salary support for staff, use of the NIHR Infrastructure’s facilities or direct project funding) to be returned. Data is gathered from the University and all partner NHS Trusts to demonstrate the broad geographical scope of our BRC theme researchers.

Where projects span multiple years, de-duplication has occurred to ensure that figures reported here for 2022-2025 do not double-count income.

Appendix 2. Theme Objectives and Performance

Appendix 2A. Clinical Mycology

Objective:

CF and severe asthma cohorts set up for fungal study

Feasibility study of zinc supplementation to prevent rVVC

Collect samples Year 2–3 and perform phenotypic and genotypic analyses of fungal isolates.

To achieve this, we committed to:

Set up two cohorts with sampling plan

Assess pulmonary fungal infection prevalence in chronic lung disease.

Impact of fungal infection on lung physiology in asthma and CF.

Feasibility study in place by April 2024

Which we have progressed by:

Cohorts and approvals are in place; recruitment began March 2025. Six samples collected; target is 20 per cohort, with longitudinal sampling. Meetings and a fungal clinic support ongoing collection.

Progress was delayed by regulatory issues and lack of a UK-registered zinc gel. A related 76-participant study was supported. The rVVC feasibility study is complete; ~70 samples analysed for PRA1 and cytokines, with analysis ongoing.

RAG Status

Define risk profiles and biomarkers for pulmonary aspergillosis.

Implement combination antifungal therapy proofof-concept study.

Collect samples Years 2–3 and analyse fungal isolates phenotypically and genotypically.

Screen 50 patients/ group with samples and outcomes.

Compare lung responses in asthma and CF patients.

200 samples with clinical data and 360 genital swabs from 90 participants were collected. Due to data limitations, outcomes from the BRC-supported CandiRes study are proposed as a substitute, supporting the clinical mycology theme’s overall objectives.

Approval delays and slower recruitment may reduce targets to ~20-30 per cohort. Blood and airway samples, plus patient-reported outcomes, are being collected to support immunoprofiling and assess fungal infection impact.

A PhD studentship was submitted to strengthen capacity. NIHR funding expands infrastructure, with exercise testing and SpiroNose systems detecting airway infections, building on Objective 1 samples, and forming part of a BRC-funded pump priming project 2026.

Green

Complete immune profiling to define risk profiles.

Complete in vitro studies; start proof-ofconcept.

Approvals are in place, and recruitment of chronic lung disorder patients for BAL has begun. Immunoprofiling uses BAL fluid and 35-colour flow cytometry, targeting 20 patients per cohort to detect significant differences.

An MRC Programme Grant supports extending antifungal utility via resistanceminimising regimens. Lab work includes Candida identification, MIC testing, hetero-resistance profiling, and in vitro microevolution, contributing to publications, WP3, and conference presentations.

Red

Proof-of-concept study of novel or repurposed antifungal agents

Advance a drug discovery candidate to proof-of-concept study.

Work has progressed toward proof-of-concept. Two publications are forthcoming, and a Wellcome Trust Discretionary Award (£17M; £2.2M to Exeter) will support novel antifungal drug development in collaboration with a drug discovery unit and GSK.

Amber

Green

Green

Appendix 2B. Diabetes

Objective:

Build infrastructure for diagnosis, treatment response & progression

Enable home-based biomarker collection for diagnostics.

Assess neonatal diabetes screening using glucose at day

Develop multi-modality tool for monogenic diabetes

Establish at least 3 T1D subtypes

Use routine data to guide T2D prescribing

To achieve this, we committed to:

Obtain coded, cleaned longitudinal data from ≥200,000 patients.

Validate C-peptide, autoantibodies, HbA1c, and genetic tests using patientcollected capillary blood.

Measure glucose in over 5,000 neonates to determine false positive rate.

Publish and release integrated diagnostic model combining clinical features and autoantibodies.

Publish a characterisation of discrete subtypes of Type 1 diabetes, including clinical & immunological features and biomarkers.

Publish validated probabilistic model and guidance for elderly and multi-morbid patients.

Which we have progressed by:

Developed dataset of 1,140,877 records, including a 771,678-person diagnosis cohort; enabling precision diagnostics and supporting a five-drug treatment model under evaluation in India.

Demonstrated that 10 ng DNA from capillary blood is adequate for diagnostic testing; integrated into Monitor My Health kits. Ongoing work improving safety and sample preparation (including filter-paper methods in Africa).

Patent-pending assays used to screen >5,000 neonates at Portsmouth. Falsepositive rate established; publication pending. Regulatory and financial models in development.

Developed and validated integrated clinical/biomarker tool, available via the MODY calculator and adopted in general practice through SPCR collaborations.

Identified five subtypes (ages 6 months–18 years) based on histology, onset age, C-peptide and mechanisms. Showed T1D can occur <6 months and secured charity funding for genetic risk score work.

Green

Determine glucose impact of different exercise types in T1D

Develop genetic risk test for T1D

Publish evidence on glucose response during and after exercise and develop educational approaches.

Introduce validated, easy-to-use T1D susceptibility test for UK ancestries and publish results.

Developed five-drug model using CPRD Aurum; validation underway in India. MRC Development Pathway award supporting translation to medical-device software and GP feasibility testing.

The Exercise in Type 1 Diabetes EXTOD delivering training across eight centres in Wales; 600 participants reached. Developed GlucoseGo to predict exerciserelated hypoglycaemia risk.

Randox GRS validated in US and India; African studies are ongoing. Now available in the UK to support diagnosis and distinguish T1D vs T2D.

Amber

Green

Appendix 2C. Neurodegeneration

Objective:

Screen patient-derived cell lines to identify functional and genomic outcomes and match compounds for repurposing trials.

Identify cfDNA and exosome biomarkers for early neurodegeneration.

To achieve this, we committed to: Which we have progressed by:

Advance six repurposing candidates, prioritising antidepressants for dementia, into clinical trials by Years 3–5.

Develop cfDNA assays with epigenetic barcodes to detect brain cell–specific signals in blood and test them in early cognitive impairment patients.

Detailed phenotyping of high-risk individuals. Phenotyping of high-risk individuals to track preclinical changes in carriers of neurodegenerative disease–associated mutations and variants.

Deliver targeted behavioural interventions for high-risk genotype carriers.

Complete proof-of-concept trials of repurposed compounds for neurodegeneration.

Deliver targeted behavioural interventions to 25,000 high-risk participants from the PROTECT and Exeter10,000 cohorts.

Complete three proof-of-concept trials by Year 3.

Identified multiple dementia drug-repurposing candidates through improved microglia models, multi-omic profiling, and iPSC-derived neurocell platforms. Delphi project shortlisted three lead treatments now progressing toward trials, with further candidates emerging from transcriptome and epigenetic analyses.

Developing cfDNA and exosome biomarkers for early neurodegeneration, validating phenserine as a repurposed drug, and scaling efforts through larger studies and potential commercialisation.

Progress has been made in phenotyping high-risk individuals, with analyses complete and publications in preparation. Studies in APOE4 PROTECT, GBA cohorts, and collaborative work on TREM2 and APOE2 variants are uncovering early dementia markers, protective factors, and potential treatment targets.

Behavioural interventions for high-risk genotypes are advancing, with promising beetroot and Vitamin D trials, ongoing PROTECT and Long COVID studies, and upcoming CBD and shingles vaccine trials to prevent cognitive decline.

Three proof-of-concept trials, including Fasudil, Phenserine, ALS EXPERT, and COBALT, are underway, with PROTECT GBA profiling and a beetroot RCT supporting pilot and precision-medicine interventions.

Green

RAG Status

Green

Appendix 2D. Genetics and Genomics

Objective:

Variant prioritisation pipelines

Partnership with Geisinger

Rare disease outcomes

Long-read DNA sequencing benefits

To achieve this, we committed to:

Establish core bioinformatics capacity with ≥2 validated pipelines

Produce joint publications and dissemination

Publish phenotypic profiles of newly identified rare disorders

Report on diagnostic improvements from LRS

Which we have progressed by:

Outputs: prostate cancer signatures, cortical transcriptomes; multi-omics (LRS, Riboseq, iCLIP); new LRS tools (splicing analysis, Shiny app) enable additional diagnoses in Genomics England patients.

Exceeded: partnering with NIH All of Us, leveraging 415,000+ whole-genome sequences.

20 novel genes published; NHS R14 analysis (>2,000 cases) ongoing; DDD study (>4,000 children) influenced clinical management.

£2M NHS/industry-supported projects with leading sequencing providers; development of diagnostic long-read/long-range sequencing pipelines with commercial partners including ONT, PacBio and Illumina. ONT and PacBio approaches currently being ISO1589 accredited to deliver rapid, diagnoses for critically ill children and increase diagnostic yield for rare disease patients (improved variant phasing, detection and characterisation).

Genomic variant interpretation guidelines

DNA methylation pipeline

Mosaic variant detection

Non-coding variant pipeline

Develop genetic or genomic methods for patient stratification

IBD pharmacogenetics

Develop new evidence-based guidelines

Publish protocol & bioinformatic code for nanopore DNA modification

Publish protocol & open-source code

Implement diagnostic tests in NHS Genomic Medicine Service

Develop clinically applicable protocols

ACGS, BSGM and CGG NHS guidelines published, improved reporting guidance for incomplete penetrance.

High-depth CRC datasets; new variant-calling pipeline; neural cell DNA modification maps; cfDNA biomarkers for local trials including ExpertsALS.

UMI sequencing of 87 cases found 21 low-level mosaic pathogenic variants (validated by ddPCR); confirms mosaicism as key cause.

Only NHS lab offering whole-genome sequencing; non-coding variant pipelines enable rapid diagnoses; collaborative SpliceAI analyses.

Focus has broadened to other cancers, enhancing inherited cancer care via early detection, prevention, guideline creation, and research using the National Inherited Cancer Predisposition Register.

Publish beta-testing results

NUDT15 variant penetrance/pathogenicity informs 2025 CPIC guidelines; evaluated LAMP-based near-patient test.

RAG

Status

Green

Appendix 2E. Rehabilitation

Objective:

To achieve this, we committed to: Which we have progressed by:

Establish multidisciplinary network. Establish patient–clinician forum, run workshops, pilot tests, finalise protocols.

Complete clinical trials of optimal gait-training strategies in Parkinson’s.

Complete experimental surgical trials to conserve and enhance muscle.

Set up a joint project with neurodegeneration theme.

Finalise proof-of-concept studies for fall prevention

Validate tool predicting mobility decline and falls in real-world settings.

Develop interventions to reduce freezing of gait and complete Phase I/II trials in people with Parkinson’s disease.

Test interventions to preserve muscle during hip replacement, including protein supplementation feasibility.

Partner with PROTECT on neurodegeneration and mobility research project.

A network of 80+ experts drives innovation in movement science and rehabilitation, producing CE-marked devices, trials, publications, and fostering patient involvement and commercial–academic partnerships.

The VSimulator Parkinson’s UK study was published (J Rehabil Med), with ongoing Gait Q trials and commercial translation, including first sales of a queuing device improving mobility for Parkinson’s patients.

HIPSTER and Knee4Life trials are on track, NIHR Duality hip study completed recruitment, protein supplementation trial shows promise, and new PhD and Bristol BRC collaborations underway.

BRC-funded PhD, ERC students, and postdocs advance falls-prevention research; secured additional Dunhill PhDs and EPSRC funding; collaborations with PROTECT, Active Aging OPAL trial, and PPI-led sandpit event underway.

Co-develop innovative mobility products. Mobility decline interventions advance with predictive models, AI-based falls studies, and intelligent walking aids; strong HRC links support PhDs and NIHR applications; Good Boost and AI rehab games implemented and validated.

Validate mobility and falls models. Protocol development nears completion with BRC support; new digital outcome measures and biomarkers embedded in mobility cohort study; recruitment of ~200 participants planned; collaboration with Thames Valley ARC explores patient perspectives.

Green

RAG Status

Green

Appendix 3. Academic Career Development (ACD)

Objective: Which we have progressed by:

Appoint fellows and PhD students by Year 3 Targets exceeded: 12 Senior Investigators, 11 Translational Fellows, 11 Mid-Career Fellows, 21 PhD students appointed. Green

Pump-prime novel research (£150k per theme) All themes awarded £150–200k via pump-priming grants (2023–24).

Disseminate funding opportunities and support Funding shared via newsletter and PIVOT-RP; grant support, PPIE cafés, mentoring, and NIHR writing retreat delivered.

Identify training and development needs Monthly cohort meetings and 6-monthly reports informed targeted training (conference skills, interview excellence).

Build industry, SME and charity collaborations Active engagement with SMEs, AstraZeneca, MDC, and diagnostics partners; BD infrastructure strengthened.

Strengthen NHS Trust academic pathways ICA Programme leadership, INSIGHT programme delivery, and regional workforce network engagement achieved.

Leverage external funding and PGR capacity Additional PhD funding secured; pump-priming leveraged major NIHR and charity awards.

Green

Embed EDI in workforce development Inclusive recruitment practices enhanced; assessment criteria improved; HDR UK Black Internship partnership established. Green

Support career development across roles

£46k invested in training; strong mentoring culture; leadership and data science capability strengthened.

Identify and support commercial opportunities Increased spinout activity, patents, ICURe engagement, and drug repurposing pathways supported.

Support healthcare staff academic careers

Green

£180k Pre-Application Support Fund delivered; Clinical Academic Training Hub launched; IAT places increased. Green

Build inclusive research culture Seminar series, cohort meetings, structured inductions, and first annual BRC Symposium launched.

Engage underserved SW Peninsula regions Regional events in Exeter, Cornwall, and Somerset; inclusive outreach increased participation.

Green

Deliver Pre-Application Support Funding Three rounds completed (9awards); cohort-based model embedded. Green

RAG Status

Green

Appendix 4. Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE)

Objective:

Embed PPIE at the heart of research activities across the BRC

Ensure the sustainability of PPIE at the CRF

To achieve this, we committed to: Which we have progressed by: RAG Status

To establish a coordinated, BRC-wide approach to PPIE

Improve PPIE through collaboration with other local NIHR Centres and infrastructure

Support and expand CRF-led PPIE training and collaborations, strengthening

Maintained strong PPIE visibility across BRC events, supported over 30 researchers through one-to-one advice, and delivered co-produced training, including lay summary workshops and contributions to the ARC PPIE Summer School.

CRF and BRC PPIE leads meet regularly to coordinate collaboration, contribute to regional NIHR PPIE groups, and delivered the third joint BRC/CRF Lay Day in October 2025, uniting public contributors across both infrastructures.

Develop a supportive environment enabling researchers at all career stages to confidently deliver PPIE and sustained engagement.

Involve groups under-represented in PPIE and under-served by research from across the South West

Bring the work of the Centres to the public

Build strong regional and national PPIE partnerships, enabling shared opportunities, joint projects, and NIHR collaboration.

Identify PPIE training needs, support early integration, expand programmes, and encourage participation.

Establish an inclusive BRC involvement group through targeted outreach, flexible engagement, and demographic review.

Co-develop public materials, share best practice, sustain CRF outreach, and expand the Lay Day into a joint showcase.

Maintain strong regional PPIE partnerships across NIHR infrastructure, develop a multi-organisation joint working group, expand membership, and strengthen coordination through university networks to support information sharing and collaborative delivery.

Provide tailored PPIE advice, attend BRC inductions and theme days, develop iterative online guidance, and deliver co-created training reaching over 250 researchers.

A core BRC PPIE group is established with diverse older members, while targeted recruitment continues, supported by enhanced team expertise in inclusive, trauma-informed and creative engagement.

Established a community-facing group to promote research involvement, co-delivered training with public collaborators, and developed interactive outreach activities with themes for rural and coastal events.

Green

Appendix 5. Research Inclusion

5.1 Research Inclusion Objectives

Objective:

Inclusive PPIE

Deliver inclusive, accessible engagement events

Maintain and expand links to widening participation initiatives

Build relationships with schools/colleges with high proportions of underserved learners

Representation in outreach teams and rolemodelling (incl. workforce diversity)

Which we have progressed by:

Core PPIE group established.

Delivered/participated in broad outreach.

Active engagement with STEM Beyond Boundaries and UoE Widening Participation/National Scholars; Devon Healthcare Hub and Community Exeter partnerships established, with plans to widen WP reach for 2025 work experience.

Attendance at UoE careers fairs; colleges engagement via INSPIRE (promotion ongoing; public engagement strand newly launched); clinical academic workforce promotion via nursing/AHP events; continued development of targeted school/college relationships across the peninsula.

Ensured ≥50% women in outreach representation; continued efforts to strengthen representation from other under-served, groups, acknowledging regional demographics; role-modelling embedded in work experience and events.

Internships and work experience (UoE schemes) Annual placements delivered; partner relationships maintained; feedback and improvement actions.

Mentorship for interns/work experience participants

EDI governance embedded

Build BRC community

Bespoke training + career development

Training needs identification and tailored delivery (ACD)

Mandatory EDI training for panels

Equitable recruitment processes

Deliver Pre-Application Support Funding

Interns assigned mentors; for work experience week, structured theme-led input provided (rather than formal mentors), with optional follow-up support offered.

EDI working group established; public collaborators represented on governance/working groups.

BRC seminar series established (every 6–8 weeks) showcasing awardee progress + networking lunch; public seminar series launched. Events across SW.

Delivered post-doctoral writing retreat; interview skills training; PPIE training; workshops at launch; entrepreneurship/ commercial training developing.

Monthly PhD/fellow check-ins plus 6-monthly reporting inform training; commissioned training delivered (e.g., Confidence at Conferences).

Emphasise potential (reducing reliance on prior opportunities); targeted outreach strengthened; feedback collected and used to improve processes; EDI training included in recruitment guidance.

Inclusive interview guidance and adjustments embedded.

Three rounds completed (9awards); cohort-based model embedded.

Green

RAG Status

Green

5.2 Research Inclusion Data from Events

Data for event attendees has been gathered since November 2025 and reflects only the most recent events we have held.

Declared Disability

White - English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Ireland or British

Sexual Orientation

Appendix 6. Theme Leads

Professor Clive Ballard

Neurodegeneration Theme Lead c.ballard@exeter.ac.uk

Clive is joint Neurodegeneration theme lead and psychiatrist. He leads Europe’s largest dementia trials, translating research into drug discovery, prevention strategies, and improved care for people living with dementia.

Professor Emma Baple

Genetics & Genomics Theme Lead e.baple@exeter.ac.uk

Emma is joint Genetics & Genomics theme lead and Professor of Genomic Medicine. She leads rare disease research, translating genetic discoveries into improved diagnostics and treatments, and directs the NHS South West Genomic Laboratory Hub.

Professor Inês Barroso

Diabetes Theme Lead ines.barroso@exeter.ac.uk

Inês is joint Diabetes theme lead. She is an expert in human genetics of diabetes and obesity, leading the MAGIC consortium and translating genomic discoveries into understanding disease mechanisms.

Professor Gordon Brown

Clinical Mycology Theme Lead gordon.brown@exeter.ac.uk

Gordon is co-theme lead for Medical Mycology at Exeter BRC and Director of the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology. He researches C-type lectin receptors in antifungal immunity and leads international programmes.

Professor Helen Dawes

Rehabilitation Theme Lead

h.dawes@exeter.ac.uk

Helen is joint Rehabilitation theme lead and Professor of Clinical Rehabilitation. She develops and translates personalised, scalable rehabilitation innovations, collaborating internationally with academia, industry, clinicians, and the public to improve movement outcomes.

Professor Andrew Hattersley

Diabetes Theme Lead

a.t.hattersley@exeter.ac.uk

Andrew is joint Diabetes theme lead and Gillings Chair in Precision Medicine. He leads international research on monogenic diabetes, translating genetic discoveries into improved clinical care while working as a consultant physician.

Professor Sallie Lamb

Rehabilitation Theme Lead

s.e.lamb@exeter.ac.uk

Sallie is joint lead for the Rehabilitation theme and a globally recognised expert in ageing, disability, clinical trials and rehabilitation research, leading work that strengthens healthcare evidence, improves practice and translates high-quality research into better outcomes for older people and people with disabilities.

Professor Jon Mill

Neurodegeneration Theme Lead

j.mill@exeter.ac.uk

Jonathan is Professor of Epigenomics and leads the Complex Disease Epigenomics Group at Exeter. His team studies molecular variation in the brain, focusing on neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Professor Adilia Warris

Clinical Mycology Theme Lead, Director of Training (ACD Lead)

a.warris@exeter.ac.uk

Adilia is joint Clinical Mycology theme lead and leads academic career development. She is a professor of paediatric infectious diseases, co-director of the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, and a consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Professor Caroline Wright

Genetics & Genomics Theme Lead caroline.wright@exeter.ac.uk

Caroline is joint Genetics and Genomics theme lead and Professor of Genomic Medicine. She specialises in interpreting rare genetic variants and translating genomics into healthcare, and was elected FMedSci in 2025.

Appendix 7. The Team

Professor Sallie Lamb

Professor Paul Francis

Justin Stahley

Dr Karolina Jaworek

Emma Glaeser

Jess Smith

Sandy Beer

Dr Matt Anderson

Dr Kristin Liabo

Professor Adilia Warris

Lucy Hodges

Zoe Foster

Catherine Johns

Professor Yinghui Wei

Claire Rosslee

Helen Smith

Rebeka Sultana

Name Role Area

Professor Sallie Lamb BRC Director; Rehabilitation Theme Lead Strategic Leadership Overall accountability to NIHR; strategic direction; budget oversight; delivery of objectives; joint leadership of Rehabilitation

Sandy Beer Chief Operating Officer (on maternity leave until Dec 2026)

Dr Karolina Jaworek Chief Operating Officer (Maternity Cover until Dec 2026)

Professor Adilia Warris Director of Training (ACD Lead); Clinical Mycology Theme Lead

Senior Management Strategic and operational leadership; delivery planning; partnership coordination

Senior Management Day-to-day operations; governance and reporting; coordination across themes and core functions

Training & Themes Academic career development strategy; training delivery; leadership of Clinical Mycology

Professor Yinghui Wei Academic lead for Data Science Research Support Informatics group lead, representation at national level data meetings

Professor Paul Francis Industry and Innovation Lead Innovation & Industry Industry engagement; innovation strategy; commercial partnerships and translation

Dr Matt Anderson Commercial Lead Operational Team Patents, licences, spin-outs; industry partnerships; commercial income

Emma Glaeser Research Finance Administrator Finance Financial monitoring; reporting; compliance

Lucy Hodges Training Manager and Research Inclusion Lead Operational Team Training delivery; research inclusion strategy; monitoring and metrics

Claire Rosslee Reporting and Research Manager Operational Team NIHR reporting; performance monitoring; impact tracking

Justin Stahley Communications Officer Operational Team Communications, engagement, and dissemination

Dr Kristin Liabo Patient and Public Involvement Lead PPIE Strategic leadership of PPIE

Jess Smith PPIE Engagement Manager PPIE Delivery of PPIE activity; community engagement

Zoe Foster PPIE Engagement Officer PPIE Operational support for involvement activities

Helen Smith PPIE Administrator PPIE Administrative support for PPIE

Catherine Johns Public Representative Governance Member, BRC Management Board

Rebeka Sultana Public Representative Governance Member, BRC Management Board

The Leadership Team

The BRC is led by an experienced, multidisciplinary leadership team drawn from across the University and NHS partnership, providing strategic direction, strong governance, and operational oversight. The team brings together academic, clinical, and professional leadership with complementary expertise in translational research, experimental medicine, health data, clinical trials, and patient and public involvement.

Sandy Beer Chief Operating Officer (on maternity leave until Dec 2026)

Professor Paul Francis Industry and Innovation Lead

Dr Karolina Jaworek Chief Operating Officer (Maternity Cover until Dec 2026)

Professor Sallie Lamb

Director, Rehabilitation Theme Lead

Professor Helen Quinn

Research and Development Director, Royal Devon University Hospital

Dr Kristin Liabo

Patient and Public Involvement Lead

Professor Adilia Warris

Clinical Mycology Theme Lead, Director of Training (ACD Lead)

Professor Angela Shore

Head of BioResource

Appendix 8. Core Facilities and Infrastructure Supporting the NIHR Exeter Biomedical Research Centre (BRC)

Sequencing Facility (High Throughput and Long Read Sequencing)

The University of Exeter Sequencing Facility is a core platform providing comprehensive, end to -end next -generation sequencing services to support discovery, translational and clinically aligned research. Capabilities include whole -genome, whole exome,- and targeted sequencing; bulk and single -cell -RNA-seq; epigenomics and metagenomics; and longread sequencing using Oxford Nanopore technologies. High -throughput Illumina platforms enable population -scale studies and rapid turnaround for time critical applications. Embedded bioinformatics expertise- supports experimental design, data processing and integrative -multi-omic analysis. Sequencing infrastructure is closely linked to NHS genomic diagnostics through collaboration with the Exeter Genomics Laboratory and the South West Genomic Medicine Service, enabling direct translation of research outputs into clinical diagnostics, including nationally commissioned rapid sequencing pathways for acutely unwell children.

www.exeter.ac.uk/research/facilities/sequencing/

Exeter Centre for Cytomics

The Exeter Centre for Cytomics is an ISO certified core facility providing advanced single cell and tissue level analysis capabilities central to experimental medicine and translational biomarker discovery. Capabilities include high parameter spectral flow cytometry, high performance cell sorting, imaging cytometry, tissue cytomics and multiplex molecular assays. The facility supports deep immunophenotyping, rare cell analysis and functional cellular assays, with expert support for experimental design and high dimensional data analysis.

www.exeter.ac.uk/research/facilities/cytomics/

Bioimaging Facilities

Advanced bioimaging platforms provide high resolution light microscopy, live cell imaging and quantitative image analysis. These facilities support mechanistic studies at cellular and tissue scales and integrate with cytomics, genomics and preclinical models to enable multilevel biological insight.

www.exeter.ac.uk/research/facilities/bioimaging/

Mireille Gillings Neuroimaging Centre (MGNC)

The Mireille Gillings Neuroimaging Centre is a TRAC defined, state of the art clinical imaging facility located on the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Wonford site and forms a cornerstone of the BRC’s human experimental medicine capability. It provides advanced MRI and PETCT capability, including functional and quantitative MRI, MR spectroscopy, and molecular PET imaging. MGNC supports in vivo phenotyping, biomarker development, and evaluation of therapeutic response, and is fully integrated with clinical services and experimental medicine studies.

www.exeter.ac.uk/research/facilities/mgnc/

NIHR Exeter Clinical Research Facility (CRF)

The NIHR Exeter CRF is a long established, high performing experimental medicine facility providing dedicated clinical research space, specialist equipment, and highly experienced research nurses and clinicians. It supports complex physiological studies, early phase trials and patient focused experimental medicine research, and hosts the NIHR BioResource Centre Exeter for longitudinal cohort recruitment and deep phenotyping.

https://exetercrfnihr.org/

Research, Innovation, Learning and Development (RILD) Building

The RILD Building provides the physical and operational hub for clinical research on the Royal Devon Hospital campus, housing the Clinical Research Facility alongside blood laboratories, sample processing and shared laboratory space. This co-location enables rapid transition from patient encounter to laboratory analysis and supports integrated clinical-to-molecular workflows.

A new Illumina NovaSeq X Plus has been installed at the NHS Exeter Genomics Laboratory within RILD, strengthening collaboration between the University of Exeter, the NIHR Exeter Biomedical Research Centre and the NHS South West Genomic Laboratory Hub. The first of its kind in an NHS Trust, the system enables near-complete whole-genome sequencing within 24 hours, increasing capacity, reducing costs, and accelerating translational genetic research. The acquisition was supported by a £2.179m investment following a national NIHR funding award.

www.royaldevon.nhs.uk/our-sites/rild-building/

VSimulators Facility

The VSimulators facility is a platform combining motion capture, force platforms, instrumented treadmills and immersive visual environments to support high precision assessment of human movement and balance. It supports detailed assessment of gait, balance, postural control and sensorimotor integration, and is central to translational research in rehabilitation, ageing, frailty and neurodegeneration.

www.exeter.ac.uk/research/facilities/vsimulators/

Gait and Biomechanics Laboratories

Dedicated gait and biomechanics laboratories within Sport and Health Sciences provide high precision assessment of human movement using motion capture, force plates, pressure measurement, and electromyography. These facilities support musculoskeletal, neurological and rehabilitation research and integrate closely with VSimulators and clinical research delivery.

https://medicine.exeter.ac.uk/phss/research/ biomechanics/

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Commercial Research Delivery Centre (CIOS CRDC)

The CIOS CRDC is a new NIHR-funded infrastructure designed to expand and accelerate research across county of Cornwall. Hosted by the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) and delivered in partnership with Primary Care, Community, Mental Health, Social Care and Voluntary Service Organisations, the CIOS CRDC will ensure the population benefits from access to cutting-edge research opportunities. The CIOS CRDC has been established to grow and sustain a research-active health and care system across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and supports industry-sponsored and commercial studies through a streamlined, collaborative model.

https://royalcornwallhospitals.nhs.uk/organisation/ research-and-development/cornwall-and-isles-ofscilly-commercial-research-delivery-centre-cios-crdc/

MOTEK Platform

The MOTEK platform provides immersive virtual reality enabled gait and balance assessment using instrumented treadmills and dynamic visual perturbations. It enables real time analysis of motor control and falls risk and supports experimental and translational studies in ageing and neurological disease.

www.motekmedical.com/

Paediatric Lung and Exercise Laboratories

Specialist paediatric facilities within Sport and Health Sciences provide child centred respiratory and exercise physiology assessment, including lung function testing, metabolic measurement and cardiovascular phenotyping. Equipment and protocols are specifically designed for children and adolescents, supporting translational research into early life determinants of health and disease.

https://medicine.exeter.ac.uk/phss/research/ childrenshealth/

University of Exeter Research Computing and eInfrastructure

The University of Exeter’s eInfrastructure provides core high performance computing (HPC), secure data storage and research IT services that underpin data intensive and computationally demanding BRC research. The ISCA HPC environment offers a range of traditional, large memory and accelerator nodes, alongside virtualised computing environments, supporting data intensive biomedical research and compliant handling of sensitive health data.

www.exeter.ac.uk/research/researchcomputing/einfrastructure/

Department of Computer Science Research Computing and Visualisation

Departmental facilities in Computer Science provide complementary Linux and macOS computing suites, local HPC nodes and advanced 3D visualisation environments. These support algorithm development, data analysis, visualisation and prototyping, and interface seamlessly with central HPC and national supercomputing resources.

https://computerscience.exeter.ac.uk/facilities/

GW4 Isambard 3 Supercomputing Partnership

Through the GW4 Alliance (Universities of Exeter, Bristol, Bath and Cardiff), Exeter researchers have access to the Isambard 3 national supercomputer hosted in Bristol. Isambard3 is a next generation, energy efficient HPC and AI platform delivering tens of thousands of compute cores and high-throughput storage, enabling largescale genomic analysis, AI driven imaging, multi-omic integration and advanced modelling beyond the capacity of local systems.

https://gw4.ac.uk/news/cutting-edge-researchboost-as-gw4-isambard-3-supercomputer-goesonline/

Clinical Trials Unit (ExeCTU)

The Clinical Trials Unit provides specialist infrastructure and expertise to support the design, conduct, analysis and reporting of high-quality clinical trials and complex studies. Based at the University of Exeter, ExeCTU works closely with clinical and academic partners across the NIHR Exeter Biomedical Research Centre and NHS organisations.

ExeCTU offers end-to-end methodological support, including trial design, statistics, data management, health economics and process evaluation, strengthening the delivery of multi-centre and translational studies and enabling robust evaluation of interventions aligned with BRC priorities.

The Exeter BRC’s facilities are united through shared governance, interoperable data systems and strong translational leadership. Together, they enable seamless progression from discovery to patient benefit and provide a robust, future ready infrastructure platform aligned with the BRC’s strategic aims and NIHR expectations.

www.exeter.ac.uk/research-centres/clinical-trials-unit/

Royal Devon Commercial Research Centre

The Royal Devon Commercial Research Centre, previously NIHR Patient Recruitment Centre, demonstrates that as a Trust, RDUH has an ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality commercial research and ensuring more people have access to clinical trials.

The Trust’s Commercial Research Centre, located at the Eastern (Exeter) site, works closely with industry partners to set up and deliver a wide range of studies. The 97% participant retention rate reflects the high standards of patient experience provided.

Early-phase trials are supported in the Clinical Research Facility, which is funded by the NIHR. The dedicated professional services team in the Research and Development office support trial set-up through the National Contract Value Review (NCVR) process.

The centre has joined 9 other independent partners to become the South West Commercial Research Group. This brings together acute, community, and mental health NHS Trusts, GP surgeries, and healthcare providers, all working together to increase access to life-changing clinical research.

www.swcommercialresearch.nhs.uk/

South West Secure Data Environment (SWSDE)

The South West Secure Data Environment is a strategic asset and delivery partner for Exeter BRC. By providing secure, well-governed access to linked health and care data, the SDE enables researchers to generate insights while maintaining rigorous standards of privacy and information governance. Its technical infrastructure, role in convening regional partnerships and specialist expertise complement Exeter BRC’s capacity to undertake complex, collaborative studies at scale.

www.southwestsde.nhs.uk

Appendix 9. BRC Strategic Partners

Partners

Host & Academic

Regional NHS Trusts

NIHR Infrastructure & Networks

Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; University of Exeter

Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust; Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; Devon Partnership NHS Trust; Somerset NHS Foundation Trust;

St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Exeter CRF; RRDN; ARC-SW Peninsula; NIHR Academy; NIHR HTRC (Sustainable Innovation)

NIHR Biomedical & ARC Collaborations

NIHR Translational Research Collaborations

Commercial & Innovation

Charities & Voluntary Sector

Data, Informatics & Civic

Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield, King’s, Oxford BRCs; Thames Valley ARC; HRC Brain Health (King’s)

Dementia; Mental Health; Respiratory; Versus Arthritis MSK; BHF Cardiovascular; SPOC; Infection & AMR TRCs

Medicines Discovery Catapult; SETsquared; IQVIA; AstraZeneca; AbbVie; Merck; Novo Nordisk; Janssen; Pfizer; Biogen; Takeda; Stryker; Randox; SMEs & spin-outs

Alzheimer’s Research UK; Alzheimer’s Society; Parkinson’s UK; Diabetes UK; Cystic Fibrosis UK; Asthma + Lung UK

HDR UK; DPUK; DATA-CAN; Alan Turing Institute; UK Brain Banks Network; EPIC/MyCare EHR Network; South West Secure Data Environment; Devon, Cornwall, Torbay, Exeter City

Overview of strategic partnerships across academic, NHS, NIHR infrastructure, translational research, commercial, voluntary, data, and civic sectors.

The table summarises the breadth of organisational partnerships supporting the Centre’s research delivery, infrastructure, translation, innovation, and regional engagement.

Appendix 10. BRC Geography

Geographic reach of PPIE activity

Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) events have been delivered across the South West, including Cornwall (Falmouth, Truro), Somerset (Castle Cary, Taunton; with further events planned), and Devon (Exeter, Teignmouth, Honiton, Umberleigh in rural North Devon, Hatherleigh in rural mid-Devon, and Plymouth).

SOMERSET

CORNWALL

DEVON

Falmouth

Plymouth Paignton Teignmouth

Honiton

Castle Cary

Umberleigh Taunton

Hatherleigh

Newquay

Truro

Appendix 11. Academic Career Development (ACD) Metrics

Table A1. BRC-funded PhD Studentships

PhD/1/EP 1

PhD/1/WN 1

PhD/1/SA 1

PhD/1/TA 1

PhD/1/MF 1

PhD/1/BB 1

PhD/2/MD 2

PhD/2/MV 2

22/09/2027 Y Genetics & Genomics Nick Owens

PhD/2/ET 2 23/09/2024 22/09/2027 Y Neurodegeneration Tom Piers

PhD/2/LR 2 23/09/2024 22/09/2027 Y Rehabilitation Jan Vollert Lecturer Non-clinical

PhD/3/NA 3 06/01/2025 05/01/2028 N

PhD/3/DK 3

05/01/2028 N

PhD/3/HS 3 06/01/2025 05/01/2028 N Rehabilitation John Findlay Consultant Research Fellow Clinical

PhD/3/AC 3 06/01/2025 05/01/2028 N Genetics & Genomics Chris Scotton Personal Chair Non-clinical

PhD/3/AT 3 06/01/2025 05/01/2028 N Rehabilitation Jan Vollert/Marianne Hollyman Lecturer/Consultant Research Fellow Clinical

PhD/4/GK 4 22/09/2025 21/09/2028 N Emerging - Data Science Angus Jones Clinical Scientist & Professor Non-clinical

PhD/4/VK 4 22/09/2025 21/09/2028 N Emerging - Data Science Umesh Kadam

PhD/4/NA 4 22/09/2025 21/09/2028 N Emerging - Data Science Karen Knapp Professor Non-clinical

PhD/4/JC 4 22/09/2025 21/09/2028 N Emerging - CTU Siobhan Creanor Head of CTU Non-clinical

PhD/4/LL 4 22/09/2025 21/09/2028 N Emerging - PPIE Kristin Liabo Head of PPIE Non-clinical

Table A2. Translational Fellows

Table A3. Mid-Career Fellows

Table A4. Senior Investigator and Consultant Research Fellows

SIF/1/MG 01/01/2024 31/03/2028 Respiratory medicine and interstitial lung disease Clinical Mycology RDUH (East)

SIF/1/MS 01/10/2023 31/03/2028 Consultant nurse supporting monogenic diabetes clinical care

SIF/1/TM 01/10/2023 31/03/2028 Consultant scientist in the blood sciences laboratory

SIF/1/HH 01/10/2023 31/03/2028 Inherited and rare cancers

SIF/1/NK 01/10/2023 31/03/2028 Inflammatory bowel disease and patient response to treatment/ Data Science Lead

SIF/1/TH 01/10/2023 31/03/2028 Multiple sclerosis (relapsing remitting, secondary progressive and primary progressive Multiple sclerosis), dystonia, chronic migraine, motor neuron diseases, autoimmune encephalitis, and Huntington’s disease

SIF/1/JF 01/10/2023 31/03/2028 Complex hernia surgery and chronic pain

RDUH (East)

& Genomics RDUH (East)

RDUH (East)

- Surgery RDUH (North)

CR/1/LFA 01/04/2024 31/03/2028 Paediatric infectious diseases consultant Clinical Mycology St George’s

CR/1/JB 01/10/2023 31/03/2028 Clinical drug trials in dementia Neurodegeneration RDUH (East)

CR/1/MH 01/10/2023 31/03/2028 Pancreatitis and management of patients in an emergency setting Emerging - Surgery SFT

SIF/1/AT 01/05/2024 31/03/2028 Knee replacement surgery Rehabilitation RDUH (East)

SIF/1/JC 01/04/2025 31/03/2028 Upper GI, bariatric, and emergency surgery, researching advanced techniques, AI, and community-based rehabilitation Emerging - Surgery RCHT

SIF/1/SVJ 01/04/2025 31/03/2028 Clinical Trials in Dementia Neurodegeneration CFT

Table A5. Pre-application Support Awardees

1/PAF/CR 3/03/2025 02/03/2026 RDUH (Eastern)

1/PAF/VS 15/12/2024 14/06/2025 RDUH (Eastern) then University Hospitals Plymouth due to rotation

1/PAF/GP 06/01/2025 05/07/2025 RDUH (Eastern)

1/PAF/LJ 06/01/2025 05/03/2026 RDUH (Eastern)

1/PAF/LD 06/01/2025 05/03/2026 SFT

1/PAF/JM 06/01/2025 05/09/2025 SFT

2/PAF/AD 01/03/2025 31/09/2025 RDUH (Eastern)

2/PAF/JB 21/04/2025 20/09/2025 SFT

3/PAF/RW 01/11/2025 31/03/2026 RDUH (Eastern)

Application delayed due to paternity leave

Applied - Unsuccessful

Applied – awaiting outcome

Enrolled on Qualitative MSc Module for Spring 2026

Joined pathway evaluation and delphi study for experience

Application for RfPB to be submitted in March 2026

Applied – unsuccessful, invite to resubmit

Application in preparation

Table A6 Seminars and Events

BRC Outreach and Networking Events

Led by the BRC

BRC Symposium

BRC Launch (Exeter)

BRC Launch (Cornwall)

BRC Research Day (November 2025) - Cornwall

BRC Research Day (March 2025) - Cornwall

BRC Launch (Somerset) In partnership with OneNIHR

SWAIH 2024

NIHR 20

BRC Internal Seminars

Total seminars held - 13

Average number of attendees - 37

Average in person attendees - 15

Average online attendees - 25

By location

RILD - 4

St Lukes - 6

Streatham - 3

Distinguished Seminar Speaker Series

Led by the BRC In partnership with OneNIHR

Camille Carroll Chris Whitty

Clemens Becker Cathie Sherrington

Erik Rosendahl Jess Morley (in partnership with the SDE)

Graham Boniface

Nancy Mayo

Nalesh Govender

Luigi Ferrucci

Stephen Mullin

Appendix 12. NIHR Impact Case Studies Submitted (2022–2026)

Exeter

From cutting edge genomic research to awardwinning national rapid diagnostic exome service for acutely unwell babies and children

Revolutionising diagnosis and clinical care in neonatal diabetes patients worldwide

Understanding and treating neuropsychiatric symptoms in PD and AD

Rehabilitation The Exeter Hip Stem, developed by RD&E and the University of Exeter, is a world-leading, highly durable hip replacement that has transformed the lives of millions of patients, delivers exceptional long-term outcomes, and continues to set the global standard for safe and reliable joint replacement.

Genetics & Genomics

Exeter researchers translated cutting-edge genomics into a nationally commissioned rapid exome sequencing service that delivers fast, life-changing diagnoses for critically ill babies and children, improving survival, guiding treatment, and transforming NHS care.

Diabetes Exeter-led research revolutionised neonatal diabetes care by identifying most genetic causes and enabling thousands of children worldwide to switch safely from insulin injections to personalised oral treatments, dramatically improving outcomes and quality of life.

Neurodegeneration

Discovery to Clinical Trial Pipeline for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease

Digital Brain Health as a platform for translational research

Neurodegeneration

This programme of research has transformed treatment of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease by identifying safer therapies, leading pivotal trials of pimavanserin now licensed for Parkinson’s psychosis, and advancing new pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment targets.

We have built an end-to-end discovery-to-clinical-trial pipeline for neurodegenerative disease, combining genomics-led target discovery, novel compound development, spin-out commercialisation, and large-scale drug repurposing programmes now advancing into late-phase clinical trials.

Neurodegeneration The PROTECT digital brain health programme created by University of Exeter researchers has built a large, highly engaged international platform that enables efficient trials, sensitive cognitive measurement, genetic discovery, and precision medicine research for early neurodegenerative disease.

Bid (overarching case study 1)

Cement and instrumentation for joint replacement

Delivering the rewards of NIHR investments in translational rehabilitation research

Quiet eye training (QET) to improve precision in motor performance

Rehabilitation This long-running Exeter programme pioneered safe bone cementation and surgical instrumentation for joint replacement, maximising implant longevity, reducing harm, and transforming outcomes for millions of patients worldwide.

Rehabilitation This programme uses free global online courses to rapidly translate NIHR rehabilitation research into clinical practice, training tens of thousands of clinicians worldwide, delivering proven patient outcomes, and generating major potential NHS savings.

Rehabilitation Quiet eye training research has transformed how visual attention is taught to improve precision under pressure, enhancing performance in sport, surgery, military and industry, and leading to commercial products, safer training, and wider real-world impact.

Bid (overarching case study 2)

Bid (overarching case study 3)

Bid

Hip Stem

Transforming the detection of genetic subtypes of early-onset diabetes throughout the world

C-peptide testing improves the diagnosis and treatment of people with insulin-treated diabetes

A type 1 diabetes genetic risk score improves diabetes classification

Discovery of novel genes and disease mechanisms in rare disease underpinning new treatments and diagnostic tests

Precision treatment in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

SNP-chips perform poorly for rare variants

Diabetes Exeter researchers transformed global detection of rare genetic diabetes (MODY) by developing precision diagnostic tools, including the widely used MODY calculator, enabling correct diagnosis, tailored treatment without insulin, and improved outcomes for patients worldwide.

Diabetes Exeter researchers established C-peptide testing as a simple, low-cost, globally adopted tool that improves diabetes diagnosis, guides personalised treatment, reduces unnecessary insulin use, and is now embedded in international clinical guidelines.

Diabetes A genetic risk score developed at Exeter accurately distinguishes type 1 diabetes from other forms, is now used in NHS diagnostic services, and is improving diabetes classification and treatment through rapid, low-cost genetic testing.

Genetics & Genomics

Exeter research has transformed rare disease diagnosis and care by discovering dozens of new disease-causing genes and mechanisms, enabling faster diagnosis, targeted management, new diagnostics, and the development of precision treatments.

Genetics & Genomics

Exeter researchers have enabled precision treatment in inflammatory bowel disease by identifying genetic markers that predict drug toxicity and treatment failure, leading to safer, more effective use of anti-TNF therapies now being implemented in clinical practice.

Genetics & Genomics

Exeter researchers showed that SNP-chip genetic tests are unreliable for detecting very rare disease-causing variants, influencing clinical guidelines, policy, and practice by highlighting the need for DNA sequencing in medical decision-making.

Improving the outcome of cryptococcal meningitis

Clinical Mycology

Novel fungal diagnostics

Clinical Mycology

Novel immunotherapy for chromoblastomycosis

Clinical Mycology

Exeter-led research transformed the treatment and prevention of cryptococcal meningitis by delivering safer, more effective, and lower-cost therapies and screening strategies that reshaped WHO guidelines and have already saved thousands of lives, particularly in Africa.

Exeter researchers developed and commercialised a novel antibody-based point-of-care and imaging diagnostics for pulmonary aspergillosis, enabling earlier, more accurate detection and improving survival for high-risk patients worldwide.

Exeter-led research uncovered the immune mechanism underlying chronic chromoblastomycosis and translated this into a novel immunotherapy, showing that topical TLR agonists such as imiquimod can help clear infection and improve patient outcomes.

Bid

Optimising and implementing the BOOST programme for older people with spinal stenosis

Precision approaches using patient clinical features improve treatment in Type 2 diabetes

Prevention of vaginal Candida yeast infections

Rehab

Diabetes

We improved, trained, and rolled out the BOOST group physiotherapy programme for spinal stenosis in the NHS, showing that trained physiotherapists could deliver it effectively, leading to better patient outcomes and making the programme freely available to benefit more patients.

The TriMaster trial showed that using simple clinical characteristics such as BMI and kidney function to stratify treatment in type 2 diabetes significantly improves blood glucose control, demonstrating a practical approach to precision medicine.

2023-24

Clinical Mycology

Transformative impact of genetic diagnosis in children with rare disorders

Revolutionising Type 2 Diabetes Treatment: A Personalised Approach from NIHR Exeter Biomedical Research Centre

Enhancing Dementia Care through Digital Training: The iWHELD Programme

Advancing Early Detection of Mucormycosis through Innovative Diagnostic Research - Update

Genetics and Genomics

Diabetes

Neurodegeneration

We discovered that the Candida protein Pra1 drives inflammation in vaginal infections and showed in a pilot study that a zinc-containing gel can prevent reinfection, with larger trials now underway to confirm this and explore new treatments.

The DDD study transformed care for children with severe developmental disorders by using genomic sequencing to diagnose thousands, discover new genetic conditions, improve treatment and support, and deliver life-saving, life-changing interventions.

Researchers developed a low-cost, scalable tool that uses simple patient data to predict the most effective diabetes medication after metformin, improving blood glucose control and potentially transforming type 2 diabetes care worldwide.

The iWHELD programme was shown in a large UK trial to improve quality of life for people with dementia and reduce harmful medication use in care homes, with the potential to benefit over 300,000 people and save more than £50 million if rolled out

2023-24

Exeter breakthrough reverses cell ageing and spurs global biotech impact

Turning post-stroke rehabilitation into homebased computer games enables people to recover movement – even years after stroke

Clinical Mycology

Rehabilitation

Researchers identified an antibody that binds to Mucorales fungi and can be detected early in infection, offering the potential for a rapid diagnostic test that could enable earlier treatment and save lives from deadly mucormycosis.

University of Exeter researchers discovered how to reprogram ageing cells to restore youthful function, leading to the creation of SENISCA, which is developing anti-ageing treatments and drugs for age-related diseases with major health, economic, and global impact.

Rehabilitation A home-based digital rehabilitation programme developed with NIHR Exeter BRC support is helping stroke survivors improve arm function through game-based therapy, with early studies showing strong results and the potential to transform access to personalised recovery at home.

2024-25

2025-26

Appendix 13. HEBCI: Higher Education Business and Community Interaction Survey

Business and External Interaction 2022/23–2025/26 (year-to-date). Based on HEBCI: Higher Education Business and Community Interaction Survey, the figure presents the value of awards associated with Business and External Interaction activity over the past three full academic years, plus 2025/26 to date. The data demonstrate a clear upward trajectory in BEI activity across the period, with a particularly strong early performance in Collaborative Research in 2025/26.

Award value: including Worktribe Awards, Degree Apprenticeships, Industrial Studentships and Prof. Ed

Award value: Year on Year, split by HEBCIS category (do not use if filtering on a partner)

Award value: Year on Year, split by Funder type (Awards on Worktribe only)

Note: Degree Apprenticeship data is available for 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 only.

EI_HEBCIS_Name (Blank)

Collaborative

Consultancy

Contract Research

Contract Research (Ind. Studentship)

Not classified yet

Not eligible

Professional Education

Regeneration & Development

Hesa European Industry

Not applicable Overseas (non-European)

To Be Determined

UK Charities

UK Government

UK Other

UKRI & Nat Academies

Year