The funding committees for the NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) Programme are multidisciplinary, comprising academic, clinical and commercial experts, as well as patient and public members. i4i has five committees: three for Product Development Awards (committee A, committee B and committee C), one for Challenge Awards, and one for Connect.
Committee members - Challenge Awards
| Name | Position | Organisation | Expertise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professor Nick Lemoine (Chair) | Director | Barts Cancer Institute | Professor Lemoine is Director of R&D for Cancer at Barts Health NHS Trust and Medical Director of the NIHR Clinical Research Network. He is also a Director of the QMUL spin-out company VacV Therapeutics Ltd and has an interest in the development of oncolytic virotherapy and cancer vaccines. |
| Ms Joanna Smart (Deputy Chair) | Investor Director | BGF |
Ms Smart has been active in the life sciences sector for over 20 years, as a CEO, non-executive chair and board director with experience in operating roles in SMEs, startups, global biotech, and investment banking. |
| Mrs Janet Champion | Public Committee Member | PPI Representative | PPI Representative |
|
Mr Michael Duffin |
Director of Client Success |
Inicio Health LTD |
Mr Duffin has a clinical background in physiotherapy, and a commercial background with experience in pathway transformation, real world evaluation, and digital health. |
| Associate professor Iain Hennessey | Clinical Director of Innovation | Alder Hay Children’s NHS Foundation Trust | Dr Hennessey is involved in paediatric surgery, surgical simulation and clinical innovation. |
| Professor Claire Hulme | Professor of Health Economics & Head of Department of Health & Community Sciences | Institute of Health Research, University of University of Exeter Medical School, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, University of ExeterExeter | Professor Hulme is a health economist whose background lies in range of methodologies including economic evaluation, large data analysis and use of qualitative methods in health economics. |
| Mrs Ceila Ingham-Clark | Medical Director for Clinical Effectiveness | NHS England | Mrs Clark is a Medical Director for Professional Leadership and Clinical Effectiveness; previous Trust Medical Director and general surgeon. |
| Dr Zarnie Khadjesari | Senior Lecturer in Health Promotion | University of East Anglia | Dr Khadjesari is an implementation scientist and digital health researcher in the field of health promotion. She is experienced in both quantitative and qualitative research methods. |
| Mr Stuart Mealing | Associate Director for Health Technology Assessment | York Health Economics Consortium Ltd | Mr Mealing has a range of experience in decision analytic modelling, statistical analysis of patient level data (from clinical trials to large real world evidence datasets), Preparation of health technology assessment submission dossiers |
| Professor Steve Morris | CEO | Ingram Networks Ltd | Professor Morris was co-founder of Creo Medical Plc and served as Chief Operating Officer for 10 years. During this time he was Lead Applicant and subsequently Chief Investigator for a number of NIHR-funded i4i and SBRI projects. He played a key role in the development of medical devices from concept to regulatory approval and first Human Use. He was awarded a Visiting Professorship by the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2020. |
| Ms Stella O'Brien | Public Committee Member | PPI Representative | PPI Representative |
| Mr Sebastian Orton | Partner, Corporate | Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP | Mr Orton is a corporate finance lawyer with specific expertise in equity capital markets and raising finance for companies in the life sciences sector |
| Professor Amar Rangan | Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery | Universities of York and Oxford | Professor Rangan is a specialist shoulder & elbow surgeon. Experienced in clinical effectiveness and translational research |
| Dr Chris Sampson |
Senior Principal Economist |
Office of Health Economics |
Dr Sampson is an expert in health economic evaluation, with a particular interest in mental health and digital therapeutics. |
| Professor Wendy Tindale | Director | Sheffield Teaching Hospitals; NIHR Devices for Dignity MIC | Professor Tindale is a Consultant Medical Physicist and is experienced in collaborative MedTech development and NHS implementation |