NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH RESEARCH

The NIHR's Health Technology Assessment programme produces independent research information on the effectiveness, costs and broader impact of healthcare treatments and tests for those who plan, provide or receive National Health Service care. Listed here are the November 2008-January 2009 research grants awards.

Award winner: John Field

Institution: University of Liverpool

Value: £154,714

UK lung cancer screening trial (UKLS) - feasibility study and protocol development

Award winner: David Cottrell

Institution: University of Leeds

Value: £2,849,082

SHIFT - self-harm intervention, family therapy: a randomised controlled trial of family therapy versus treatment as usual for young people seen after second or subsequent episodes of self-harm

Award winner: Barney Reeves

Institution: University of Bristol

Value: £940,067

A multi-centre randomised controlled trial of transfusion indication threshold reduction on transfusion rates, morbidity and healthcare resource use following cardiac surgery (TITRe 2)

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Award winner: Elizabeth Goyder

Institution: University of Sheffield

Value: £1,189,730

A randomised controlled trial and cost-effectiveness evaluation of "booster" interventions to sustain increases in physical activity in middle-aged adults in deprived urban neighbourhoods

Award winner: Sube Banerjee

Institution: King's College London

Value: £495,595

Generation of preference-based indices from DEMQOL and DEMQOL-PROXY for use in economic evaluation

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MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

Fifteen grants have been awarded under the discipline-hopping programme.

Award winner: M. Alexander

Institution: University of Nottingham

Value: £131,741

Directional guidance of neural outgrowth using topography and surface chemistry

Award winner: C. Binns

Institution: University of Leicester

Value: £130,023

A novel method for producing functional nanoparticles for medical applications

Award winner: F. Bransby

Institution: University of Dundee

Value: £138,165

New geotechnical approaches to soil biological processes

Award winner: P. Buxton

Institution: University College London

Value: £124,106

Small-molecule mediated bone regeneration using a degradable polymer membrane

Award winner: A. Cheong

Institution: University of Leeds

Value: £129,252

Targeting the electric field of blood vessels for the treatment of vascular disease

Award winner: R. Djukanovic

Institution: University of Southampton

Value: £124,381

Impedance spectroscopy for label-free cell analysis

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Award winner: M. Jaekel

Institution: University of Cambridge

Value: £119,951

Controlling the precision of gene expression during embryo development

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Award winner: A. Kaban

Institution: University of Birmingham

Value: £124,186

Generative-discriminative hybrids for disease prediction and cell-communication modelling

Award winner: S.F.C. O'Rourke

Institution: Queen's University Belfast

Value: £115,705

Mathematical modelling of bladder cancer: effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy

Award winner: G. Richardson

Institution: University of Nottingham

Value: £115,374

Mathematical modelling of mechanisms of multi-drug resistance

Award winner: A.B. Seddon

Institution: University of Nottingham

Value: £122,166

Development of infrared optical-fibre devices and systems for applications in medical diagnosis

Award winner: B. Su

Institution: University of Bristol

Value: £100,017

Creating 3D biomimetic collagen extracellular matrices for use in cell biology and tissue engineering

Award winner: E.W. Tate

Institution: Imperial College London

Value: £117,817

Chemical probes of surface-layer formation in pathogenic bacteria

Award winner: G. Wagner

Institution: University of East Anglia

Value: £86,788

Novel tools for glycobiology - integrating chemical and genetic approaches

IN DETAIL

Award winner: L. Smith

Institution: University of the West of England

Value: £120,244

Use of facial asymmetry in better diagnosis and treatment of plagiocephaly

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UWE's Machine Vision Laboratory will examine the use of a 3D face-imaging technique to treat plagiocephaly (skull deformities). Researchers working with consultants at Frenchay Hospital aim to provide quantitative facial data in assessing the condition.