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The NIHR supports research being delivered through a number of specialty therapy areas. Each specialty is made up of expert clinical leaders and practitioners who work at both national and local levels to ensure that studies are delivered successfully and to promote awareness of research opportunities for participants to take part in. The specialty groups also support the dialogue between the life sciences industry and charities, to ensure the pipeline of research studies and to facilitate the involvement of participants to make research more effective. Visit the main NIHR website to find out what is happening nationally in the different specialties. 

In the West of England, our specialties are grouped in six different divisions, with a dedicated team supporting research within each. You can get in touch with our teams using the details below.

Division 1

Specialties covered:

  • Cancer
  • Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
  • Surgery

Local team:

Clinical Divisional Lead - Professor Hugh Barr

Research Delivery Manager - Claire Matthews

Research Portfolio Facilitator - Rebecca Pienaar

Clinical Research Specialty Leads:

Cancer - Helen Winter and Claire Newton

Ear, Nose and Throat - Amanda Hall

Surgery - Kathryn McCarthy

Division 2

Specialties covered:

  • Cardiovascular
  • Diabetes
  • Metabolic and Endocrine
  • Renal Disorders
  • Stroke

Local team:

Clinical Divisional Lead - Mr Serban Stoica

Research Delivery Manager - Jakub Wyszynski

Research Portfolio Facilitator - Sebastian Howard

Clinical Research Specialty Leads:

Cardiovascular - Nikhil Joshi

Diabetes - Sharon Tovey

Metabolic and Endocrine - Georgina Russell

Renal Disorders - Albert Power

Stroke - Dr Lukuman Gbadomoshi

Division 3

Specialties covered:

  • Genetics
  • Dermatology
  • Infectious Diseases and Microbiology
  • Haematology
  • Children
  • Reproductive Health and Childbirth

Local team:

Clinical Divisional Lead - Caoimhe Fahy

Research Delivery Manager - Hannah Williams

Research Portfolio Facilitator - Roland Chmielewski

Clinical Research Specialty Leads:

Genetics - Ana Beleza

Dermatology - Caoimhe Fahy

Infectious Diseases and Microbiology - Peter Muir 

Haematology - Andrew Mumford

Children - Athimalaipet Ramanan and Natalie Fineman

Reproductive Health and Childbirth - Christy Burden and Catherine Bressington

Division 4

Specialties covered:

  • Ageing
  • Neurological Disorders
  • Dementias and Neurodegeneration
  • Health Services and Delivery Research
  • Mental Health

Local team:

Clinical Divisional Leads - Dr Tarun Kuruvilla 

Research Delivery Manager - Heather Tinkler

Research Portfolio Facilitator - Jyothis Binoy 

Clinical Research Specialty Leads:

Ageing - Emily Henderson

Neurological Disorders - VACANT

Dementia  - Elizabeth Coulthard

Neurodegeneration - Alan Whone

Health Services and Delivery Research - Yoav Ben-Shlomo

Mental Health - Kristina Gintalaite

Social Care - VACANT

Division 5

Specialties covered:

  • Oral and Dental Health
  • Public Health
  • Primary care

Local team:

Research Delivery Manager - Chris Voisey

Research Portfolio Facilitator - Elliot Hancock-Baxter

Clinical Research Specialty Leads:

Oral and Dental Health - Simon Haworth

Public Health - Michael Dalili 

Primary Care - Matt Hoghton 

GP Champion - Richard Gaunt, Rowden Surgery

GP Champion - Patrick Eavis, Heart of Bath

Division 6

Specialties covered:

  • Anaesthesia, peri-operative medicine & pain management
  • Critical Care
  • Gastroenterology
  • Hepatology
  • Trauma and Emergency Care
  • Musculoskeletal Disorders
  • Ophthalmology
  • Respiratory Disorders

Local team:

Clinical Divisional Lead - Dr Matt Thomas

Research Delivery Manager - Pearl Lynden

Research Portfolio Facilitator - Hibo Ali

Clinical Research Specialty Leads:

Anaesthesia, peri-operative medicine & pain management - Christopher Newell

Critical Care - Matt Thomas

Gastroenterology - Andrew Claridge

Hepatology - Coral Hollywood

Trauma and Emergency Care Medicine - Mike Whitehouse 

Musculoskeletal Disorders - Nick Howells 

Ophthamology - Peter Scanlon

Respiratory Disorders - Nick Maskell