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 - Connect
| Name | Position | Organisation | Expertise |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Professor Paul Sibbons (Chair) |
Independent pre-clinical Consultant |
Independent Consultant |
Professor Sibbons has extensive experience in pre-clinical surgery, pathology, evaluation and interpretation. |
|
Dr Ayokunmi (AJ) Ajetunmobi |
Director Venture Development |
We are Pioneer Group |
Dr Ajetunmobi oversees venture programmes that fund breakthrough life sciences startups. These programmes have launched over 100 companies that have raised over £350 million to date. |
|
Professor Peter Bannister |
Managing Director |
Romilly Life Sciences |
Professor Bannister helps build high-growth businesses by commercialising innovative products in multiple markets and leads on R&D activities. |
|
Dr Anna Barnes |
Director of KiTEC |
King’s Technology Evaluation Centre, King’s College London |
Dr Barnes is a clinical scientist with a broad range of expertise in imaging statistics, medical technology assessment and artificial intelligence. |
|
Dr David Brownlee |
Innovation Advisor |
Health and Social Care (HSC) Innovations |
Dr Brownlee has experience in commercialisation, intellectual asset management, research agreements, research translation, assessing the value of healthcare technologies, technology management and innovation strategy. |
|
Professor Sanjukta Deb |
Professor of Biomaterials |
King's College London |
Professor Deb has expertise in biomaterials chemistry and researches the development of biomaterials to restore function of traumatised or diseased tissue using innovative analogue materials. |
|
Miss Rosie Forder |
Public Committee Member |
PPI Representative |
PPI Representative |
|
Dr Nasir Hannan |
General Practitioner & Partner |
Priory Gardens Surgery |
Dr Hannan is a General Practitioner, with an interest in digital services. He is also a member of the Primary Care Leadership group for Clinical Research Network (CRN) East of England. |
|
Mr Michael King |
Investor Relations Manager/Medical Technology analyst |
Advanced Medical Solutions |
Mr King is a medical technology specialist within the global medical technology industry. |
|
Dr Sara Pretorius |
Clinical Test Evaluation Methodologist |
NIHR Newcastle HealthTech Research Centre (NIHR Newcastle HRC) |
Dr Pretorius has a background in psychology and cognitive neuroscience. She has experience in quantitative and qualitative research methods and the development and evaluation of novel diagnostics. |
|
Professor Philip Quirke |
Professor of Pathology |
University of Leeds |
Professor Quirke is a consultant histopathologist and has expertise in gastrointestinal pathology, molecular pathology, microbiome, bowel cancer, quality of surgery, trials and screening. |
|
Dr Frank Ratcliff |
Director of Industry and Innovation
|
Health Innovation Wessex
|
Dr Ratcliff has a background in genetics and expertise in commercial research which spans all stages from lab research and IP to major global products. |
|
Mr Tim Robinson |
Commercial Director |
Health Innovation East Midlands |
Mr Robinson has over 20 years experience of UK healthcare, gained through roles in the NHS and a variety of commercial roles with healthcare software businesses. |
|
Professor Jacky Smith |
Professor of Respiratory Medicine |
The University of Manchester |
Professor Smith is a leading clinical academic in the field of cough. She runs a multi-disciplinary team whose focus is on understanding mechanisms underlying cough. |
|
Dr Gary Thorpe |
Director |
Gary Thorpe Associates Limited |
Dr Thorpe's experience combines academic science with medical diagnostics and technology transfer. |
|
Dr Pauline Whelan |
Senior Research Fellow/Co-Director GM.Digital Research Unit |
University of Manchester/Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust |
Dr Whelan has expertise in the co-design, development and implementation of digital health technologies across a range of health domains, with a particular focus on mental health. She is the Chief Technology Officer of a University of Manchester spin-out digital mental health company, CareLoop Health Ltd. |