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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
  • Respiratory Disorders
  • Haematology

Local team:

Clinical Divisional Lead - Helen Winter

Research Delivery Manager - Claire Matthews

Research Portfolio Facilitator - Rebecca Pienaar

Local Specialty Research Leads:

Cancer - Helen Winter and Claire Newton

Ear, Nose and Throat - Amanda Hall

Surgery - Kathryn McCarthy

Respiratory Disorders - Rahul Shrimanker

Haematology - Andrew Mumford

Division 2

Specialties covered:

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

Local team:

Clinical Divisional Lead - Serban Stoica

Research Delivery Manager - Jakub Wyszynski

Research Portfolio Facilitator - Sebastian Howard

Local Specialty Research Leads:

Cardiovascular - Nikhil Joshi

Diabetes - Sharon Tovey

Metabolic and Endocrine - Georgina Russell

Renal Disorders - Tom Pickett

Stroke - Lukuman Gbadomoshi

Ophthamology - Peter Scanlon

Division 3

Specialties covered:

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

Local team:

Clinical Divisional Lead - Caoimhe Fahy

Research Delivery Manager - Hannah Williams

Research Portfolio Facilitator - Roland Chmielewski

Local Specialty Research Leads:

Genetics - Ana Beleza

Dermatology - Caoimhe Fahy

Infectious Diseases and Microbiology - Peter Muir 

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 - Tarun Kuruvilla 

Research Delivery Manager - Harriet Downing

Research Portfolio Facilitator - Jyothis Binoy 

Local Specialty Research Leads:

Ageing - Emily Henderson

Neurological Disorders - Claire Rice

Dementia  - Elizabeth Coulthard

Neurodegeneration - Alan Whone

Health Services and Delivery Research - Vacant

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 - Gabriel Wilson,  Gemma Reck and Shaolin Chidavaenzi

Local Specialty Research Leads:

Oral and Dental Health - Simon Haworth

Public Health - Jo Williams

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

Local team:

Clinical Divisional Lead - Matt Thomas

Research Delivery Manager - Pearl Lynden

Research Portfolio Facilitator - Hibo Ali

Local Specialty Research Leads:

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

Critical Care - Matt Thomas

Gastroenterology - Andrew Claridge

Hepatology - Coral Hollywood

Trauma and Emergency Care Medicine - Edd Carlton

Musculoskeletal Disorders - Sven Putnis