The National Institute for Health and Care Research has awarded over £3 million to support 35 cutting-edge medical technology projects aimed at transforming the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of acquired brain injury.
Funded through the Invention for Innovation FAST 4 Awards, the projects will run for 6 to 12 months and focus on advancing healthcare technologies that address ABI caused by traumatic brain injury, stroke, tumours, and infections. The initiative is part of a wider effort to improve recovery outcomes, reduce long-term disability, and ease the economic burden of brain injury.
Among the funded projects is ‘FIT4Labour’, a tool designed to help midwives and doctors identify babies at risk of brain damage or death during labour. The funding will support real-world testing of the tool in maternity wards to improve decision-making and outcomes during childbirth.
The NIHR’s Scientific Director for Innovation, Professor Mike Lewis, commented:
"The NHS needs to be there for people when they need it. Tackling acquired brain injury requires innovative thinking, and we're delighted to be supporting so many exciting new projects via NIHR's FAST funding scheme. We look forward to supporting these projects to unlock more effective treatments and improve patients' outcomes at critical times in their lives.”
Another project, ‘Virtue’, will evaluate a virtual reality (VR) system to support cognitive rehabilitation in stroke survivors. The 12-month trial at Countess of Chester Hospital will involve 80 patients and aims to demonstrate how immersive technology can aid recovery.
The awards also contribute to addressing evidence gaps identified in the Concussion in Sport Research Forum’s 2024 report, and were developed in partnership with the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Brain Injury and the Defence Medical Services.
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