News & events from 2023
Sheffield researchers boost drive to national DNA programme with senior NHS figures signing up as first recruits
Researchers in Sheffield have launched a new bioresource research tissue bank that connects scientists and healthcare researchers to genetic and lifestyle information from people with and without health conditions that can be recalled for future research.
The team from the NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), hosted by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with The University of Sheffield, are one of 18 centres across the country to join the national repository recruitment programme which has so far collected over 250,000 biological samples from people with and without health conditions across the country.
A special recruitment launch day was held by the NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital’s NIHR Sheffield Clinical Research Facility on Friday 15 December 2023.
For more information visit the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals news page.
(December 2023)
NIHR Sheffield CRF at the Great North Research Conference
Some of the team from NIHR Sheffield CRF joined over 450 delegates at the first ever Great North Research Conference for the Life Sciences and Med Tech industries.
The two-day conference took place on 21 and 22 November 2023 and was hosted by the four northern NIHR Local Clinical Research Networks (LCRNs), covering the North East and North Cumbria, Greater Manchester, North West Coast and Yorkshire and Humber regions.
It was held inside the Concorde Conference Centre, near Manchester Airport, beneath the iconic Concorde G-BOAC aircraft which attendees had the opportunity to sit inside.
The major event was designed to highlight the high-quality life sciences and medical technology research already happening in the north and to demonstrate why external partners should consider collaborating with the NIHR's northern infrastructure to deliver their future pipeline research.
In a unique feature, all delegates were invited to take part in studies in the conference's Be Part of Research Zone, which formed part of a large exhibition space comprising NIHR organisations, partners and sponsors. Over 70 people took part in studies, while more took the opportunity to sign-up to NIHR registries to hear about upcoming participation opportunities.
On day-one, the conference was addressed by keynote speaker Lord James O'Shaughnessy, Senior Partner at Newmarket Strategy, who led the government-commissioned UK review of commercial clinical trials last year. His speech was made in the week the government issued a full response to his review and the NIHR committed to drive forward new plans to accelerate transformation across clinical research delivery.
For more details about the Great North Research Conference see the NIHR website.
(December 2023)
Shape the Future campaign - adding research to your career
In the year that we celebrated the NHS' 75th birthday, how could you 'Shape the Future'? You could develop your career in health research within the NIHR. See how the NIHR can help you through a range of training and development opportunities.
For more details on the Shape the Future campaign see the NIHR website.
(November 2023)
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Thank You Awards - StarMS Team shortlisted
Congratulations to the StarMS Study Team who were nominated, and subsequently shortlisted for the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Thank You Awards under the innovation category.
The StarMS Study is a world-first trial investigating if stem cell transplantation should be used in patients with highly active multiple sclerosis failing drug treatment or as a first-line treatment for patients with the aggressive multiple sclerosis has been launched by researchers at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Sheffield’s Clinical Trials Research Unit.
Although the team didn't win, their hard work on this study has been recognised. What a fantastic achievement to have been shortlisted. Well done all!
(September 2023)
Fantastic results for the NIHR Sheffield CRF on the Participant in Research Experience Survey (PRES) 2022/23
Research participants taking part in NIHR funded studies at NIHR Sheffield CRF are given the opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on their experience of taking part in research using the Participant in Research Experience Survey (PRES).
We have been busy reviewing all of the data collected, including comments on what was positive about their research experience and also on what would have made their research experience better. Some of the survey highlights are shown in the video on the left.
To find out more, visit our 2022/23 participant feedback page.
(September 2023)
Twitter Infographics V5.mp4Health and care researchers celebrate past, present and future medical innovations
On Saturday 22 July 2023 researchers from across Sheffield held the first ever Shaping the Future event at Sheffield Winter Gardens to celebrate past, present and future healthcare innovations.
The event was organised by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals in partnership with Sheffield Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Sheffield to mark the NHS' 75th birthday of the NHS and the annual NIHR Be Part of Research campaign.
Visitors to the event were able to try out interactive activities with researchers including measuring out fake blood to test their lab skills, using lego to bring to life creative inventions to improve children’s health and took part in a mock clinical trial to see how researchers find out if a new treatment will work and be safe.
For more information visit the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals news page or visit our Shaping the Future event webpage.
(July 2023)
Sheffield haematologist wins national accolade for stem cell research collaborations for MS patients
Professor John Snowden, Consultant Haematologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Director of the Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Programme in Sheffield, has won a national Researcher of the Year award.
The award, which is bestowed by the NIHR and the British Society for Haematology to NHS consultant haematologists who go above and beyond in their specialist field, was given in recognition of his work pioneering autologous stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) in patients with multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune disorders.
Photo credit: Ayoub Benkarroum
For more information visit the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals news page.
(July 2023)
Happy 75th birthday NHS - NHS 75: Shape the Future
The NHS celebrated its 75th Birthday on 5 July 2023. To celebrate, the NIHR launched their Shape the Future: NHS75 campaign.
The NIHR 'Shape the Future' campaign starts on 1 May and lasts until the end of 2023. We'll look back at improvements in patient care and pioneering techniques, and look ahead to the difference research can continue to make in the future.
For more details on the Shape the Future campaign see the NIHR website.
To see how we at the NIHR Sheffield CRF are celebrating this campaign, visit our Shaping the Future event webpage.
(July 2023)
Number of people taking part in life-changing research reaches almost one million
It has been another successful year for participation in health and care research, with almost one million participants across England taking part in NIHR research in 2022/23.
Over 100 people in England were recruited every hour to take part - that’s enough people to fill Wembley Stadium over 10 and a half times.
Participant numbers were up on pre-pandemic levels*, an additional 1,300 people a week took part in research, that's over an extra 220,000 people during 2022/23.
The data relates to NIHR’s Clinical Research Network (CRN) portfolio studies.
For more details visit the NIHR website.
(June 2023)
More than £96m awarded to NHS for cutting-edge research equipment
The NIHR has awarded more than £96 million to 93 NHS organisations across England. The funding will pay for new research equipment and technology. Around £20 million is going to smaller, regional NHS Trusts.
This funding will boost research and innovation across the NHS. New equipment and technology will help find new ways to prevent and treat diseases. The funding will be used for a range of innovative equipment, including imaging devices, mobile research vehicles, ultrasound equipment, and specialist fridges and freezers that are essential for storing samples used in research.
For more details visit the NIHR website.
(June 2023)
#Red4Research Day - Friday 16 June 2023
On Friday 16 June 2023, staff at NIHR Sheffield CRF wore red to support #Red4Research Day.
The day aims to get as many people as possible wearing red to demonstrate their support and appreciation for all those participating, undertaking, and supporting research.
It is an opportunity to showcase and celebrate the phenomenal work, learning legacy and innovative treatments/systems/techniques that have arisen from R&D.
More details on how the CRF and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (STH) celebrated the day can be found on the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals news page.
(June 2023)
Experts gather to discuss significant future potential of ‘game-changing’ treatments for multiple sclerosis
Experts pioneering the use of stem cell transplantation in patients with multiple sclerosis have gathered in Sheffield to discuss the current and future potential of this game-changing treatment.
Hosted by Professor Basil Sharrack and Professor John Snowden, of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the recent 3rd International Symposium on Stem Cell Treatment in Multiple Sclerosis saw leading neurology and transplant haematology specialists from across the globe join with patients and MS Charities to share latest advances in the use of autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) as a treatment for multiple sclerosis.
You can read more about the study on the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals news page.
(January 2023)
Professor Dame Pam Shaw on the research battle against motor neurone disease (MND)
Professor Dame Pam Shaw has dedicated her remarkable career to improving the lives of those living with MND .
Catch her speaking to @jimalkhalili on @BBCRadio4 #thelifescientific about new research funding and progress in understanding of the condition
You can hear this interview via the link on the BBC Programmes website.
(January 2023)