Invention for Innovation - Connect Committee

Published: 08 July 2019
Version: V6.0 - August 2024
2 min read

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.