Summary of the impact

This Keele University research in multiscale object recognition has led to two key breakthroughs: (a) the automated identification of tissue boundaries in computer tomographic (CT) scans, enabling the latest radiotherapy equipment to more accurately target diseased tissue thus avoiding neighbouring healthy organs. Such improvements are essential to the successful roll-out of new more precise linear accelerators in the treatment of cancer; (b) new fractal algorithms to characterise the quality of transplanted cell growth from post-operative biopsies. By automating the selection of the healthiest cells this has assisted the generation of patient-specific cartilage and is essential for the development of a medical capability for large-scale patient-specific generation of cartilage growth for the treatment of arthritis. It has indirectly led to software improvements in cell-tracking and to achieving reliable auto-focussing in high throughput non-invasive microscopy.

Summary of the impact

A multidisciplinary team has worked in applied cell engineering implementing cell therapy and biological approaches in clinical practice since 1997. The team has two GMP accredited laboratories in hospital sites and a MHRA manufacturing license for chondrocytes and stromal /stem cells for delivery to patients in orthopaedic clinical trials. The research had impacts on health, economy, public policy and practitioners. Over 400 cartilage patients and over 150,000 knee ligament patients have benefited directly from the research, and associated turnover is over £40,000,000. Team members had influence on government, NICE and professional guidelines.

Summary of the impact

This case study is based around a network of activities and collaborations, that have affected over 100 companies and around 25,000 people directly (and many more indirectly). This is illustrated through 4 specific initiatives:

a) Project Green

b) Science for Sustainability

c) Resilience of land/water resources

d) Keele University Sustainability Hub

These initiatives have been developed directly from expertise in specific areas of environmental and sustainability research, with a strong focus on collaboration across the traditional disciplinary boundaries — geoscience, chemistry, engineering and social science have all been key components.

`Project Green' was launched in 2011, and was initially an 18-month project to provide sustainability training and internships for job-seeking graduates; the project (including follow-on schemes) has supported well over 200 graduates, with placements in over 100 organisations (mainly businesses), and external funding of over £1M.

`Science for Sustainability' was established in 2006, to disseminate important environmental sustainability issues to communities and the public through displays, road-shows, public talks, school outreach and partnership working with Councils and third-sector organisations; it operates locally, regionally and nationally, and has so far engaged >25,000 people from schools and the general public

The work on land/water resilience is one specific example of collaborative work that is having a major impact on drought/flood issues that are of increasing global importance, using new environmental monitoring and data analysis techniques that have been developed at Keele.

The `Keele University Sustainability Hub' comprises a £3.5M renovation of a derelict farmhouse, to create a unique `green' resource. This exemplar sustainable building houses teaching (including a new MSc programme), research on sustainable energy and community engagement, and a wide range of external engagement and outreach activities. Its underpinning principle is the cross-fertilization of these activities, and the Hub has hosted an average of >1000 users per month since opening in 2011. Developing environmental sustainability research is a key `top-level' strategic vision for Keele, and the Sustainability Hub acts as a focal point for education, outreach, widening participation and, most importantly, collaborative research and development and engagement with industry, business and the public sector and other external organisations.

Summary of the impact

Osteoarthritis affects 8.5 million people in the United Kingdom, accounting for a third of all years lived with disability. Our research has provided commissioners and third-sector organisations with accurate estimates of the size of the problem, policy-makers with evidence on groups at particularly high-risk, and clinicians with original evidence on better approaches to assessing and managing osteoarthritis in patients presenting to primary care. These key insights have supported advances in public health and health care policy debate, changes in legislation, and improvements in the quality of patient care through training and new national, European, and global guidelines for health professionals.

Summary of the impact

Osteoarthritis affects 8.5 million people in the United Kingdom, accounting for a third of all years lived with disability. Our research has provided commissioners and third-sector organisations with accurate estimates of the size of the problem, policy-makers with evidence on groups at particularly high-risk, and clinicians with original evidence on better approaches to assessing and managing osteoarthritis in patients presenting to primary care. These key insights have supported advances in public health and health care policy debate, changes in legislation, and improvements in the quality of patient care through training and new national, European, and global guidelines for health professionals.

Summary of the impact

Keele University has a forty year history in the theory, development and application of microseismic (small-magnitude `earthquakes') monitoring and characterisation methods for the investigation of geotechnical, geological and geo-environmental problems, which continues to form a key aspect of its environmental and sustainability agenda, one of Keele's overarching strategic priorities.

Since 1993, Professors Young & Styles' research at Keele (the Applied and Environmental Geophysics Group) has led to new international standards in the monitoring of ground deformation and fracturing associated with underground mining (coal, salt, gypsum), coal-bed methane extraction, high-level nuclear waste disposal and, most recently, the emission of low-frequency vibrational noise from wind turbines and the exploitation of shale gas hydrocarbon reserves.

Keele's research has been instrumental in developing new hardware, software, data acquisition, processing and visualisation technologies that are now considered de facto across the international microseismic monitoring community (both industrial and academic). Keele's research work has contributed to the significant development of new, UK on-shore gas reserves and the de-regulating of Ministry of Defence (MOD) land for long-term renewable energy development.

Summary of the impact

This case study describes the policy and practice impacts of a series of studies by Claire Fox and colleagues on children's and young people's social and emotional wellbeing, in particular counselling provision in schools and domestic abuse prevention education. The research on the effectiveness of school counselling has been used by the Welsh Assembly to argue for a national roll-out of counselling in Welsh secondary schools. It is also being used by those responsible for commissioning counselling services in England and Northern Ireland. The research on young people and domestic abuse (DA) centres on the evaluation of a particular DA prevention programme delivered in North Staffordshire by local charity Arch. This organisation has benefited substantially from the research findings in terms of sustaining their work in schools. The research has also had a broader impact in terms of influencing UK, and European, policy on DA prevention education in schools.

Summary of the impact

This Keele University research into advanced signal processing and classification methods has led to novel algorithms capable of isolating subtle patterns in complex data. This has been applied in two highly significant application areas: first to the problem of image source identification and second to the problem of unobtrusive but highly secure authentication methods. In the first case this has enabled images captured by mobile phone cameras to be reliably and evidentially linked to source devices. This has huge applicability to those fighting terrorism, paedophile rings and civil unrest by extending detection capabilities to mobile phones in an era in which they are rapidly replacing dedicated cameras. It helps to prove, for example, that a photograph entered as evidence was captured by a specific mobile phone. As most phones can be tied to their user or owner this is extremely important to the successful detection and prosecution of offenders.

In the second case it has enabled criminal record checks to be carried out securely online where previous paper-based systems were both too slow for purpose (taking weeks or months) and inherently insecure, leaving key posts unfilled in the health care industries and education sector; so benefitting the public by solving a problem that was having a negative impact on the running of these public services.

Summary of the impact

Fischman's work has an on-going worldwide impact on cultural life, creating, inspiring and supporting new forms of artistic expression through public performance and broadcast of his compositions. His search for new aesthetic approaches and the resulting software tools (e.g. AL and Erwin) have offered new ways of musical thinking to composers beyond the academy around the globe, contributing to their personal and professional development through further exploration of such tools and approaches. Together with his writings, these have informed the design and delivery of curriculum and syllabi in other institutions worldwide. The nature of the subjects tackled in some of his compositions has also contributed to new interpretations of cultural heritage.

Summary of the impact

Professor Martin Wasik's research has made a significant and enduring impact on the law and practice of sentencing — the scale of which has grown from 2008 onwards. This is evidenced by the adoption in England and Wales of 23 sentencing guidelines developed by the Sentencing Advisory Panel, which he chaired from 1999 to 2007, based on proportionality principles advocated in his research and publications. The work of the Panel attracted international attention, informed policy debate, and served as a model of democratic involvement in the area of sentencing. Wasik also provides national Judicial College training on sentencing, and publishes extensively for practitioners, including a monthly e-letter mailed by the College to all judges who sit in criminal cases.