Fantastic five awarded prestigious healthcare appointments

26 Apr 2016

Manchester academics land National Institute for Health Research Senior Investigator appointments

Five academics from the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences have received the National Institute for Health Research’s (NIHR) prestigious Senior Investigator status in the latest round of appointments.

The NIHR is funded through the Department of Health to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. Its Senior Investigators are the NIHR’s pre-eminent researchers and represent the country’s most outstanding leaders of clinical and applied health and social care research.

Professor Shôn Lewis and Professor Nigel Bundred have become Emeritus Senior Investigators in recognition of their contributions over two terms as Senior Investigators. Attaining Emeritus status is a considerable achievement with holders having succeeded twice in open competition and completed two terms as a Senior Investigator.

Shôn Lewis is Director of the Faculty’s Institute of Brain Behaviour and Mental Health and has held NIHR Senior Investigator award since 2008. He is an honorary consultant psychiatrist in Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust and has been Professor of Adult Psychiatry at the University since 1994. His research interests focus on risk factors and new interventions in schizophrenia and psychosis, with a recent focus on the use of new technologies.

Nigel Bundred is Professor of Surgical Oncology in the Institute of Cancer Sciences. He is also Consultant Surgeon based at the University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust and the Christie Hospital in Manchester where he has a large clinical commitment to the Manchester Breast Service, which is the largest in the country.

Karina Lovell, Professor of Mental Health and Director of Research at the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, has been reappointed for a further five years as NIHR Senior Investigator, the maximum appointment period awarded. Karina’s work spans both primary and secondary care mental health. She has made a major contribution to delivering psychological interventions remotely and has demonstrated exemplary user and carer involvement in mental health research.

Professor Anne Barton and Professor Matt Sutton were among 34 academics newly appointed as NIHR Senior Investigators.

Matt is Professor of Health Economics and Deputy Director of the Faculty’s Institute of Population Health, where he is also Centre Lead for the Manchester Centre for Health Economics. He is a member of the Department of Health Policy Research Programme Commissioning Panel and the NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research Programme Board. His research addresses the financing and organisation of health care, the healthcare workforce and influences on health and health behaviours.

Anne is Professor of Rheumatology and Director of the Centre for Musculoskeletal Research in the Faculty’s Institute of Inflammation and Repair. She is also an Honorary Consultant in Rheumatology at Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. She is currently the Academic Training Lead for the North West region as well as the Training Lead for the BRU.