Impact UK Location: Coventry

REF impact found 74 Case Studies

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Applying epidemiology to understand visual impairment in childhood: burden, aetiology, diagnosis, management and outcomes.

Summary of the impact

Our research into the epidemiology of childhood visual impairment has transformed understanding of the epidemiology, outcomes and impact of childhood visual impairment in the UK. As a result, changes have been made to the Newborn and Infant Physical Examination Programme and the National Vision Screening Programme. Our work has underpinned the development of new quality standards for paediatric ophthalmology services issued by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. Our studies on congenital cataract have improved the management of this condition nationally. We have involved visually impaired service users and patient groups directly in our research to improve quality of life measures and patient engagement.

Submitting Institution

University College London

Unit of Assessment

Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Ophthalmology and Optometry, Public Health and Health Services

Assurance of Durable Concrete Structures Using Novel Testing Technologies Developed at QUB

Summary of the impact

By ensuring the durability of notable concrete structures in China, such as the Bird's Nest National Stadium Beijing, Dayawan Nuclear Power Station, Harbin-Dalian Railway Bridges, Qingdao Bay Bridge and Beijing-Tianjin Railway Bridges using Autoclam Permeability System and Permit Ion Migration test, developed by Queen's University Belfast (QUB) and sold by a QUB spin-out Amphora Non-destructive Testing Ltd., the savings in future repair costs are estimated to be hundreds of millions of Chinese Yuan (RMB) (the repair expenditure for the three-year period 2009-'11 was RMB 10.2 billion).

Research on permeability and diffusivity testing of concrete on site since 1993 has led to the incorporation of both the Autoclam and the Permit in a corporation standard issued by the Central Research Institute of Building and Construction (CRIBC), China and the test protocol of Permit in a Chinese railway standard.

The training of construction professionals (including more than 200 senior managers from the Chinese construction industry) since 2008 has impacted on improved sales of Autoclam Permeability System and Permit Ion Migration Test, securing around £500k commercial income, and generating new employment in the UK. Since 2008 these test instruments have been sold to 12 countries.

Submitting Institution

Queen's University Belfast

Unit of Assessment

Civil and Construction Engineering

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Engineering: Civil Engineering

HIS02 - Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture

Summary of the impact

The History Department's Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture (CSCC) employed its research expertise in religious history to improve the understanding and sustainability of historic churches and cathedrals. These together form England's largest single 'estate' of built heritage with over 11 million visitors each year. From 2008 the Centre developed an extensive programme of national partnerships, which have led to significant and wide-reaching impact:

(i) creating new aids to help visitors engage with sacred sites

(ii) encouraging tourism and enhancing access to these national and international heritage sites for people from all cultural and faith backgrounds

(iii) delivering professional development activities for clergy, lay leaders, church architects, diocesan staff, heritage staff and volunteers

Submitting Institution

University of York

Unit of Assessment

History

Summary Impact Type

Cultural

Research Subject Area(s)

Language, Communication and Culture: Literary Studies
History and Archaeology: Historical Studies
Philosophy and Religious Studies: Religion and Religious Studies

Clinical Impact of the Embodied and Narrative Practices Framework

Summary of the impact

New avenues for diagnosis and treatment in a variety of psychotherapeutic settings were influenced by Hutto and Gallagher's innovative approach to social cognition, improving the quality of life of individuals. Their research has contributed to the development of diagnostic tools for the early detection and treatment of schizophrenia and new methodological guidelines for the clinical evaluation of Autism Spectrum Disorders. They developed the Embodied and Narrative Practices framework for understanding social cognition in terms of non-representational embodied interactions, enhanced and supported by highly contextualised socio-cultural, narrative practices. Pivotally, this approach offers an alternative to individualist and intellectualist mainstream cognitivist — e.g. `theory of mind' — approaches, reconceiving the status and importance of these practices in our capacity to relate to and understand others.

Submitting Institution

University of Hertfordshire

Unit of Assessment

Philosophy

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Psychology and Cognitive Sciences: Psychology, Cognitive Sciences
Philosophy and Religious Studies: Philosophy

Congregational Hermeneutics and h+ Making Good Sense of the Bible

Summary of the impact

This case study details the impact of theological ethnographic research on the biblical hermeneutics of two contrasting congregations, which was subsequently developed to identify the importance of hermeneutical virtues for Bible reading. Conceptualising biblical hermeneutics in this innovative way has allowed it to be more easily integrated into notions of discipleship and Christian education. Through liaising with Bible Society, a biblical hermeneutics course for Christian communities (h+) was developed in parallel with the second phase of research. The impact of the research through the h+ vehicle has been of significant spiritual, cultural and educational benefit, reaching across Christian denominations, parachurch agencies, congregations, facilitators, participants, and the communities that they serve.

Submitting Institution

Roehampton University

Unit of Assessment

Theology and Religious Studies

Summary Impact Type

Cultural

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Policy and Administration, Sociology
Language, Communication and Culture: Cultural Studies

Developing and sustaining effective multi-agency systems to safeguard children from harm

Summary of the impact

Senior managers in agencies in contact with children are frequently criticised, particularly in reports following child deaths, for failing to facilitate collaborative working to safeguard children. Yet, developing and sustaining collaborative systems is not easy. To assist managers, Horwath and Morrison developed a conceptual framework and, in collaboration with policy-makers and managers in Wales, added standards and indicators. These combine to form the building blocks likely to create a safe, multidisciplinary, child protection system. Their research has:

  • Impacted on the development of multidisciplinary safeguarding partnerships in a number of countries.
  • Enabled policy makers and senior managers to measure system improvements.
  • Informed statutory guidance.

Submitting Institution

University of Sheffield

Unit of Assessment

Social Work and Social Policy

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services
Studies In Human Society: Policy and Administration, Social Work

Development of the spin-out company PolyTherics, a major provider of conjugate therapy and protein modification technology to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries

Summary of the impact

Protein modification represents a highly significant and growing source of new products for the biopharmaceuticals market. This case study outlines the development of PolyTherics, a highly successful spin-out company from the UCL School of Pharmacy, and the impact that their enabling technology has had on the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. The company was developed as a direct result of new conjugate technology developed by Professor Steve Brocchini and coworkers at the School. The company moved to independent premises in 2006 and now manages a portfolio of over 100 granted and pending patents. Several licensing agreements are in place, including with Celtic Pharma Holdings for haemophilia treatments and Nuron for a multiple sclerosis treatment based on PEGylation conjugation technology. Revenue is expected to be £8m in 2013. The impact of Polytherics is therefore as a significant and effective technology provider to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

Submitting Institution

University College London

Unit of Assessment

Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Biological Sciences: Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Medical and Health Sciences: Medical Biochemistry and Metabolomics, Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Enabling the staging of Russian Drama in British Theatres

Summary of the impact

Staging Russian plays in British theatres presents specific difficulties, ranging from the remoteness of cultural and historical points of reference down to the complexity of Russian names. Dr Curtis's interpretative, biographical and editorial studies of Russian drama have assisted companies such as the RSC, the National Theatre, the Belgrade Theatre (Coventry) and Complicité to overcome these barriers to staging Russian plays. She has achieved this through running educational workshops for the companies, talks, translations, event planning, help to props and other departments, and the writing of theatre programmes, bringing cultural and educational enrichment to professionals and public.

Submitting Institution

University of Oxford

Unit of Assessment

Modern Languages and Linguistics

Summary Impact Type

Cultural

Research Subject Area(s)

Language, Communication and Culture: Cultural Studies, Literary Studies
History and Archaeology: Historical Studies

Enhancing the evidence base for child health interventions

Summary of the impact

Childhood obesity is an increasing problem in the UK with roughly one in seven school aged children in Scotland and England being classified as obese. The picture is similar in Wales where the prevalence is one in eight. The direct cost of obesity to the NHS is estimated to be £4.2bn a year, with this set to rise if the causes of childhood obesity are not addressed. The contribution of the research described below to tackling this issue is manifold: it has enabled the development and improvement of child health interventions/programmes; it has allowed commissioners and programme leads to make more informed decisions about investment in these interventions/programmes; and it has contributed to the development of regional healthy weight strategies and national guidelines on weight management.

Submitting Institution

University of Worcester

Unit of Assessment

Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

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

Extending the evidence-base for the effects of physical activity on mental health and nicotine addiction

Summary of the impact

Professor Adrian Taylor and colleagues in Exeter Sport and Health Sciences (SHS) have conducted: (1) laboratory studies to identify the dose of exercise that is sufficient to acutely impact on affect, mood and smoking-related outcomes; (2) rigorous randomised controlled trials to evaluate chronic interventions to increase physical activity among depressed patients, and smokers wishing to reduce or quit; and (3) rigorous systematic reviews and meta-analyses to inform guidance for health care practitioners and policy makers. This work has significantly contributed to the evidence-base underpinning global health care policy guidelines (including those produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)), as well as raising global media interest, informing public debate and clinically supporting patients and practitioners on best practice. Commissioned reviews have also identified gaps in the evidence-base for the effects of physical activity on mental health and nicotine addiction which has led to the prioritisation of funding for further research to resolve uncertainty in clinical guidelines.

Submitting Institution

University of Exeter

Unit of Assessment

Sport and Exercise Sciences, Leisure and Tourism

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences: Psychology

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