Triple success for Southampton’s future research leaders

Three researchers on the UHS Research Leaders Programme have received a prestigious NIHR award.

Dr Sofia Michopoulou, Dr Caroline Anderson and Dr Ahilanandan Dushianthan have each been awarded an NIHR Senior Clinical and Practitioner Research Award (SCPRA). 

They have all been part of the UHS Research Leaders Programme (RLP). This has provided them with the time, skills and support needed to put together their applications.

The SCPRA award will now fund the next stage of their careers as research leaders.

Springboard for success

The RLP supports healthcare professionals employed by UHS. It enables them to take the next step in their research career and develop their leadership skills.

It covers salary costs for at least one day a week (20% whole time equivalent) for up to three years. This provides the protected time they need to take their research to the next level.

The RLP aims to enable awardees to build a portfolio of research activity that attracts funding. This then allows research to continue to be a significant component of their role going forward.

Applicants to the SCPRA were required to demonstrate evidence of clinical or practice leadership. The RLP therefore provided an excellent springboard from which to apply.

The SCPRA aims to support the career development of research active senior clinicians or practitioners, so they can build on their track record as an academic leader. It funds between 20% and 50% of protected time for their research for up to five years.

The award is open to senior clinicians and practitioners with a PhD or MD. It particularly supports those from an ethnic minority background and under-represented professions.

Improving dementia diagnosis and cancer treatment

Dr Michopoulou is a Consultant Clinical Scientist and Head of Nuclear Medicine Physics.

For her SCPRA, she plans to develop her research into brain imaging in dementia. This will involve using AI-supported approaches to improve earlier and more accurate diagnosis.

Alongside this, she will lead the scientific development of a molecular radiotherapy research delivery unit. This will provide more personalised, research-informed services for patients with cancer.

“I am delighted to receive the SCPRA,” she said. “It gives me the opportunity to further develop my clinical academic work in nuclear medicine and AI-supported dementia diagnostics, closely linked to patient care and service development.

“The Research Leaders Programme provided direct guidance throughout, and I would not have known about this award, or applied for it, without that support.”

Working with young people on nutrition

Dr Anderson is a Clinical Academic Paediatric Dietitian. She intends to use her SCPRA to focus on improving the health of children and young people through better nutrition.

Working in partnership with young people and their families, Dr Anderson is investigating ways to reduce the amount of ultra-processed food (UPF) young people eat.

In the UK, UPFs make up almost two-thirds of the calories that teenagers eat. These industrially produced foods are often high in sugar, fat and salt. They contain additives, preservatives and emulsifiers not used in home cooking.

A diet high in UPFs has been linked to numerous health conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and cancer. It is associated with poor sleep, anxiety and depression.

It is also associated with disease progression for conditions such as kidney failure, which Dr Anderson specialises in.

“Being awarded a SCPRA is brilliant,” she said. “It will allow me to build on the research I’ve been doing during my RLP to improve the lives of young people, including those with long-term conditions.”

“The RLP gave me the time, space and critical guidance to submit a successful SCPRA, without the RLP I would not have been successful.”

Better care for patients with severe pneumonia

Dr Dushianthan is an Intensive Care & Respiratory Consultant. He will use his SCPRA to focus on improving outcomes for patients with severe pneumonia.

“I’m absolutely delighted to have been awarded a SCPRA,” he said. “The RLP gave me the time and support I needed to step back from day-to-day clinical work, develop my research ideas, and turn them into a strong application.”

He aims to use NHS data to better understand how patients are affected, develop targeted treatments and create rapid bedside tests.

“Severe pneumonia is one of the most common reasons patients are admitted to intensive care, but treatment is still largely the same for everyone,” he explained.

“By improving how we understand, diagnose and treat this condition, this work aims to deliver more personalised care and better outcomes for patients when they are at their most vulnerable.”