The Blue Zone Consortium
Lead Research Organisation:
NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY
Department Name: School of Science and Technology
Abstract
By 2040, nearly one in seven people in the UK is projected to be aged over 75, many living with multiple morbidities. By contrast, Blue Zones are areas across the world with lower rates of chronic disease, where people live longer healthier lives. This consortium will support researchers to transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries and collaborate across sectors to formulate and implement viable solutions that take frontier bioscience to blue zone outcomes.
The aim of our new Blue Zone Consortium FTMA is to promote cross-sectoral collaboration, increase co-creation of research and clarity of ideas and technologies through the transfer of people.
Our objectives will upskill researchers and technical professionals right from early career stages by exposure to new ways of thinking and environments, we will:
disseminate funding via competitions to support exchange and mobilisation
deliver multi-level entrepreneurial and transdisciplinary skills training programmes
create networking events that promote collaboration and knowledge exchange
Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of this consortium: from early career academics driving inception of this proposal supported by a partner institution professoriate to our focus on ECR and technical professional training, opportunities, and representation at all levels. Our EDI policy ensures equity of opportunity for underrepresented groups, and makes our consortium smarter, more innovative and more socially aware.
Our governance board, chaired by Professor Richard Emes, will oversee the development of policies and processes, approve resource allocation and monitor progress. The executive team will ensure operational delivery of the FTMA, communicating with members, handling funding applications, and ensuring compliance with our EDI policy. To safeguard the robustness of our decision making process, funding applications will be assessed by =2 independent experts from appropriate sectors, followed by panel review prior to award.
Our proposal aligns with the UKRI priority area: securing better health, ageing, and wellbeing. We will support bioscience research related to the three transversal themes of this consortium: metabolic health; health and ageing across the life course; and transformative technologies to tackle health inequalities.
Partner universities: Nottingham Trent University, University of Leicester, and Northumbria University each bring a rich network of cross-sector collaborators that will work synergistically to create transdisciplinary projects.
The University of Leicester brings expertise in multidisciplinary and international translational science that support consortium global ambitions, including significant links with regional NHS Trusts, and research centres including the BHF Cardiovascular Research Centre, Diabetes Research Centre, Centre for Ethnic Health Research, and NIHR East Midlands Applied Research Collaboration. These networks will support consortium research in metabolic health and compliment strengths at Nottingham Trent University's Centre for Systems Health and Integrated Metabolic Research and Medical Technologies Innovation Facility, a pioneering dual-site research and development facility, that provides a bridge between academia and industry, to enable the acceleration of innovative medical technologies. Northumbria University, who focus on healthy ageing from a variety of cellular, hormonal, muscular, practical and interventional aspects have a track record of supporting graduates in enterprise, exemplified by their work with ART Health Solutions, which has now attracted almost £1M investment from KTP and venture funds.
The critical mass of complimentary research across our consortium and reach to over 500 companies, six NHS Trusts and wider care settings makes us ideally placed to support researchers on their journey to jump the canyon from fundamental bioscience research into end user benefit.
The aim of our new Blue Zone Consortium FTMA is to promote cross-sectoral collaboration, increase co-creation of research and clarity of ideas and technologies through the transfer of people.
Our objectives will upskill researchers and technical professionals right from early career stages by exposure to new ways of thinking and environments, we will:
disseminate funding via competitions to support exchange and mobilisation
deliver multi-level entrepreneurial and transdisciplinary skills training programmes
create networking events that promote collaboration and knowledge exchange
Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of this consortium: from early career academics driving inception of this proposal supported by a partner institution professoriate to our focus on ECR and technical professional training, opportunities, and representation at all levels. Our EDI policy ensures equity of opportunity for underrepresented groups, and makes our consortium smarter, more innovative and more socially aware.
Our governance board, chaired by Professor Richard Emes, will oversee the development of policies and processes, approve resource allocation and monitor progress. The executive team will ensure operational delivery of the FTMA, communicating with members, handling funding applications, and ensuring compliance with our EDI policy. To safeguard the robustness of our decision making process, funding applications will be assessed by =2 independent experts from appropriate sectors, followed by panel review prior to award.
Our proposal aligns with the UKRI priority area: securing better health, ageing, and wellbeing. We will support bioscience research related to the three transversal themes of this consortium: metabolic health; health and ageing across the life course; and transformative technologies to tackle health inequalities.
Partner universities: Nottingham Trent University, University of Leicester, and Northumbria University each bring a rich network of cross-sector collaborators that will work synergistically to create transdisciplinary projects.
The University of Leicester brings expertise in multidisciplinary and international translational science that support consortium global ambitions, including significant links with regional NHS Trusts, and research centres including the BHF Cardiovascular Research Centre, Diabetes Research Centre, Centre for Ethnic Health Research, and NIHR East Midlands Applied Research Collaboration. These networks will support consortium research in metabolic health and compliment strengths at Nottingham Trent University's Centre for Systems Health and Integrated Metabolic Research and Medical Technologies Innovation Facility, a pioneering dual-site research and development facility, that provides a bridge between academia and industry, to enable the acceleration of innovative medical technologies. Northumbria University, who focus on healthy ageing from a variety of cellular, hormonal, muscular, practical and interventional aspects have a track record of supporting graduates in enterprise, exemplified by their work with ART Health Solutions, which has now attracted almost £1M investment from KTP and venture funds.
The critical mass of complimentary research across our consortium and reach to over 500 companies, six NHS Trusts and wider care settings makes us ideally placed to support researchers on their journey to jump the canyon from fundamental bioscience research into end user benefit.
Organisations
- NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY (Lead Research Organisation)
- University College London (Collaboration)
- LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- COVENTRY UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- University of Sheffield (Collaboration)
- Italian National Research Council (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM (Collaboration)
- De Montfort University (Collaboration)
- NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- Signant Health (Collaboration)
- Harvard University (Collaboration)
- London South Bank University (Collaboration)
- NOTTINGHAM UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS TRUST (Collaboration)
- DURHAM UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER (Collaboration)
- Cell Guidance Systems Ltd (Collaboration)
- PEPTIMATRIX (Collaboration)
- Campus Biotech (Collaboration)
- Princess Grace Hospital London (Collaboration)
- University of Queensland (Collaboration)
- Ulster University (Collaboration)
- Oxford Instruments (Collaboration)
| Description | Appointment of NTU Consortium Director to Drug Discovery Company Scientific Advisory Group |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | http://www.metallobio.com/ |
| Description | Clifton Project Board - Towns Fund for Clifton area (in Nottingham, UK) - our consortium is leading on the Health Outcomes strategy |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | Menopause Cafes are now being run in communities hosted by Rushcliffe Borough Council's Social Prescribing team. Local Nottingham Trent University teams are working with the local community in Clifton around a variety of topics including public health and microbiology education. This engagement reaches whole families with the latest activity reaching 100-150 people from the local community. Our consortium is working with academic colleagues to influence HR Policy on menopause at Nottingham Trent University. Our consortium has established a strong working relationship with Rushcliffe Borough Council's social prescribing team and access to various communities. So far we have facilitated requested to run menopause cafes, neurodiversity in ageing population and access to 12-week sport and fitness programme at the Sports and Wellbeing Academy. This programme is linked to GP referrals for patients who may have high blood pressure or on the verge of diabetes or high cholesterol as an example. |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-puts-local-people-in-control-of-more-than-1-billio... |
| Title | Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the UK Healthy Ageing Innovation Consortium (formerly named the Blue Zone Consortium) |
| Description | As part of the UK Healthy Ageing Innovation Consortium's (UKHAIC) commitment to equality diversity and inclusion (EDI), we request EDI data from our members when they join the consortium. This data is stored securely on an internal Nottingham Trent University server and access is restricted to only named members of the Consortium team as per our Data Protection Impact Assessment. Data is anonymised and summarised for dissemination to our Governance Board and for public availability. Characteristics that we request from members include: age, gender, ethnicity, and disability. We also request that members tell us whether they are: early career researchers (prior to first academic appointment), early career academics (prior to first significant external funding award), or technical professionals. Data is collected every six months for membership, and for each event we assess the breakdown against the above characteristics of: applications for funding, award of funding, participation in networking events, application to training programs, awarded places on training programs. These data are then compared to sector norms and UKRI EDI data to benchmark our consortium. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This EDI data is assessed regularly for all strands of activity (membership, applications for funding, award of funding, participation in networking events, application to training programs, awarded places on training programs). After benchmarking for membership (twice annually) and events as described above, the consortium assesses any need to address imbalance and creates an action plan within one month of reporting. This is then implemented to improve EDI within the consortium as a whole or for the specific event type. Where required external experts are consulted in formulation of the action plan. Current benchmarking shows the consortium has the same or greater diversity across all characteristics highlighting the effectiveness of the current consortium processes. However, technical professional numbers are lower than our current target and based on this data we will implement an action plan to better engage this group. A detailed EDI report is available upon request. |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium FTMA funding call 1: funded project BZC_2024_001 |
| Organisation | London South Bank University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We acted as the funder for FTMA funding call 1 (2024/25) of the Blue Zone Consortium. We awarded funds to this collaborative project to enable it to go ahead. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project title: Developing an AI-assisted Age-friendly Built Environment Assessment System (ABEAS): A Multidisciplinary Approach to Investigating Air Pollution Exposure and Cognitive Health Impacts in Vulnerable Groups Our partners will significantly contribute to this collaboration by developing the AI-assisted Age-friendly Built Environment Assessment System (ABEAS). This system utilizes AI computational methods to evaluate the age-friendliness of built environments, focusing on factors such as accessibility, safety, and exposure to environmental risks. ABEAS will assess the impacts of indoor and outdoor air pollution, particularly pollutants like microbial bioaerosols and particulate matter, in environments where vulnerable populations, such as older adults, reside. Key contributions include: Integration of Sensor Technologies: The project will integrate data from cutting-edge sensor technologies, such as open-source sensors (e.g., Airgradients and the V2000) and low-cost environmental diagnostics, to monitor air quality. AI Modelling: By combining real-time air quality data and AI modelling, the system will evaluate the health and cognitive impacts of environmental factors on older adults. Development of Computational Models: The project involves developing computational models and conducting field studies in age-friendly environments to simulate how environmental factors impact the health and well-being of older adults. Pilot Studies: Real-world data will be collected from pilot studies to validate the system's effectiveness in assessing air pollution exposure and its health risks, especially regarding cognitive decline. Decision-Support Tool: The research will create a decision-support tool to aid city planners, public health officials, and healthcare policymakers in improving the built environment for older adults. This multidisciplinary project aligns with the BBSRC and UKRI strategic theme of "securing better health, ageing, and wellbeing" by addressing societal challenges posed by an ageing population in urban areas. It combines expertise in AI, environmental science, public health, and urban planning to create healthier, more accessible, and safer urban spaces for older adults. The project supports the UK government's goals of improving public health outcomes, fostering sustainability, and enhancing the quality of life for ageing populations. |
| Impact | Outputs and Outcomes from the Collaboration Knowledge and Skill Development: Development of the AI-assisted Age-friendly Built Environment Assessment System (ABEAS), enhancing understanding of how built environments influence the health and well-being of older adults. Researchers will gain expertise in AI-based environmental assessment, sensor integration, and public health planning. Data Production: Generation of extensive data on environmental exposure risks using real-time monitoring tools and low-cost environmental sensors. This data will focus on pollutants such as particulate matter and microbial bioaerosols, providing valuable resources for ongoing research and forming the basis for new hypotheses and intervention strategies. Collaboration and Publications: Extension of collaborations to international partners and organizations in the housing and health sectors. Anticipated joint publications in leading journals such as "Indoor Air" and "Atmospheres," and presentations at prominent conferences like the European Aerosol Conference. These outputs will help disseminate new findings and influence future collaborations with policymakers and city planners. Economic Impact: Potential reduction in healthcare costs associated with environmental health risks by improving air quality and designing environments that reduce fall risks and improve mobility for older adults. This could lead to substantial savings for healthcare systems, especially in areas with aging populations. Societal Impact: Improvement of living conditions for older adults by making environments safer, more accessible, and healthier. The project promotes well-being and independence for older individuals, reduces exposure to harmful pollutants, and improves mobility through better design. It also has the potential to shape future policies on age-friendly environments, supporting the development of more inclusive, sustainable cities. This project is interdisciplinary and cross-sector, involving the following disciplines: Built Environment, Computing, Public Health, academia-industry collaboration. Funding this project has resulted in job creation (researcher) and professional development for early career researchers. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium FTMA funding call 1: funded project BZC_2024_001 |
| Organisation | Ulster University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We acted as the funder for FTMA funding call 1 (2024/25) of the Blue Zone Consortium. We awarded funds to this collaborative project to enable it to go ahead. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project title: Developing an AI-assisted Age-friendly Built Environment Assessment System (ABEAS): A Multidisciplinary Approach to Investigating Air Pollution Exposure and Cognitive Health Impacts in Vulnerable Groups Our partners will significantly contribute to this collaboration by developing the AI-assisted Age-friendly Built Environment Assessment System (ABEAS). This system utilizes AI computational methods to evaluate the age-friendliness of built environments, focusing on factors such as accessibility, safety, and exposure to environmental risks. ABEAS will assess the impacts of indoor and outdoor air pollution, particularly pollutants like microbial bioaerosols and particulate matter, in environments where vulnerable populations, such as older adults, reside. Key contributions include: Integration of Sensor Technologies: The project will integrate data from cutting-edge sensor technologies, such as open-source sensors (e.g., Airgradients and the V2000) and low-cost environmental diagnostics, to monitor air quality. AI Modelling: By combining real-time air quality data and AI modelling, the system will evaluate the health and cognitive impacts of environmental factors on older adults. Development of Computational Models: The project involves developing computational models and conducting field studies in age-friendly environments to simulate how environmental factors impact the health and well-being of older adults. Pilot Studies: Real-world data will be collected from pilot studies to validate the system's effectiveness in assessing air pollution exposure and its health risks, especially regarding cognitive decline. Decision-Support Tool: The research will create a decision-support tool to aid city planners, public health officials, and healthcare policymakers in improving the built environment for older adults. This multidisciplinary project aligns with the BBSRC and UKRI strategic theme of "securing better health, ageing, and wellbeing" by addressing societal challenges posed by an ageing population in urban areas. It combines expertise in AI, environmental science, public health, and urban planning to create healthier, more accessible, and safer urban spaces for older adults. The project supports the UK government's goals of improving public health outcomes, fostering sustainability, and enhancing the quality of life for ageing populations. |
| Impact | Outputs and Outcomes from the Collaboration Knowledge and Skill Development: Development of the AI-assisted Age-friendly Built Environment Assessment System (ABEAS), enhancing understanding of how built environments influence the health and well-being of older adults. Researchers will gain expertise in AI-based environmental assessment, sensor integration, and public health planning. Data Production: Generation of extensive data on environmental exposure risks using real-time monitoring tools and low-cost environmental sensors. This data will focus on pollutants such as particulate matter and microbial bioaerosols, providing valuable resources for ongoing research and forming the basis for new hypotheses and intervention strategies. Collaboration and Publications: Extension of collaborations to international partners and organizations in the housing and health sectors. Anticipated joint publications in leading journals such as "Indoor Air" and "Atmospheres," and presentations at prominent conferences like the European Aerosol Conference. These outputs will help disseminate new findings and influence future collaborations with policymakers and city planners. Economic Impact: Potential reduction in healthcare costs associated with environmental health risks by improving air quality and designing environments that reduce fall risks and improve mobility for older adults. This could lead to substantial savings for healthcare systems, especially in areas with aging populations. Societal Impact: Improvement of living conditions for older adults by making environments safer, more accessible, and healthier. The project promotes well-being and independence for older individuals, reduces exposure to harmful pollutants, and improves mobility through better design. It also has the potential to shape future policies on age-friendly environments, supporting the development of more inclusive, sustainable cities. This project is interdisciplinary and cross-sector, involving the following disciplines: Built Environment, Computing, Public Health, academia-industry collaboration. Funding this project has resulted in job creation (researcher) and professional development for early career researchers. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium FTMA funding call 1: funded project BZC_2024_002 |
| Organisation | Oxford Instruments |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We acted as the funder for FTMA funding call 1 (2024/25) of the Blue Zone Consortium. We awarded funds to this collaborative project to enable it to go ahead. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project title: Benchtop NMR Processing Automation for Diabetes Detection and Surgery Outcome Prediction Our partners will significantly contribute to this collaboration by developing an automated computational pipeline for processing benchtop Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (bNMR) spectra, integrating machine learning models for detecting Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) and predicting bariatric surgery outcomes. This innovation aims to make NMR data analysis faster, more accurate, and scalable for clinical applications, addressing a critical gap in current healthcare diagnostics. Key contributions include: Technical Guidance: Oxford Instruments will provide technical guidance through their application scientists, ensuring the project's success. Software and Training: The project will be supported by the purchase of software to streamline research and implement fail-safe strategies. Training will include courses offered by IBM and Google in Python, data science, and statistical analysis. Professional Development: The project will facilitate significant professional growth for the lead researcher, an early-career scientist, by expanding their expertise from metabolomics to machine learning, bioinformatics, and automated health diagnostics. Research Fellow Employment: Funding will cover the partial employment of a research fellow for six months, assisting in the project's execution. This multidisciplinary project combines expertise in metabolomics, machine learning, bioinformatics, and automated health diagnostics. It aligns with the Blue Zone Consortium and UKRI's strategic goals of securing better health, ageing, and wellbeing by improving access to low-cost early detection and personalized treatment for chronic diseases. The project also lays the foundation for expanding automated bNMR diagnostics to other conditions, supporting the future of scalable disease detection and prevention technologies. |
| Impact | Outputs and Outcomes from the Collaboration Technical Innovation: Development of an automated computational pipeline for benchtop NMR (bNMR) analysis, including steps such as phasing, baseline correction, apodization, spectral alignment, and metabolite binning. Skill Development: Upskilling of the principal investigator, an early-career researcher, in Python programming and bioinformatics through expert-led training from IBM and Google. Data Production: Generation of valuable data on Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM) detection and bariatric surgery outcomes, providing insights into disease monitoring and predictive analytics for surgery success. Automated Reports: Creation of automated reports to classify samples for T2DM and assess the likelihood of bariatric surgery benefiting a patient, including peak assignments and metabolite concentration data. Publications and Presentations: Dissemination of findings through publications in peer-reviewed journals in bioinformatics, digital health, and metabolomics, and presentations at an international magnetic resonance conference. Future Partnerships: Pursuit of partnerships with healthcare organizations to integrate this technology into clinical practice, and strengthening of industry partnerships, particularly with Oxford Instruments, for technical support and strategic advice. This project is interdisciplinary, involving the following disciplines: Biosciences, Bioinformatics, Machine Learning, Digital Health, Clinical Application. Funding this project has resulted in job creation, strengthening cross-sector collaborations, and professional development for early career researchers. The project is interdisciplinary and cross-sector: biosciences, bioinformatics, industry-academia collaboration. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium FTMA funding call 1: funded project BZC_2024_003 |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We acted as the funder for FTMA funding call 1 (2024/25) of the Blue Zone Consortium. We awarded funds to this collaborative project to enable it to go ahead. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project title: Integrating Omics Technologies for Improved Prostate Cancer Biomarker Discovery Our partners will significantly contribute to this collaboration by addressing the critical gap in identifying reliable, non-invasive metabolic and proteomic biomarkers for early detection and differentiation of prostate cancer types. This project aims to identify biomarkers in prostate cancer cells using a multi-omics approach that integrates proteomics and metabolomics. Additionally, it seeks to differentiate between healthy (PNT1a), less aggressive (LNCaP), and highly aggressive (PC3) prostate cancer cells by analyzing the proteome and metabolome from intracellular and extracellular environments, as well as extracellular vesicles (EVs). Key contributions include: Expertise and Training: The University of Nottingham (UoN) will provide expertise and training for the early career researcher (ECR) in isolating and characterizing EVs using the ZetaView and western blot techniques. Metabolomic and Proteomic Analysis: Nottingham Trent University (NTU), specifically the Biosciences department, MTIF, and the John van Geest Cancer Research Centre, will conduct metabolomic and proteomic analyses using Mass Spectrometry and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Interdisciplinary Collaboration: By integrating cancer biology, bioinformatics, and omics, this project fosters interdisciplinary collaboration essential for innovative research. This collaboration will support the professional development of the ECR, enhancing their skills in NMR metabolomics, mass spectrometry, proteomics data analysis, bioinformatics, and data analysis using R and Python. Professional Development: The ECR will gain valuable experience in grant writing, project management, and budgeting for scientific research through supervision, mentorship, and collaboration with researchers and academics involved in the project. This project aligns with the Blue Zone Consortium's theme of "Metabolic Health" and supports the UKRI's strategic theme of "Securing Better Health, Ageing, and Wellbeing" by contributing to early detection and timely, effective interventions for prostate cancer. |
| Impact | Outputs and Outcomes from the Collaboration Knowledge Generation: Comprehensive data on the proteomic and metabolomic profiles of different prostate cancer cell lines (PC3, LNCaP, PNT1a). Biomarker Identification: Identification of prostate cancer biomarkers through omics analysis. Skill Development: Enhanced technical skills in proteomic sample preparation, bioinformatics, and the use of R and Python packages for data analysis. Professional Development: Mentorship and technical guidance from experts in various scientific fields, facilitating career progression and skill transferability for future projects. Methodology Integration: Development of clear methodologies through regular discussions among researchers, integrating the requirements of each discipline involved. Societal Impact: Potential reduction in the need for invasive diagnostic procedures through the development of reliable biomarkers, making screening less stressful and painful for patients. Efficient Screening Programs: Improved efficiency of screening programs, enabling early intervention and reducing the overall burden of prostate cancer on healthcare systems like the NHS. Personalized Treatment Options: Identification of biomarkers that can discriminate between less aggressive and highly aggressive prostate cancer, leading to more personalized treatment options. Future Research: Laying the groundwork for future research grant applications and larger-scale studies, exploring the clinical utility of identified biomarkers. Publications: Generation of joint publications in peer-reviewed journals such as Metabolomics, Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, and Molecular Oncology. This project is interdisciplinary, involving the following disciplines: Biosciences, Chemistry, Veterinary Medicine. Funding this project has resulted in job creation (researcher) and the professional development of an early career researcher, strengthening the collaboration between academia and industry. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium FTMA funding call 1: funded project BZC_2024_004 |
| Organisation | University of Sheffield |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We acted as the funder for FTMA funding call 1 (2024/25) of the Blue Zone Consortium. We awarded funds to this collaborative project to enable it to go ahead. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project title: Development and testing of new analogues of an emerging class of antimicrobial to prevent infection. Our partners will significantly contribute to this collaboration by developing new antimicrobial classes to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) among the elderly. MetalloBio has created two lead antimicrobial candidates (KLS116 and KLS219) for coatings and therapeutic use, demonstrating strong activity with distinct mechanisms. However, to establish a robust antimicrobial class, this project will evaluate the efficacy of 30 analogues based on these structures. Key contributions include: Chemical Analogues: MetalloBio will provide the chemical analogues for testing. Microbiology Testing: Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and the Medical Technologies Innovation Facility (MTIF) will perform microbiology testing, including minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and resistance assays. Bioinformatics Analysis: Bioinformatics sequencing analysis will be conducted on evolved resistant isolates to understand resistance mechanisms. Professional Development: The project will facilitate the professional development of an early career researcher (ECR), who will gain skills in microbiology, bioinformatics, and industrial chemistry. The ECR will work across MTIF and MetalloBio, participating in company meetings to enhance interdisciplinary knowledge. Project Management Experience: The principal investigator will gain valuable experience in project and line management, while advancing ties with the industrial sector. Academic mentorship by a senior collaborator will ensure the project's success. This multidisciplinary project combines industrial chemistry, microbiology, and bioinformatics, aligning with the "Ageing throughout life course" theme by developing interventions to prevent infections and support healthier living for longer. The collaboration between academia (NTU, University of Sheffield) and industry (MetalloBio, MTIF) will ultimately support MetalloBio Ltd. in securing larger grant funding and external investment, and will be essential for supporting the approval process to initiate a First in Human clinical study, with the ultimate goal of bringing antimicrobial products to market. |
| Impact | Outputs and Outcomes from the Collaboration Antimicrobial Efficacy Data: Generation of data on 30 novel antimicrobial analogues derived from MetalloBio's lead compounds KLS116/KLS219, advancing the development of a robust class of antimicrobials to prevent chronic infections. Skill Development: Significant upskilling of an early career researcher (ECR) in microbiology, bioinformatics, sequencing analysis, resistance mechanisms, drug development, and industrial chemistry. Participation in technical meetings at MetalloBio and MTIF provided valuable industrial insights. Project Management Experience: Enhancement of project management and line management skills for the principal investigator (PI), supported by academic mentorship from a senior collaborator. Societal and Economic Impact: Addressing the urgent need for new antimicrobials for preventative and therapeutic use, particularly to reduce hospital-acquired infections like CAUTI. This supports healthier living for the aging population. Collaborative Publications and Grant Applications: Preparation for collaborative publications and larger grant applications (e.g., CARB-X, INCATE). Data generated will contribute to a preclinical package for regulatory submission, essential for initiating a First in Human clinical study. Commercialisation: Supporting the long-term aim of commercialising the compounds, delivering substantial health and economic benefits for the UK. This project is interdisciplinary and cross-sector, involving the following disciplines: Biosciences, Chemistry, Industry-Academia Collaboration Funding this project has resulted in job creation (Researcher), data for the SME to develop towards regulatory approval, strengthening industry-academia collaboration, and early career researcher development. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium FTMA funding call 1: funded project BZC_2024_005 |
| Organisation | Coventry University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We acted as the funder for FTMA funding call 1 (2024/25) of the Blue Zone Consortium. We awarded funds to this collaborative project to enable it to go ahead. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project title: Modelling Multimorbidity of Metabolic Conditions Among Elderly People in Ondo State, Nigeria: A Data-Driven Approach Integrating Machine Learning and Biostatistical Methods. Our partners will significantly contribute to this collaboration by leveraging their expertise in biostatistics, health data science, and geriatric care to address the rising issue of metabolic multimorbidity (MM) among elderly populations in Ondo State of Nigeria (ODSoN). This project aims to assess the prevalence and patterns of MM, apply machine learning (ML) algorithms to identify clusters, examine the association between MM and quality of life, build a predictive model, and develop a decision-support system for monitoring MM progression and optimizing management strategies. Key contributions include: Data Collection and Analysis: The ODSoN Ministry of Health's Research and Planning Unit will provide access to data on metabolic conditions and lifestyles, which will be extracted and analyzed using ML algorithms to identify clusters of MM and build predictive models. Capacity Building: The project will enhance the capacity of the ODSoN Ministry of Health's Research and Statistics Unit staff in multimorbidity modelling, through training and knowledge transfer activities. Stakeholder Engagement: A representative from Coventry University will collaborate with local experts, including a Research Lead in Demography and Aging and a Community Health Consultant, to implement the project. This includes engaging stakeholders, validating predictive models, and integrating ML tools. Development of Decision-Support System: The project will develop a decision-support system to monitor MM progression and optimize management strategies, providing valuable tools for healthcare providers in ODSoN. Policy Brief Development: The collaboration will result in the development of policy briefs to inform healthcare strategies and interventions for managing MM among the elderly. This interdisciplinary project aligns with the Blue Zone consortium themes of metabolism, healthy ageing, and transformative technologies, as well as UKRI's strategic focus on securing better health, ageing, and well-being. It combines expertise in biostatistics, ML, geriatric care, and public health to address health inequalities and improve population health outcomes. |
| Impact | Outputs and Outcomes from the Collaboration Comprehensive Data: Collection of extensive data on metabolic conditions among the elderly, which can be used for further studies in the region. Understanding of Metabolic Multimorbidity: Improved knowledge of the prevalence, patterns, and clustering of metabolic multimorbidity. Risk Stratification: Better identification of at-risk elderly groups with metabolic conditions. Healthcare Utilization Insights: Increased understanding of how metabolic multimorbidity affects healthcare utilization, quality of life, and long-term outcomes. Targeted Interventions: Enhanced ability to target interventions based on identified risk factors and multimorbidity clusters. Optimized Patient Management: Development of optimized patient management strategies based on decision-support system recommendations. Improved Patient Outcomes: Better patient outcomes through personalized treatment plans and early interventions. Capacity Building: Enhanced capacity among researchers and health professionals for metabolic multimorbidity modelling. Advanced Modelling Techniques: Greater use of advanced modelling techniques in healthcare decision-making and policy formulation. Informed Policymakers: Better-informed policymakers regarding metabolic multimorbidity management. Stakeholder Awareness: Increased awareness and action for more effective metabolic multimorbidity interventions and policy decisions among stakeholders. Modelling Capacity: Capacity for multimorbidity modelling of other health conditions. Stronger Collaborations: Strengthened collaborations to improve health outcomes among the elderly with metabolic multimorbidity and other ageing-related conditions. This project is interdisciplinary and cross-sector, involving the following disciplines: Biosciences, Healthcare, Healthcare Sector-Academia International Collaboration Funding this project has created a new international cross-sector collaboration, enhancing professional development for both technical and early career researchers. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium FTMA funding call 1: funded project BZC_2024_007 |
| Organisation | Northumbria University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We acted as the funder for FTMA funding call 1 (2024/25) of the Blue Zone Consortium. We awarded funds to this collaborative project to enable it to go ahead. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project title: Development and feasibility of an app-based bike fitting tool for improving comfort and reducing injury risk in older adult novice cyclists Our partners will significantly contribute to this collaboration by leveraging their expertise in bike fitting and musculoskeletal modelling to improve cycling comfort and adherence among older adults. This project aims to compare AI-driven bike fitting recommendations from the MyVeloFit app with those of a human expert, assess the app's effectiveness in enhancing comfort, and explore the feasibility of using video data to drive an OpenSim musculoskeletal model for estimating internal body loads. Key contributions include: Expert Assessment and AI Comparison: Phil Burt, a professional bike fitter, will assess videos of older adults using the MyVeloFit app for bike fitting. His recommendations will be compared with those generated by the AI to evaluate the app's effectiveness in improving cycling comfort. Experimental Testing: Twenty older adults will be recruited to participate in bike fitting sessions using the MyVeloFit app. Their comfort levels will be assessed after riding in self-selected and AI-recommended positions, providing valuable data on the app's impact on comfort. Musculoskeletal Modelling: Burnie and Wheat will collaborate with Riveros-Matthey from the University of Queensland to implement a process for driving an OpenSim musculoskeletal model using video data from the MyVeloFit app. This will be a first step towards estimating musculoskeletal loading, which is crucial for understanding injury risk and comfort. Professional Development: The project will support the development of Burnie, an early career researcher, and Pearson, a technician completing his PhD. Wheat will provide mentorship and guidance, fostering their growth and enhancing their research careers. This interdisciplinary project aligns with the Healthy Ageing Through the Life Course and Transformative Technologies to Tackle Health Inequalities themes of the Blue Zone consortium, combining expertise in biosciences, AI, and clinical engineering to optimize health outcomes for older adults. |
| Impact | Outputs or Outcomes from the Collaboration Independent Assessment: Evaluation of the AI-driven MyVeloFit app for bike fitting in older adults, focusing on improving rider comfort. Expert Comparison: Comparison of bike fitting recommendations from the AI app to those of an expert bike fitter to assess validity. Pipeline Development: Creation of tools to use phone video from the MyVeloFit app to drive an OpenSim musculoskeletal model, enhancing the current approach for estimating joint loads. New Collaborations: Strengthening of collaborations between Northumbria University, Nottingham Trent University, the University of Queensland, Phil Burt Innovations Ltd, and MyVeloFit. Future funding applications will be pursued to assess the app's use in rehabilitation. Joint Publications: Two planned publications in international peer-reviewed journals: "Feasibility of an app-based bike fitting tool for improving comfort during cycling in older novice cyclists" in Plos One, BMC Public Health, or Frontiers in Aging. "Use of single phone or webcam video to drive an OpenSim musculoskeletal model of cycling" in Journal of Biomechanics. Societal and Economic Impact: The MyVeloFit app could democratize high-quality bike fitting, enabling more older adults to enjoy cycling and gain health benefits. It could also be used by clinicians to set up bikes for patients with clinical conditions, reducing pain and injury risk. This project is interdisciplinary and cross-sector, involving the following disciplines: Biosciences, AI and Machine Learning, Clinical Engineering. Funding this project has resulted in a cross-sector international collaboration, technical professional development, and early career research professional development. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium FTMA funding call 1: funded project BZC_2024_007 |
| Organisation | University of Queensland |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We acted as the funder for FTMA funding call 1 (2024/25) of the Blue Zone Consortium. We awarded funds to this collaborative project to enable it to go ahead. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project title: Development and feasibility of an app-based bike fitting tool for improving comfort and reducing injury risk in older adult novice cyclists Our partners will significantly contribute to this collaboration by leveraging their expertise in bike fitting and musculoskeletal modelling to improve cycling comfort and adherence among older adults. This project aims to compare AI-driven bike fitting recommendations from the MyVeloFit app with those of a human expert, assess the app's effectiveness in enhancing comfort, and explore the feasibility of using video data to drive an OpenSim musculoskeletal model for estimating internal body loads. Key contributions include: Expert Assessment and AI Comparison: Phil Burt, a professional bike fitter, will assess videos of older adults using the MyVeloFit app for bike fitting. His recommendations will be compared with those generated by the AI to evaluate the app's effectiveness in improving cycling comfort. Experimental Testing: Twenty older adults will be recruited to participate in bike fitting sessions using the MyVeloFit app. Their comfort levels will be assessed after riding in self-selected and AI-recommended positions, providing valuable data on the app's impact on comfort. Musculoskeletal Modelling: Burnie and Wheat will collaborate with Riveros-Matthey from the University of Queensland to implement a process for driving an OpenSim musculoskeletal model using video data from the MyVeloFit app. This will be a first step towards estimating musculoskeletal loading, which is crucial for understanding injury risk and comfort. Professional Development: The project will support the development of Burnie, an early career researcher, and Pearson, a technician completing his PhD. Wheat will provide mentorship and guidance, fostering their growth and enhancing their research careers. This interdisciplinary project aligns with the Healthy Ageing Through the Life Course and Transformative Technologies to Tackle Health Inequalities themes of the Blue Zone consortium, combining expertise in biosciences, AI, and clinical engineering to optimize health outcomes for older adults. |
| Impact | Outputs or Outcomes from the Collaboration Independent Assessment: Evaluation of the AI-driven MyVeloFit app for bike fitting in older adults, focusing on improving rider comfort. Expert Comparison: Comparison of bike fitting recommendations from the AI app to those of an expert bike fitter to assess validity. Pipeline Development: Creation of tools to use phone video from the MyVeloFit app to drive an OpenSim musculoskeletal model, enhancing the current approach for estimating joint loads. New Collaborations: Strengthening of collaborations between Northumbria University, Nottingham Trent University, the University of Queensland, Phil Burt Innovations Ltd, and MyVeloFit. Future funding applications will be pursued to assess the app's use in rehabilitation. Joint Publications: Two planned publications in international peer-reviewed journals: "Feasibility of an app-based bike fitting tool for improving comfort during cycling in older novice cyclists" in Plos One, BMC Public Health, or Frontiers in Aging. "Use of single phone or webcam video to drive an OpenSim musculoskeletal model of cycling" in Journal of Biomechanics. Societal and Economic Impact: The MyVeloFit app could democratize high-quality bike fitting, enabling more older adults to enjoy cycling and gain health benefits. It could also be used by clinicians to set up bikes for patients with clinical conditions, reducing pain and injury risk. This project is interdisciplinary and cross-sector, involving the following disciplines: Biosciences, AI and Machine Learning, Clinical Engineering. Funding this project has resulted in a cross-sector international collaboration, technical professional development, and early career research professional development. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium FTMA funding call 1: funded project BZC_2024_009 |
| Organisation | Italian National Research Council |
| Country | Italy |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We acted as the funder for FTMA funding call 1 (2024/25) of the Blue Zone Consortium. We awarded funds to this collaborative project to enable it to go ahead. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project title: Skills development placement: Understanding how to apply mathematical models to physiological concepts. Our partners will significantly contribute to this collaboration by providing expertise in mathematical modelling to enhance the understanding of metabolic health and disease prevention. This partnership involves a placement at the Institute of Neuroscience in Padua, Italy, where the focus will be on developing novel skills in mathematical modelling of physiological concepts in metabolism. Key contributions include: Mentorship and Training: Prof. Mari and Dr. Bizzotto, world-leading authorities in mathematical modelling, will mentor and train in the use of MATLAB programming software and mathematical modelling techniques. This training will focus on quantifying glucose homeostasis and physiological concepts such as ß-cell function, insulin clearance, and insulin sensitivity. Application of Mathematical Modelling: The partners will apply mathematical modelling to a dataset collected from a metabolic physiology study at the Diabetes Research Centre (DRC). This will enable the quantification and prediction of complex interactions within metabolic pathways, providing a better understanding of how dietary and lifestyle interventions impact human health. Interdisciplinary Collaboration: This collaboration will enhance interdisciplinary research within the DRC, combining expertise in human experimental physiology with advanced mathematical modelling techniques. The partnership will establish an ongoing international collaboration, fostering long-term opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaborative research. Career Development: The placement will significantly enhance the academic career trajectory of the early career nutrition scientist involved, building on their existing expertise and providing hands-on experience in programming and applying mathematical models to metabolic physiology. This experience will lay the groundwork for future projects and collaborations, including potential Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs). Overall, this collaboration aims to optimize human health and prevent disease by advancing the understanding of metabolic processes through sophisticated mathematical modelling techniques. |
| Impact | Outputs or Outcomes from the Collaboration New Subject Expertise: Development of expertise in systems biology, enabling the formulation of novel research questions that combine metabolic physiology and mathematical modelling. This will lead to the preparation and submission of project grant funding applications to explore dietary interventions on complex physiological processes. New Skills in Mathematical Modelling: Acquisition of skills in mathematical modelling of physiological concepts, including the use of MATLAB programming software. This supports both immediate and long-term career goals by enabling the application of modelling techniques to existing physiological studies and enhancing the understanding of metabolism quantification. International, Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Establishment of an ongoing collaboration that provides long-term opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaborative projects. Conference Presentation: Preparation of an abstract reporting the results of data analyzed using new models for presentation at a metabolic physiology conference. This project is interdisciplinary and cross-sector, involving the following disciplines: Biosciences, Mathematical Modelling, Academia-Industry Collaboration Funding this project has led to early career researcher professional development and the formation of a new international collaboration. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium FTMA funding call 1: funded project BZC_2024_009 |
| Organisation | University of Leicester |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We acted as the funder for FTMA funding call 1 (2024/25) of the Blue Zone Consortium. We awarded funds to this collaborative project to enable it to go ahead. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project title: Skills development placement: Understanding how to apply mathematical models to physiological concepts. Our partners will significantly contribute to this collaboration by providing expertise in mathematical modelling to enhance the understanding of metabolic health and disease prevention. This partnership involves a placement at the Institute of Neuroscience in Padua, Italy, where the focus will be on developing novel skills in mathematical modelling of physiological concepts in metabolism. Key contributions include: Mentorship and Training: Prof. Mari and Dr. Bizzotto, world-leading authorities in mathematical modelling, will mentor and train in the use of MATLAB programming software and mathematical modelling techniques. This training will focus on quantifying glucose homeostasis and physiological concepts such as ß-cell function, insulin clearance, and insulin sensitivity. Application of Mathematical Modelling: The partners will apply mathematical modelling to a dataset collected from a metabolic physiology study at the Diabetes Research Centre (DRC). This will enable the quantification and prediction of complex interactions within metabolic pathways, providing a better understanding of how dietary and lifestyle interventions impact human health. Interdisciplinary Collaboration: This collaboration will enhance interdisciplinary research within the DRC, combining expertise in human experimental physiology with advanced mathematical modelling techniques. The partnership will establish an ongoing international collaboration, fostering long-term opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaborative research. Career Development: The placement will significantly enhance the academic career trajectory of the early career nutrition scientist involved, building on their existing expertise and providing hands-on experience in programming and applying mathematical models to metabolic physiology. This experience will lay the groundwork for future projects and collaborations, including potential Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs). Overall, this collaboration aims to optimize human health and prevent disease by advancing the understanding of metabolic processes through sophisticated mathematical modelling techniques. |
| Impact | Outputs or Outcomes from the Collaboration New Subject Expertise: Development of expertise in systems biology, enabling the formulation of novel research questions that combine metabolic physiology and mathematical modelling. This will lead to the preparation and submission of project grant funding applications to explore dietary interventions on complex physiological processes. New Skills in Mathematical Modelling: Acquisition of skills in mathematical modelling of physiological concepts, including the use of MATLAB programming software. This supports both immediate and long-term career goals by enabling the application of modelling techniques to existing physiological studies and enhancing the understanding of metabolism quantification. International, Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Establishment of an ongoing collaboration that provides long-term opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaborative projects. Conference Presentation: Preparation of an abstract reporting the results of data analyzed using new models for presentation at a metabolic physiology conference. This project is interdisciplinary and cross-sector, involving the following disciplines: Biosciences, Mathematical Modelling, Academia-Industry Collaboration Funding this project has led to early career researcher professional development and the formation of a new international collaboration. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium FTMA funding call 1: funded project BZC_2024_010 |
| Organisation | De Montfort University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We acted as the funder for FTMA funding call 1 (2024/25) of the Blue Zone Consortium. We awarded funds to this collaborative project to enable it to go ahead. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project title: Identifying and predicting T2DM and its remission through urine biomarker assessment. Our partners will significantly contribute to this collaboration by leveraging their expertise in neural network analyses and biomarker quantification to predict type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remission following bariatric surgery. Working alongside Intellomx, they will create neural networks and perform cluster analysis on existing data to identify proteins that most impact surgery outcomes. This will involve analyzing urine samples from 43 Caucasian women with obesity and T2DM, previously collected and analyzed via mass spectrometry, which identified 57 differentially expressed proteins. Intellomx will provide training and mentorship to Dr. Murphy, enabling the creation of neural networks using their software. This collaboration will enhance Dr. Murphy's skills in modeling large protein datasets and lay the groundwork for future projects, including a potential Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Intellomx for larger-scale population insights. Additionally, the project will involve high-protein liquid chromatography (HPLC) of pre-surgery samples for absolute quantification of identified biomarkers. This will help develop a predictive model for T2DM remission, compare the sensitivity of different analytical equipment, and serve as a precursor to a protein-based lateral flow test (LFT). The project aligns with the UKRI theme of "Securing better health, ageing and wellbeing," focusing on advancing interventions that keep us healthier for longer. It also supports the Blue Zone consortium's "Metabolic Health" theme by understanding how protein biomarkers interact and impact T2DM status. This interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration involves biosciences, clinical engineering, and academia-industry partnerships, aiming to improve bariatric surgery success rates and provide health and economic benefits for patients and the NHS. |
| Impact | Outputs or Outcomes from the Collaboration Skill Development: Dr. Murphy will receive training and mentorship from Intellomx and Prof. Graham Ball, enhancing skills in analyzing and modeling large datasets. Quantitative Data: High-protein liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses will create novel quantitative data to develop a predictive model for surgery success. Sensitivity Comparison: Data from various analytical techniques (benchtop-NMR, high-field NMR, FAIMS, mass spectrometry) will be compared to assess the sensitivity of benchtop-NMR for analyzing urine samples in disease states. Publications: The research will lead to two publications: "Biomarkers in pre-surgery urine samples to predict type 2 diabetes mellitus remission in patients undergoing bariatric surgery" in Nutrients (2026). "Comparative technologies to assess metabolic health and type 2 diabetes mellitus status using human urine" in Clinical Chemistry (2026). Conference Presentations: The research will be presented at conferences such as the British Endocrine Society and the American Diabetes Association in 2025/2026. Future Grants: Applications for an EPSRC Network grant (May 2026) and an Innovate UK grant (June 2026) to expand the research to other diseases and develop a lateral flow test (LFT) for at-home testing. Societal and Economic Impact: The project aims to: Enable prediction of T2DM remission from non-invasive pre-surgery urine samples. Highlight benchtop-NMR as an affordable, portable, high-throughput screening method for T2DM. Lay the groundwork for developing a T2DM LFT for at-home testing. This project is interdisciplinary and cross-sector, involving the following disciplines: Biosciences, AI and Machine Learning, Academia-Industry Collaboration |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium FTMA funding call 1: funded project BZC_2024_013 |
| Organisation | Northumbria University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We acted as the funder for FTMA funding call 1 (2024/25) of the Blue Zone Consortium. We awarded funds to this collaborative project to enable it to go ahead. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project title: Investigating the effect of blood flow restriction exercise on acute markers of neuroplasticity and associated mechanisms in young and older adults Our partners will significantly contribute to this collaboration by investigating the potential of blood flow restriction (BFR) during low-intensity aerobic exercise (AE) to enhance neuroplasticity, particularly in ageing populations. Neuroplasticity, the nervous system's ability to adapt to stimuli through changes in neurochemical concentrations and neuronal structures, is crucial for maintaining functional independence and combating cognitive decline in older adults. High-intensity AE is known to promote neuroplasticity by reducing gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), increasing glutamate (Glu), and boosting brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. However, high-intensity AE is often not feasible for load-compromised individuals, such as older adults with sarcopenia, due to safety and tolerance issues. This presents a significant barrier to utilizing AE as an intervention for promoting neuroplasticity in these populations. Our partners' innovative approach involves using BFR during low-intensity AE to achieve similar neuroplastic benefits as high-intensity AE. BFR has been successfully implemented in the NHS for orthopedic rehabilitation and has shown potential as a rehabilitation tool for individuals with neurological conditions and older adults. Performing BFR during low-load resistance exercise has been found to increase corticomotor excitability and BDNF levels, suggesting its promise for enhancing neuroplasticity. This ongoing project aims to quantify the effects of BFR during low-intensity AE on acute markers of neuroplasticity and compare these outcomes between young and older adults. It is hypothesized that BFR during low-intensity AE will result in neuroplastic responses comparable to those induced by high-intensity AE, potentially offering a viable and effective intervention for load-compromised individuals. |
| Impact | Outputs or Outcomes from the Collaboration Skill Development: Team members will gain new skills, such as using transcranial magnetic stimulation to assess cortical excitability and applying blood flow restriction (BFR) techniques. Publication: The combination of methodologies will result in a publication addressing a novel physiological research question using cutting-edge techniques. Industry Support: An industry partner will provide significant in-kind contributions, including Personalised Tourniquet Systems for BFR. Proof-of-Concept: The project will act as proof-of-concept work, potentially leading to funding for a full-time PhD studentship. Future Research Grant: The team aims to apply for a BBSRC Responsive Mode Research Grant to conduct a longitudinal randomized control trial on the efficacy of BFR and AE in promoting functional independence in elderly and/or frail populations. Home-Based Version Development: The industry partner is interested in developing a home-based version of their hardware to increase access and reduce the economic and time burden on healthcare infrastructure. Postdoctoral Researcher: A funded postdoctoral researcher will lead the data collection for this project, supported by the team's expertise in blood flow restriction and neurophysiology. Multi-Disciplinary Collaboration This project is interdisciplinary and cross-sector, involving the following disciplines: Biosciences, Clinical Engineering, Academia-Industry Collaboration |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium FTMA funding call 1: funded project BZC_2024_014 |
| Organisation | Loughborough University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We acted as the funder for FTMA funding call 1 (2024/25) of the Blue Zone Consortium. We awarded funds to this collaborative project to enable it to go ahead. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project title: Exploring greater meaningfulness from digital biomarkers through an industry academic collaborative needs assessment. Digital biomarkers derived from sensor data are a digital representation of clinical endpoints, which can reflect how a person feels, functions or survives. Collected from digital health technologies, such as wearables and external sensors, digital biomarkers can provide valuable insights into the health status of individuals over time. A substantial barrier for the uptake of digital tools within healthcare is the amount of digital and health literacy that is required for the biomarkers to be accessible and understandable. If we are to support people to live healthier lives for longer, manage multiple long-term conditions and reduce health inequalities, then digital biomarkers should be made more accessible, relevant, interpretable, but also more meaningful. This should improve their uptake and usage in health-based interventions and longer-term health surveillance. An early career researcher (Loughborough) that analyses data from wearable devices to help inform interventions that aims to support behaviour change and improve health outcomes. His current work is investigating how to generate behaviour change through exploring meaningful change outcomes in digital biomarkers such as from accelerometers. The Vice President of Product Intelligence and Positioning, and Principal eCOA Science from Signant Health and Senior Visiting Professor, Medical Engineering Design Research Group at Nottingham Trent University has experience in the end-to-end pipeline of electronic clinical outcome assessment development, and the development of meaningfulness and interpretability of clinical endpoints. This project aims to establish an industry-academic collaboration through a short-term knowledge exchange, and thought leadership development, to support the advancement of meaningfulness in health-related research. The resulting knowledge exchange between academia and industry will advance the ECR's development by providing him with an insight into industry-healthcare partnerships, and how meaningful clinical outcomes can be embedded in data collection, analyses and interpretation. This project aligns with patients living well across the lifespan and using data from transformative digital health technologies, which are two of the Blue Zone Consortium themes. This project also aligns with the UKRI strategic themes as we will investigate the greater uptake of digital biomarkers through exploring digital health and data science, to support population health improvement across the life course and reduce health inequalities or those people living with long-term conditions. |
| Impact | Funding this project supported early career researcher professional development and the establishment of a new cross sector (academia-industry) collaboration. The experienced team will support ECR professional development of cross-sector projects and will support paper publication. As part of this collaboration, Signant Heath will deliver in-person workshop events (x3), a collaboration sandpit meeting to scope future research opportunities with the wider Loughborough University team (including other early career researchers, post-doctoral researchers and technicians), further follow up collaboration meetings (x2), and provide 5 months of support to the team throughout the life of the project. The ECR will develop knowledge and skills in the definition of meaningful measures and the evaluation of meaningful change in clinical research, the development of digital biomarker development and validation. His current work is investigating how cohort data can be used to provide tailored recommendations based on clinically meaningful changes in a range of outcomes. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium FTMA funding call 1: funded project BZC_2024_014 |
| Organisation | Signant Health |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We acted as the funder for FTMA funding call 1 (2024/25) of the Blue Zone Consortium. We awarded funds to this collaborative project to enable it to go ahead. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project title: Exploring greater meaningfulness from digital biomarkers through an industry academic collaborative needs assessment. Digital biomarkers derived from sensor data are a digital representation of clinical endpoints, which can reflect how a person feels, functions or survives. Collected from digital health technologies, such as wearables and external sensors, digital biomarkers can provide valuable insights into the health status of individuals over time. A substantial barrier for the uptake of digital tools within healthcare is the amount of digital and health literacy that is required for the biomarkers to be accessible and understandable. If we are to support people to live healthier lives for longer, manage multiple long-term conditions and reduce health inequalities, then digital biomarkers should be made more accessible, relevant, interpretable, but also more meaningful. This should improve their uptake and usage in health-based interventions and longer-term health surveillance. An early career researcher (Loughborough) that analyses data from wearable devices to help inform interventions that aims to support behaviour change and improve health outcomes. His current work is investigating how to generate behaviour change through exploring meaningful change outcomes in digital biomarkers such as from accelerometers. The Vice President of Product Intelligence and Positioning, and Principal eCOA Science from Signant Health and Senior Visiting Professor, Medical Engineering Design Research Group at Nottingham Trent University has experience in the end-to-end pipeline of electronic clinical outcome assessment development, and the development of meaningfulness and interpretability of clinical endpoints. This project aims to establish an industry-academic collaboration through a short-term knowledge exchange, and thought leadership development, to support the advancement of meaningfulness in health-related research. The resulting knowledge exchange between academia and industry will advance the ECR's development by providing him with an insight into industry-healthcare partnerships, and how meaningful clinical outcomes can be embedded in data collection, analyses and interpretation. This project aligns with patients living well across the lifespan and using data from transformative digital health technologies, which are two of the Blue Zone Consortium themes. This project also aligns with the UKRI strategic themes as we will investigate the greater uptake of digital biomarkers through exploring digital health and data science, to support population health improvement across the life course and reduce health inequalities or those people living with long-term conditions. |
| Impact | Funding this project supported early career researcher professional development and the establishment of a new cross sector (academia-industry) collaboration. The experienced team will support ECR professional development of cross-sector projects and will support paper publication. As part of this collaboration, Signant Heath will deliver in-person workshop events (x3), a collaboration sandpit meeting to scope future research opportunities with the wider Loughborough University team (including other early career researchers, post-doctoral researchers and technicians), further follow up collaboration meetings (x2), and provide 5 months of support to the team throughout the life of the project. The ECR will develop knowledge and skills in the definition of meaningful measures and the evaluation of meaningful change in clinical research, the development of digital biomarker development and validation. His current work is investigating how cohort data can be used to provide tailored recommendations based on clinically meaningful changes in a range of outcomes. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium FTMA funding call 1: funded project BZC_2024_015 |
| Organisation | Northumbria University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We acted as the funder for FTMA funding call 1 (2024/25) of the Blue Zone Consortium. We awarded funds to this collaborative project to enable it to go ahead. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project title: A knowledge driven approach to better management and symptomology across the menopause Menopause was the 3rd most selected topic by respondents for inclusion in the UK Government's Women's Health Strategy, with only 9% of respondents stating they had enough information about the menopause. There is a distinct need, that aligns directly with the UKRI strategic theme of securing better health, ageing and wellbeing, to support females through this milestone within the lifecourse. The aim of this research is to assess the feasibility of utilising a knowledge driven approach to improve management and symptomology associated with the menopause, whilst monitoring adaptations of the neuromuscular system. This short study will pilot and assess the feasibility of hosting a physical activity and knowledge exchange intervention, bespoke to menopausal females. The academics from NTU and Northumbria will design and run the intervention, the healthcare professionals will complete lab experiments to capture basic physical capabilities and neuromuscular assessments, with a view to assessing if any mechanistic changes may or may not be associated with perceptual improvements of wellbeing. |
| Impact | Funding this project supported researcher professional development and strengthening of collaboration between academia, an industry collaborator and the healthcare sector. This project explores the role of the menopause and its contribution to the sex-health paradox in older age. Specifically, we will build upon our previous mechanistic research in an attempt to develop a targeted knowledge driven intervention to alleviate menopausal symptoms. Findings will be disseminated across communities (particularly through our named partners) and work places to help provide menopausal females with bespoke means to improve their lived experiences of the menopause. The data achieved herein will then enable up scaling through larger UKRI bids; extending the length of the intervention, monitoring beyond the intervention, with the possibility of shaping into a health care technology to provide accessible information to all menopausal females, easing the ability to maintain physical activity levels. Through our ongoing work, primarily mechanistic approaches, we have established stakeholders that not only support our on going research but help with dissemination and recruitment for studies, these are; the MyAge Network, Society for Endocrinology, British Menopause Society, Osteoporosis Society and Age UK. Such stake holders will also be drawn upon here further strengthening the relationships. The outputs that are intended from such activities are in the form of skill development; enhancing the researchers skills towards qualitative research (supported by our co-applicant Dr Daniele Magistro). This will involve questionnaire data collection and leading focus groups and informal interviews. Such data will need to be transcribed and thematically analysed. It is intended here to support current PhD students and technical staff in leading such a longitudinal study (collection, analysis and dissemination), aligning with the consortiums aims of upskilling researchers and ECRs within the field. Data production will also be an intended output, importantly showcasing feasibility to incorporate into future large scale funding bids. Finally, immediate and future collaborations will be established between the researchers and industry partners at Precizion Health Ltd and public sector menopause clinics via Queens Medical Centre. The long term visions following on from the feasibility of the study herein would be to have both societal and economic impact; if health gaps between the sexes can be mitigated, by minimising the deconditioning and reduced quality of life through the menopausal a more equitable approach to health care provision will be achieved whilst reducing the economic cost of frailty and loss of independence. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium FTMA funding call 1: funded project BZC_2024_015 |
| Organisation | Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We acted as the funder for FTMA funding call 1 (2024/25) of the Blue Zone Consortium. We awarded funds to this collaborative project to enable it to go ahead. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Project title: A knowledge driven approach to better management and symptomology across the menopause Menopause was the 3rd most selected topic by respondents for inclusion in the UK Government's Women's Health Strategy, with only 9% of respondents stating they had enough information about the menopause. There is a distinct need, that aligns directly with the UKRI strategic theme of securing better health, ageing and wellbeing, to support females through this milestone within the lifecourse. The aim of this research is to assess the feasibility of utilising a knowledge driven approach to improve management and symptomology associated with the menopause, whilst monitoring adaptations of the neuromuscular system. This short study will pilot and assess the feasibility of hosting a physical activity and knowledge exchange intervention, bespoke to menopausal females. The academics from NTU and Northumbria will design and run the intervention, the healthcare professionals will complete lab experiments to capture basic physical capabilities and neuromuscular assessments, with a view to assessing if any mechanistic changes may or may not be associated with perceptual improvements of wellbeing. |
| Impact | Funding this project supported researcher professional development and strengthening of collaboration between academia, an industry collaborator and the healthcare sector. This project explores the role of the menopause and its contribution to the sex-health paradox in older age. Specifically, we will build upon our previous mechanistic research in an attempt to develop a targeted knowledge driven intervention to alleviate menopausal symptoms. Findings will be disseminated across communities (particularly through our named partners) and work places to help provide menopausal females with bespoke means to improve their lived experiences of the menopause. The data achieved herein will then enable up scaling through larger UKRI bids; extending the length of the intervention, monitoring beyond the intervention, with the possibility of shaping into a health care technology to provide accessible information to all menopausal females, easing the ability to maintain physical activity levels. Through our ongoing work, primarily mechanistic approaches, we have established stakeholders that not only support our on going research but help with dissemination and recruitment for studies, these are; the MyAge Network, Society for Endocrinology, British Menopause Society, Osteoporosis Society and Age UK. Such stake holders will also be drawn upon here further strengthening the relationships. The outputs that are intended from such activities are in the form of skill development; enhancing the researchers skills towards qualitative research (supported by our co-applicant Dr Daniele Magistro). This will involve questionnaire data collection and leading focus groups and informal interviews. Such data will need to be transcribed and thematically analysed. It is intended here to support current PhD students and technical staff in leading such a longitudinal study (collection, analysis and dissemination), aligning with the consortiums aims of upskilling researchers and ECRs within the field. Data production will also be an intended output, importantly showcasing feasibility to incorporate into future large scale funding bids. Finally, immediate and future collaborations will be established between the researchers and industry partners at Precizion Health Ltd and public sector menopause clinics via Queens Medical Centre. The long term visions following on from the feasibility of the study herein would be to have both societal and economic impact; if health gaps between the sexes can be mitigated, by minimising the deconditioning and reduced quality of life through the menopausal a more equitable approach to health care provision will be achieved whilst reducing the economic cost of frailty and loss of independence. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | FTMA funding call 2: NTU-Cell Guidance Systems PeptiGel Antimicrobial Collaboration |
| Organisation | Cell Guidance Systems Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funded the project for the collaboration |
| Collaborator Contribution | The NTU research team leads the scientific design and delivery of the study, undertaking testing of 11 different PeptiGel products under physiologically relevant conditions in the presence and absence of Gram-negative clinical bacteria and antimicrobial peptides. They perform all laboratory assays, stability assessments, data analysis and interpretation, while also supervising and training a research technician to gain experience in translational microbiology and industrial collaboration. Cell Guidance Systems contributes in-kind support, providing specialist guidance on PeptiGel properties, translational considerations and their potential as delivery matrices. CGS also supplies a 10% discount on PeptiGel products purchased for the project and offers continued advisory input throughout the study. No direct cash contribution is provided, but the industrial know-how and product-specific advice are essential to testing feasibility and planning future co-developed antimicrobial delivery systems. |
| Impact | This collaboration is generating new knowledge on the suitability of PeptiGels as delivery systems for antimicrobial peptides targeting Gram-negative ESKAPE pathogens, alongside data on peptide stability within novel matrices. It also builds NTU's translational research capacity through exposure to industrial R&D processes and supports future joint publications, public-engagement activities and grant applications, including BBSRC and MRC opportunities. The work spans microbiology, materials science, antimicrobial therapeutics and healthy-ageing research. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | FTMA funding call 2: NTU-NHS Gut Microbiome & Immune Ageing Collaboration |
| Organisation | Princess Grace Hospital London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Hospitals |
| PI Contribution | Funded the project for the collaboration |
| Collaborator Contribution | The NTU team leads all aspects of study design, participant recruitment, physical-function assessment, gut microbiome sampling, T-cell immunophenotyping and the construction of the IMM-AGE immune health metric. They also deliver specialist laboratory training, with the lead applicant providing hands-on instruction in flow cytometry to build new technical capacity within the team. All data collection, analysis and integration of physical activity, microbiome and immune biomarkers are conducted by the academic group. The NHS collaborator provides in-kind clinical expertise, offering specialist interpretation of gastrointestinal health, age-related gut variation and clinical relevance of microbiome findings. This contribution helps contextualise research outcomes and supports clinical translation. No direct financial input or equipment contributions are provided by the partner. |
| Impact | This collaboration is generating a unique dataset linking physical activity, gut microbiota composition, T-cell immune ageing markers and functional performance in older adults. It strengthens laboratory capacity through training in flow cytometry, supports new cross-disciplinary links with the John van Geest Cancer Research Centre, and lays the foundation for future intervention studies targeting immune ageing. The work is multidisciplinary, combining exercise science, immunology, microbiology, ageing research and clinical gastroenterology, with potential to inform community-based health strategies that promote healthy ageing. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | FTMA funding call 2: NTU-Peptimatrix ReSeT T-Cell Senescence Collaboration |
| Organisation | PeptiMatrix |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Funded the project for the collaboration |
| Collaborator Contribution | The NTU team leads the development of a 2D/3D co-culture model of T-cell senescence using AML cell lines, performing all laboratory work, bioinformatics analyses, assay development and CRISPR gene-editing investigations. The team generates the full data set on senescence signatures and gene targets, provides training for an early-career researcher, and drives the translational immunology component of the project through assay design, experimental optimisation and data interpretation. Peptimatrix Ltd contributes in-kind support valued at £7,500, providing one hour per month of consultancy (£3,000), ongoing technical support (£3,000) and free hydrogel materials (£1,500) required to build the 3D tissue-like co-culture systems. Their expertise in hydrogel behaviour and application is essential for constructing physiologically relevant models and for future commercial discussions. No direct cash funding is provided. |
| Impact | This collaboration is generating the first in-vitro 2D/3D T-cell senescence model using animal-free hydrogels that more accurately recreate the AML-T-cell microenvironment. It is producing new mechanistic data on senescence signatures, potential gene-editing targets and peptide delivery matrices, underpinning future joint publications and major funding applications. The collaboration also strengthens translational capability at NTU and deepens ties with a biotechnology SME, enabling future student placements, consultancy and knowledge-exchange activity. It is multidisciplinary, involving immunology, oncology, bioinformatics, gene editing, biomaterials and healthy ageing research. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | FTMA funding call 2: NTU-UoN Advanced Electron Microscopy for EV Ageing Collaboration |
| Organisation | University of Nottingham |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funded the project for the collaboration |
| Collaborator Contribution | The NTU team leads the biological design and conceptual framework of the project, including hypothesis development around extracellular vesicle movement in aged extracellular matrix, sample preparation, and the interpretation of nanoscale EV-matrix interactions. NTU researchers also supply specialist expertise in EV biology and fibrosis, develop imaging protocols in collaboration with UoN physicists, and generate the biological samples required for cryo-EM and GLC-TEM imaging. The project also provides advanced training for the NTU research fellow in cutting-edge imaging technologies. The University of Nottingham contributes in-kind support through access to their electron-microscopy facilities, including cryo-EM, graphene liquid-cell TEM, sample-preparation equipment, and expert technical oversight. This includes £1,500 of in-kind support from the nmRC for chemicals and additional staff time, alongside sustained technical training and method-development input from UoN imaging specialists. No direct cash contribution is provided, but their methodological and facility support is essential for the feasibility of the project. |
| Impact | This collaboration is generating high-resolution data on extracellular vesicle morphology, movement and matrix interactions under ageing and fibrotic conditions, using emerging cryo-EM and GLC-TEM techniques. It provides new interdisciplinary capability across advanced materials imaging and EV biology, strengthens links between NTU and UoN, and will lead to joint publications, fellowship applications, and future BBSRC bids. The collaboration builds capacity for nanoscale ageing research and may ultimately reveal new mechanisms linking extracellular matrix stiffening to altered EV-mediated communication in ageing tissues. Disciplines involved include imaging physics, nanotechnology, cell biology and healthy-ageing research. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | FTMA funding call 2: TNorthumbria-Harvard-WCE Bone Blood Flow & BFR Collaboration |
| Organisation | Harvard University |
| Department | Harvard Medical School |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funded the project for the collaboration |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Northumbria research team leads the scientific design, ethics, participant recruitment and testing, conducting all vascular physiology, DEXA, bone blood-flow assessments and BFR protocols across young and older adults. The team also develops a UK-based version of the NIRS device, carries out all human experimental data collection and analysis, and coordinates project management and reporting. The collaboration also provides major training opportunities for technical and early-career researchers within the team. Harvard Medical School contributes in-kind support through training of all research staff in use of the custom NIRS device, oversight of bone-perfusion data collection and analysis, and technical expertise in interpreting vascular mechanisms underlying bone perfusion. No direct funding is provided. Western Clinical Engineering Ltd provides an in-kind contribution in the form of a prototype third-generation personalised tourniquet system for BFR research, valued at £7,500, alongside expert guidance on device use and its potential application for older adults. They provide no direct cash funding but contribute equipment and development support. Total industry in-kind support for the project amounts to £17,559 |
| Impact | This collaboration is generating the first dataset examining bone blood-flow regulation in older adults, combining NIRS-based tibial perfusion measurement, blood-flow-restriction exercise testing and bone health assessment. It upskills the Northumbria team in newly developed NIRS technology through direct training from Harvard Medical School, while enabling Western Clinical Engineering Ltd to test the research applicability of their next-generation BFR system in an ageing population. The project establishes new international academic collaboration and a new industry partnership, supports early-career development, and lays the foundation for a future BBSRC funding application and a planned longitudinal trial. Disciplines involved include vascular physiology, musculoskeletal ageing, biomedical engineering, neurovascular assessment and exercise science |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | FTMA funding call 2: UCL-Durham-Northumbria-ISEH Menopause Ventilation Collaboration |
| Organisation | Durham University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funded the project for the collaboration |
| Collaborator Contribution | The UCL-led research team is responsible for the full design and delivery of the study, including recruitment of pre- and post-menopausal women, physiological testing across institutions, and coordination of ventilation, breathing pattern and perceptual assessments during low-intensity exercise. The team leads all data collection, analysis, and interpretation linked to hormonal status, ventilatory control, and dysfunctional breathing, while providing an early-career researcher with development opportunities across multi-institutional collaboration. Professor James Hull contributes specialist clinical expertise in breathlessness, dysfunctional breathing and cardiorespiratory exercise physiology, supporting the study's clinical relevance and interpretation of findings. This contribution is in-kind and does not involve direct funding. Durham University and Northumbria University contribute academically through co-investigator expertise in exercise physiology and data production, also as in-kind support with no direct partner funding. |
| Impact | This collaboration is generating new insights into menopause-related changes in ventilation, dysfunctional breathing and perceptions of breathlessness during exercise. It establishes a cross-institutional network between academic and clinical partners, supports early-career researcher development, and will produce joint publications and transferable methodological approaches for future clinical and applied research. Findings will inform future grant applications aimed at improving exercise participation and respiratory health in midlife women. The collaboration is multidisciplinary, spanning respiratory physiology, women's health, exercise science and clinical practice. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | FTMA funding call 2: UCL-Durham-Northumbria-ISEH Menopause Ventilation Collaboration |
| Organisation | University College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funded the project for the collaboration |
| Collaborator Contribution | The UCL-led research team is responsible for the full design and delivery of the study, including recruitment of pre- and post-menopausal women, physiological testing across institutions, and coordination of ventilation, breathing pattern and perceptual assessments during low-intensity exercise. The team leads all data collection, analysis, and interpretation linked to hormonal status, ventilatory control, and dysfunctional breathing, while providing an early-career researcher with development opportunities across multi-institutional collaboration. Professor James Hull contributes specialist clinical expertise in breathlessness, dysfunctional breathing and cardiorespiratory exercise physiology, supporting the study's clinical relevance and interpretation of findings. This contribution is in-kind and does not involve direct funding. Durham University and Northumbria University contribute academically through co-investigator expertise in exercise physiology and data production, also as in-kind support with no direct partner funding. |
| Impact | This collaboration is generating new insights into menopause-related changes in ventilation, dysfunctional breathing and perceptions of breathlessness during exercise. It establishes a cross-institutional network between academic and clinical partners, supports early-career researcher development, and will produce joint publications and transferable methodological approaches for future clinical and applied research. Findings will inform future grant applications aimed at improving exercise participation and respiratory health in midlife women. The collaboration is multidisciplinary, spanning respiratory physiology, women's health, exercise science and clinical practice. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | FTMA funding call 2: UoN-Campus Biotech Neurophysiology and Neuroplasticity Collaboration |
| Organisation | Campus Biotech |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Funded the project for the collaboration |
| Collaborator Contribution | The UoN team contributed: Design and delivery of the integrated neurophysiology protocol, combining high-density EMG, high-density EEG, and fMRI to assess central and peripheral motor pathways in older adults. Participant recruitment and all human data collection at Royal Derby Hospital neurophysiology laboratories and at the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre. Development and implementation of novel combined measurement approaches, including EEG/EMG integration and fMRI during dynamic contractions. Upskilling of clinical and technical staff, with the clinical measurement technician receiving training in HD-EEG implementation during motor tasks. Coordination and management of the pilot dataset, which includes neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and functional assessments. Partner contributions from Campus Biotech included: Specialised expertise in HD-EEG application for functional motor tasks, guiding implementation of EEG alongside HD-EMG. Hands-on oversight of EEG integration into the study's neurophysiological assessments. Unfunded in-kind contribution of time and expertise, supporting training and protocol optimisation. |
| Impact | Establishment of a novel integrated workflow combining HD-EMG, HD-EEG, and fMRI to examine central-peripheral motor pathway function in older adults. Generation of a unique multimodal dataset (fMRI, HD-EMG, HD-EEG, functional assessments) to be made freely available to the scientific community. [Piasecki_U...-Form-2025 | Word] Training outputs: upskilling of UoN staff in HD-EEG acquisition through direct collaboration with Campus Biotech. Strengthened international partnership enabling future collaborative studies on neural plasticity in ageing. Foundation for future methods-focused publication(s) and future grant proposals (to be reported under the appropriate Researchfish sections when produced). Multidisciplinary integration across neuroscience, neuroimaging, electrophysiology, motor control, and ageing research. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Partnership between NTU, University of Leicester and Northumbria University to create the UK Healthy Ageing Innovation Consortium |
| Organisation | Northumbria University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The Consortium team at NTU reached out to the University of Leicester and Northumbria University to create a Consortium in Healthy Ageing. We led the application to the BBSRC for FTMA funding for this consortium. NTU is the recipient of current funding for the consortium and for leading on the administration and operational processes for the consortium. NTU contributed project co-ordinator (100% FTE for the lifetime of the award) and project officer (80% FTE for the lifetime of the award) time to support operational processes. Dr McLean is the NTU Director of the UKHAIC, she leads in development of the consortium and chairs the review panel for funding awards. The UKHAIC project team have led on creating the required governance structure, EDI policy, creating the first networking event for the consortium, organising delivery of the training programs, and administration of the FTMA funding awards. NTU leads on the consortium theme: Innovative technologies to tackle health inequalities. Please note the Blue Zone Consortium changed its name to the UK Healthy Ageing Innovation Consortium in January 2025 - use of either name refers to the same funded consortium under this grant. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Dr Ansdell (Northumbria University) and Professor Tan (University of Leicester) supported creation of the consortium and co-led the application for BBSRC FMTA funding. Northumbria University leads on the consortium theme: Healthy ageing across the life course. The University of Leicester lead on the consortium theme: Metabolic health. Northumbria University will lead on creating the second networking event to take place in July 2025 and the University of Leicester will lead on creating the third networking event in 2026. Members of the project teams from Northumbria University and the University of Leicester sit on the review panel for FTMA funding calls and have contributed to governance and the first networking event. |
| Impact | The successful delivery of the UIIN impactful researcher and technical professional training program in 2024. Successful delivery of the first consortium networking event in January 2025 (~150 registered participants from across sectors). Successful award of 12 FTMA awards in our 2024 funding call. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Partnership between NTU, University of Leicester and Northumbria University to create the UK Healthy Ageing Innovation Consortium |
| Organisation | University of Leicester |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The Consortium team at NTU reached out to the University of Leicester and Northumbria University to create a Consortium in Healthy Ageing. We led the application to the BBSRC for FTMA funding for this consortium. NTU is the recipient of current funding for the consortium and for leading on the administration and operational processes for the consortium. NTU contributed project co-ordinator (100% FTE for the lifetime of the award) and project officer (80% FTE for the lifetime of the award) time to support operational processes. Dr McLean is the NTU Director of the UKHAIC, she leads in development of the consortium and chairs the review panel for funding awards. The UKHAIC project team have led on creating the required governance structure, EDI policy, creating the first networking event for the consortium, organising delivery of the training programs, and administration of the FTMA funding awards. NTU leads on the consortium theme: Innovative technologies to tackle health inequalities. Please note the Blue Zone Consortium changed its name to the UK Healthy Ageing Innovation Consortium in January 2025 - use of either name refers to the same funded consortium under this grant. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Dr Ansdell (Northumbria University) and Professor Tan (University of Leicester) supported creation of the consortium and co-led the application for BBSRC FMTA funding. Northumbria University leads on the consortium theme: Healthy ageing across the life course. The University of Leicester lead on the consortium theme: Metabolic health. Northumbria University will lead on creating the second networking event to take place in July 2025 and the University of Leicester will lead on creating the third networking event in 2026. Members of the project teams from Northumbria University and the University of Leicester sit on the review panel for FTMA funding calls and have contributed to governance and the first networking event. |
| Impact | The successful delivery of the UIIN impactful researcher and technical professional training program in 2024. Successful delivery of the first consortium networking event in January 2025 (~150 registered participants from across sectors). Successful award of 12 FTMA awards in our 2024 funding call. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Blue Zone Consortium Networking Event One |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The first Blue Zone Consortium networking event was held at Nottingham Trent University in January 2025 with 156 registered participants from academia (11 institutions nationwide), business/industry, healthcare, Nottingham City Council, the BBSRC (funder), and charities - 37 representatives from non-academic organisations in total. Purpose: This event was created to provide further information about our consortium and to allow networking opportunities for our members (which number 330+) from diverse sectors and disciplines to identify and address challenges related to healthy ageing. EDI breakdown: Within the registered attendees: 11% were early career researchers (prior to first permanent academic appointment), 15% were early career academics, and 13% we technical professionals. These groups accounted for almost 40% of the total attendee list, highlighting our commitment to the inclusion of these groups within the consortium. Of the registered attendees that provided EDI data: Gender: 44% were female, with 54% male, Age: 9% 29 years or less, 26% 30-39, 31% 40-49, 23% 50-59, 11% 60+, Ethnicity: 4% were Arab, 16% were Asian, 4% were Black, 2% were mixed/multiple ethnic groups, 2% were another ethnicity, 69% were white, Disability: 2% had a disclosed disability, 95% did not have a disclosed disability. The roles of our project team: The BZC project team created this event and worked with entities such as Pioneer Group and Medilink Midlands to increase non-academic participation. We advertised this event and managed all aspects of registration and setup. We ran this event with the support of an external events team (Anchored In). The BZC lead (Samantha McLean) led the proceedings on the day. Resources produced to support the activity: Level of media coverage: In collaboration with Medilink Midlands we covered the event on Social Media platforms inlcuding Linked In. This coverage reached over 4,200 accounts, many of which are industry based. Outcomes/impacts: As a result of participation new collaborations were developed, some cross-sector. Some collaborative groups intend to apply for funding together in our 2025 FTMA funding call, others have identified other funding opportunities. Participant feedback: "An excellent event, with a refreshing and engaging format! It was great to catch up with (existing contacts) and also to make many new and interesting contacts" - Industry participant. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://ukhaic.ac.uk/events/ |
| Description | Creation of the UK Healthy Ageing Innovation Consortium (formerly Blue Zone Consortium) website and social media accounts |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | As part of the Blue Zone Consortium FTMA award, we created a consortium website and social media accounts (LinkedIn, X) to enagage with our membership. The UK Healthy Ageing Innovation Consortium (UKHAIC) website serves as a central hub for information, collaboration, and engagement in the field of healthy ageing. It provides key resources for researchers, industry, healthcare, third sector, and public sector representatives, facilitating knowledge exchange and partnership-building. The site features updates on funding opportunities, research initiatives, and events, ensuring accessibility to a broad audience. It also hosts training materials, case studies, and reports that support innovation in ageing-related fields. Through interactive content, newsletters, and networking opportunities, the website enables widespread engagement, helping to maximize the impact of the consortium's work. Our social media accounts further broaden the reach of the consortium, making the opportunities available to a wider audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024,2025 |
| URL | http://ukhaic.ac.uk/ |
| Description | Expansion of the NTU Science and Technology Mentoring and Researcher Training programme |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Fixed-term contract researchers often face challenges in accessing professional development due to several factors including, funding constraints, perception of roles, and lack of advocacy. High turnover rates due to the nature of the posts create a focus on research outputs rather than personal growth of early career researchers further limiting professional development opportunities for fixed-term contract researchers. To address this, Nottingham Trent University (School of Science and Technology) has allocated funds to run a professional development programme specifically aimed at fixed-term contract researchers: the SMART PDRF programme. The SMART PDRF programme offers flexible development opportunities tailored to the needs of fixed-term researchers, supporting their professional growth and benefiting the research ecosystem. As part of the Blue Zone Consortium commitment to continuing professional development for fixed-term contract researchers, we have teamed up with the NTU SMART PDRF programme for 2024/25. We have expanded this programme to open ten spaces to early career researchers from universities or research organisations outside of NTU. This programme supports strengthening of the Research Environment as evidenced in the 2023/24 annual report: 26 researchers attended monthly development workshops, 89% of participants now have a better understanding of research funding opportunities, and participants applied for >£230K of external funding (at NTU), with >£98K awarded. Participants stated that this programme "not only benefits new researchers but also contributes to the overall growth, image and research reputation of NTU" and that "the networking opportunities and 'building a community' provided by this programme are invaluable". Numbers for the 2024/2025 cohort are similar to those for the 2023/2024 cohort. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024,2025 |
| URL | https://ukhaic.ac.uk/smart-pdrf-programme-2024-25/ |
| Description | Funded and co-created delivery of the UIIN Impactful Researchers and Technical Professionals training program |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Researchers and technical professional are under increasing pressure to show the significance of their work beyond academic publications and to transform their academic endeavours into powerful catalysts for real-world impact. These two goals are not incompatible. However, researchers and technical professionals often struggle with prioritising societal impact in their academic work and applying an "impact first" mindset to the work that they do. This training program was designed for ambitious staff across all disciplines, from early career researchers to seasoned academics and technical professionals. Hosted by global experts and providing best practices, participants were taken through a series of interactive workshops, seminars and discussions to broaden the impact of their work, embed impact at all stages of their research initiatives and practices and to establish their profile as impactful researchers and technical professionals. Participants on this program accelerated their professional development through this UIIN training program by: discovering global best practices, frameworks and perspectives, experiencing insights from professionals in a dynamic, challenging and interactive format, networking with like-minded peers internationally, reflecting more strategically on what they do and how they do it, and by challenging themselves to gain a different perspective on their work. This program was funded thorugh the UK Healthy Ageing Innovation Consortium and delivered by University Industry Innovation Network. The program was designed with input and support from the Consortium team to tailor the program for our membership. This was the first time that UIIN had delivered this program to technical professionals as well as researchers, whose inclusion was a requirement of the Consortium. The program ran between September and November 2024 with 19 registered participants including early career researchers, early career academics, and technical professionals. Feedback: Participants said that they gained new perspectives, networking opportunities, and structured project planning skills. It also allowed technical professionals to recognise the importance of understanding research outputs for improving project quality and creating career development opportunities and well as noting that the course provided insights into how technicians could better contribute to impactful research and navigate academic systems. Testimonial from a Senior Lecturer on the program: "Having participated in the lmpactful Researchers Program, I can genuinely say it was a transformative experience. It broadened my perspective, helping me move beyond traditional academic silos to explore interdisciplinary approaches and real-world applications for my research. The hands-on workshops, expert sessions, and collaborative environment were invaluable in building both confidence and clarity about driving societal impact. Highly recommend this program to researchers looking to make a tangible difference!" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | http://ukhaic.ac.uk/1143-2/ |
| Description | High School Visit (Oakwood High School) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | • Key objectives were to develop Y9 student understanding in infection prevention and control and learn technical skills in aseptic technique and antibiotic susceptibility testing that also supports curriculum learning • Key learning points included infection prevention strategies from good hygiene to vaccination, consideration of antibiotic choice, antibiotic stewardship, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing including interpretation of results • Key interactions included working with three Y9 classes (~90 children and teachers) to explore practical aspects of antimicrobial susceptibility testing, involving Q&A's, seminar style teaching and practical work • What piece of information will you disseminate? I have provided vaccination demonstration cards to the school, poster on aseptic technique, interpretation of disk diffusion assays and mock disk diffusion agar plates to support teacher-led sessions throughout the school year • What would you change? Future iterations of the programme will further support curriculum learning on vaccination to ensure content delivered in this activity signposts to curriculum content • What feedback did you receive? Teaching staff were very positive, highlighting that they felt students improved their depth of understanding beyond curriculum content as a result of this activity. They also observed that the students were very engaged throughout and talked about the activities between sessions due to their enthusiasm for the activity. This mirrored feedback from the students themselves who actively engaged in sessions, asking questions and reported that they really enjoyed the sessions. Due to the success of the activity, I have been asked by the school to repeat these sessions next academic year. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024,2025 |
| Description | School visit (Whiston J&I School) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | This outreach activity is part of an ongoing annual outreach connection between Dr Samantha McLean and a local primary school. This year 31 Year 6 pupils at Whiston Junior and Infant School took part in the activity along with two teachers and a teaching assistant. The primary aim of this ongoing outreach work is to improve microbiology education in local primary schools. Dr McLean visited the school for two days during the week and provided the children with a general introduction to microbiology and biofilms. Through practical activities students gained hands-on experience of how microorganisms spread throughout the environment, how biofilm formation makes microorganisms more difficult to clear and the variety of microorganisms that live all around us. This information was related to everyday activities that children undertake such as washing hands and brushing teeth, which ensured that students could relate to the concepts taught. Interactive Kahoot quizzes were a huge student favourite and further developed their understanding of the roles that microorganisms and biofilms play in our lives in a fun and engaging way. The students were able to carry out their own experiment swabbing their environment to find the different types of microbes that live there. They learned how to generate and test a hypothesis based on what they thought they would find and then how to change their hypothesis if the evidence suggested they should. The students loved making hair gel biofilms to understand more about the properties of these microbial communities and how this related to brushing teeth. The students were highly engaged and enthusiastic throughout the whole experience, asking many excellent questions and loving the hands-on approach to microbiology learning. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024,2025 |
| URL | https://appliedmicrobiology.org/resource/dr-mclean-s-primary-school-outreach.html |