GW4 Crucible Seed Projects

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited life-limiting disease exacerbated by chronic lung infections. People with CF require frequent and aggressive antimicrobial treatments throughout their life. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is therefore of great concern for CF patients and new therapies are urgently needed. This project proposes an ambitious pilot study to investigate a personalised alternative treatment against key bacterial and fungal CF pathogens.

University of Bath: Neil Brown

University of Bristol: Jonathan Tyrrell

Cardiff University: Manon Pritchard, Rebecca Weiser

University of Exeter: Philip Mitchelmore (PI)

We propose to hold a workshop to begin the development of a multidisciplinary framework which considers how groups of agents (human, robot or otherwise) gain (in)accurate insight into the safety or danger of their environment using multiple sensory inputs and digital technology.

University of Bristol: Edmund Hunt (PI)

Cardiff University: Alexia Zoumpoulaki

University of Exeter: Laura Colebrooke, Avelie Stuart

Our study aims to see how health care professionals (HCPs), e.g. General Practitioners (GPs) and nurses use digital healthcare tools in practices, and whether they are able to pass on the benefits of digital interventions to patients on both sides of the digital divide. We will discuss these issues in focus groups and interviews. We will complement these findings with a brief online survey.

University of Bath: Ben Ainsworth (Co-PI), Charlotte Dack (Co-PI)

University of Bristol: Kate Binnie, Sabrina Grant, Gemma Lasseter, Sophie Turnbull

University of Exeter: Laura Colebrooke, Barbara Silarova

Via a mixed methods, this collaborative project will seek to address the paucity of evidence in around Novel Healthcare Technologies by probing the general public’s perceptions towards the use of these diverse NHTs by administering a survey to a nationally representative sample.

University of Bath: Steffi Colyer, Alexandra Voinescu

University of Bristol: Gemma Lasseter (PI), Sarah Sauchelli Toran (PI), Sabrina Grant

Cardiff University: Heungjae Choi, Tim Pickles, Jinjing Zhang

University of Exeter: Ben Sherlock

With this seed funding we will hold a workshop to form a new multi-disciplinary team consisting of researchers from the GW4 institutions and a researcher from Khulna University in Bangladesh, with the aim of seeking novel approaches to address the complex problem of environmental antibiotic pollution surrounding Bangladesh aquaculture farms.

University of Bath: Hans-Wilhelm Nuetzmann

Cardiff University: Darrick Evensen, Ludivine Petetin, Emma McKinley

University of Exeter: Kelly Thornber (PI), Rebecca Pearce, Marcus Gomes, Anna Rabinovich, Helen Smith

Khulna University, Bangladesh: M. Moshiur Rahman

We propose to design and co-produce “The Resilience Games” to enthuse and engage 9 to 13 year old children with the complex challenge of creating resilient societies. Through interdisciplinary collaboration (involving environmental social science, economic geography, engineering, health psychology, arts, law and policy), The Games will foster interactive learning and introduce children to multiple facets of resilience around a range of topics; including preparedness to natural hazards, water and food security and sustainable natural resource management.

University of Bath: Giorgia Giardina

Cardiff University: Meghan Alexander (PI), Adrian Healy, Zhihua Zie, Ludivine Petetin, Ria Poole

University of Exeter: Helen Smith

The long-term goal of this collaborative project is to develop a predictive framework for indoor air quality using an array of more easily measured parameters like energy usage, human activity, and outdoor conditions. To achieve this long-term goal, we request seed funding to perform some first experimental steps and to share the results with the wider GW4 community, with an aim to develop a longer-term collaborative project in this area.

University of Bath: Manuel Herrera, Jonathan Norman

University of Bristol: Bryan Bzdek (PI), Dan Schien

Cardiff University: Martin Weinel, Yi Jin

University of Exeter: Kelly Thornber

Our initial scoping study will be set within three Bristol community areas that all experience high levels of social inequality. We want to celebrate what works well, and in collaboration with communities, to identify issues around community cohesion, sense of place, housing, and health.

University of Bristol: Michelle Farr, Malu Villela

Cardiff University: Esther Muddiman (PI), Julie Gwilliam, Ria Poole

University of Exeter: Marcus Gomez, Rebecca Pearce, Anna Rabinovich

To facilitate the development of this research proposal the team hosted an ‘Incubator event’ to springboard the study forward to the next stage by developing a wide network of collaborators and refining the project design prior to writing a larger grant for funding (e.g. Wellcome Trust or MRC). The initial research program grant will focus on generating pilot data from two GW4 institutions, University of Exeter and University of Bristol and forging multi-disciplinary collaborations.

University of Bath: Pete Rouse

University of Bristol: Diana Dos Santos Ferreira, Sarah Sullivan

University of Exeter: Therese Murphy (PI)

The project involved conducting a series of scoping activities to explore the potential stakeholders involved in lab-on-chip (LOC) or point-of-care technologies (POCTs) designed to detect bio-markers for specific health conditions. The group organised a one-day early-career workshop on diagnostics for antimicrobial resistance in London. Furthermore, the team arranged and attended several meetings to engage stakeholders and possible collaborators.

University of Bath: Joanne Cranwell (PI), Despina Moschou

University of Bristol: Fabio Parmeggiana

Cardiff University: Hantao Liu