Magnificent seven funded in Quadram-NNUH healthcare venture

The Quadram Institute Clinical Seedcorn Fund was first established in 2021/2022 to help clinicians develop research ideas with scientists at the Quadram Institute. The fund supports secondments of NHS staff to Quadram Institute laboratories and associated research costs.

Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB) in partnership with the Norfolk and Norwich Hospitals Charity have each provided £150,000 to jointly fund £300,000 of new collaborative projects that sit at the basic/clinical research interface.

The seven clinical research projects funded this year are:

• The role of the gut microbiome in pregnancy – Dr Antonietta Hayhoe and Prof Jonathan Lartey.
• Characterising the microbiome in relation to cholestatic liver disease – Dr Naiara Beraza and Dr Simon Rushbrook.
• Vitamin B12 and folate sufficiency in very pre-term babies at the time of discharge home – Prof Martin Warren and Dr Isabel Iglesias-Platas.
• Bloodstream infection diagnosis using metagenomics – Dr Matthew Gilmour and Dr Ngozi Elumogo.
• Establishment of an Oral Biorepository – Dr Jennifer Ahn-Jarvis and Prof John Phillips.
• Use of organ-on-chip technology to address resistance to fungal infection in women – Dr Emily Jones and Dr Paul Simpson.
• Decreasing risk of urinary tract infections in Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients – Prof Alison Mather and Dr Jason Cheung.

Applications were assessed by a panel drawn from across NNUH, QIB and the UEA and considered applications for potential patient benefit, quality, feasibility, extent of collaboration, innovation and value for money.

Bernard Brett, NNUH Medical Director said: “Our hospital is working with our Norwich Research Partners including the Quadram Institute to strengthen our contribution to research that can positively impact on the lives or our population and patients.

“The NNUH is one of the four partners in the Quadram Institute and working together the Partnership is serving to increase knowledge and deliver benefits for our patients.

“This is important work, and we are delighted that our hospitals charity is supporting the research and innovation of NNUH clinicians working alongside scientists from the Quadram Institute.”

Quadram Institute interim Director Prof Martin Warren added: “It’s great to see NNUH clinicians working with scientists at the Quadram to understand more about some of the healthcare challenges they face daily and how we can understand and then tackle them for the benefit of patients.”