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Redefining ciliary function: improving diagnostic testing and management of ciliary disorders and phenotyping of other respiratory diseases

Summary of the impact

The Leicester Cilia Group (LCG) established methods to study ciliary damage and dysfunction, transforming the diagnosis and management of Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD), a genetic disorder that causes severe permanent lung damage in children. The group developed diagnostic methods, adopted in the UK and internationally, that increased the accuracy and speed of diagnosis, uncovering a number of previously unrecognised phenotypes. The group was instrumental in the establishment of the first nationally funded diagnostic service (three centres, including Leicester) in the world. This has resulted in the group jointly leading a successful bid (2012) to set up the first nationally funded management service for children with PCD.

Submitting Institution

University of Leicester

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Cardiorespiratory Medicine and Haematology

Early cancer detection: Life changing diagnosis and intervention in patients with high risk for lung cancer.

Summary of the impact

A research team, led by Professor John Robertson, was joined by Professor Herb Sewell as lead collaborator. They developed a blood test that permitted early detection of lung cancer in high risk patients, allowing earlier and more successful treatment. The EarlyCDT-Lung test was commercialised by the university spin-out, Oncimmune, and launched in 2010. It is in clinical use in North and South America, in private clinics in the UK and in some Middle East countries, generating employment and revenues for the company, and is starting to bring mortality and lifestyle benefits to patients and their families.

Submitting Institution

University of Nottingham

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Cardiorespiratory Medicine and Haematology, Neurosciences, Oncology and Carcinogenesis

1. The Dermatology Life Quality Index: the leading patient–orientated dermatology outcome measure used worldwide.

Summary of the impact

The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire is a clinical and research tool, which has fundamentally shifted dermatology from being doctor-centred to patient-centred. Previously, no standard method to quantify the impact of skin disease on patients existed. The DLQI was created by interviewing people with skin disease and made clinically useful through development and validation of score bands. NICE/SIGN require UK dermatologists to use the DLQI when assessing severe psoriasis and hand eczema. DLQI is used in national psoriasis guidelines in 14 countries, is available in 91 language translations, has been used in 678 clinical research studies and generated £881,236 in royalties to Cardiff University.

Submitting Institution

Cardiff University

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services
Economics: Applied Economics

Microelectrode Biosensors to Monitor Blood Levels of Physiologically Important Molecules

Summary of the impact

For stroke patients and any patient undergoing surgery the time period from diagnosis to treatment is a major factor in clinical outcomes. Research carried out at the University of Warwick has led to the development of sensors that can be used to measure, in whole unprocessed blood, diagnostically useful analytes that can be used to select the best therapeutic treatments. Point-of- care diagnosis and prompt referral to an appropriate care pathway, facilitated by the use of biosensors, will result in efficiency savings for healthcare professionals and the NHS in the long- term, and will also improve patient outcomes. To commercialize these biosensors, Sarissa Biomedical Ltd was founded in 2002, as a UK-based spinout from the University of Warwick. Sarissa sells, around the world, microelectrode biosensors fabricated by a unique enzyme deposition technology protected by patents filed in 2004 and 2008 by the University of Warwick. The diagnostic sensors are based on technology that incorporates Ruthenium Purple and use a sol-gel coating to entrap enzymes on a microelectrode. Sarissa is pursuing human trials of its biosensors as diagnostic tools in two main areas: stroke, and trauma with associated sepsis.

Submitting Institution

University of Warwick

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
Biological Sciences: Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Medical and Health Sciences: Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Generation of innovative approaches and intellectual property on peptide therapeutics for industry development in relation to diabetes

Summary of the impact

Diabetes research at University of Ulster (Ulster) addresses the unmet need of industry for new and more effective commercially applicable approaches for diabetes therapy. We have generated a new class of innovative peptide therapeutics resulting in a strong portfolio of intellectual property, significant international recognition, financial investment and job creation, with commercialisation through Ulster's technology transfer company, Innovation Ulster (IUL), and the Ulster start-up company, Diabetica Ltd. Our substantial interactions with industry have resulted in the licensing and further development of our international patents on stable incretin peptides for diabetes and, through our discovery of their positive effects on cognition, for treatment of Alzheimer's disease. This work has provided industry with new and commercially viable approaches to significantly improve the lives of people with diabetes and related neurodegenerative disease.

Submitting Institution

University of Ulster

Unit of Assessment

Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences, Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Macular pigment measurement in humans: a new instrument, the Macular Pigment Screener (MPS)

Summary of the impact

Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is by far the leading cause of blindness in older people in the developed world, affecting 30% of those aged over 65, and is set to increase. The naturally-occurring carotenoids lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z) are located in the central retina (macula) and are collectively called the macular pigment (MP). High MP levels confer protection from AMD. Murray and colleagues have developed a new instrument, the Macular Pigment Screener (MPS), which allows regular, non-invasive monitoring of MP in ophthalmic practice. This means that, for the first time, the MPS can show the effect of intervention on the MP, providing a management strategy for AMD patients, and allowing early identification of those at risk of developing AMD. Over 750 instruments have been sold to date, with more than 1M patients in the US alone estimated to be benefiting from routine MP testing.

Submitting Institution

University of Manchester

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Ophthalmology and Optometry

Commercialisation of a Novel Diagnostic Test for Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis

Summary of the impact

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a frequently fatal disease of haematological malignancy patients, caused by fungi from the genus Aspergillus. Dr Christopher Thornton has developed and commercialised a novel point-of-care test for the diagnosis of IPA with an Aspergillus-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) JF5 generated using hybridoma technology. Using this mAb, he has developed a lateral-flow device (LFD) for the rapid detection of Aspergillus antigen in human serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALf) that signifies active infection. Commercial exploitation of the patented technology has been met through the establishment of a University of Exeter spin-out company, Isca Diagnostics Limited.

Submitting Institution

University of Exeter

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences, Immunology, Oncology and Carcinogenesis

MUST: A new tool for combating malnutrition in the UK and overseas

Summary of the impact

Research carried out at the University of Southampton has led to the development of a new tool for detecting and managing malnutrition. The Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) has been rolled out to more than 80% of hospitals and care homes in England and 98% in Scotland, is part of national health policy in Finland and the Netherlands, and has attracted interest internationally. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence bases its current quality standard for nutritional support in adults on the MUST framework; only two NICE guidelines have saved the NHS more money. MUST has become an integral part of the UK's health policy framework, embedded in routine clinical care and supported by bodies responsible for clinical and care excellence. It is central to learning programmes on managing malnutrition.

Submitting Institution

University of Southampton

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences, Nutrition and Dietetics, Public Health and Health Services

Sublingual Allergen Immunotherapy in the Treatment of Hayfever

Summary of the impact

Subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy is highly effective in hayfever sufferers who fail to respond to anti-allergic drugs, but carries the risk of severe allergic side-effects. Professor Durham's group at Imperial College have defined the mechanisms and shown that sublingual tablet immunotherapy is an effective, safer alternative that induces long-term disease remission. The tablet approach is now widespread in Europe and is being successfully extended to other allergies (housedust mite) and internationally (ragweed allergy in USA and Japanese Cedar pollen allergy). The work is quoted in guidelines internationally and regulatory bodies now recognise the disease-modifying potential of immunotherapy and its ability to induce long-term remission.

Submitting Institution

Imperial College London

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Immunology

Improving clinical outcomes in the treatment of the ‘superbug’ bacterial pathogen – Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Summary of the impact

Research co-led by Prof Roz Anderson, in collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team, resulted in a new chromogenic substrate for the rapid detection and specific identification of the bacterial pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a `super-bug' that threatens many thousands of hospital patients annually, leading to poor clinical outcome and increased risk of mortality.

bioMérieux adopted the technology for a new product, ChromID® P. aeruginosa, for commercial realisation as a clinical microbiology test; it was launched in the EU, USA and Australia, supporting the company's commercial position as leaders in this field. This test has enhanced the care of patients, through more rapid detection of P. aeruginosa and earlier informed clinical decision- making.

Submitting Institution

University of Sunderland

Unit of Assessment

Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Inorganic Chemistry
Biological Sciences: Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Medical and Health Sciences: Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences

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