Our Communities
To date (June 2021) the GW4 Alliance has invested over £3.1m in 112 collaborative research communities, which have generated nearly £50m in research income. This means that for every £1 GW4 spends on collaborative research communities, GW4 captures an impressive £16 in external research awards.
The GW4 Alliance has adopted the Russell Group Research Integrity Statement of cooperation in cross-institutional research misconduct allegations, which aims to support the efforts of researcher communities to foster research integrity (also known as good practice in research or the responsible conduct of research).
Explore our GW4 research communities by keyword or theme. (All communities are also listed below in order of award date with newest first).
Aerospace and Advanced Engineering
Creative and Cultural Economy
Digital Innovation
Living Well
New Energy Systems
Resilience, Environment and Sustainability
Stratify and Treat – a new horizon for type 1 diabetes after 100 years
Initiator fund
Project period: February – June 2019
GW4 community leads
University of Bristol: Kathleen Gillespie, Alistair Williams, Anna Long
Cardiff University: Danijela Tatovic, Colin Dayan, Susan Wong
University of Exeter: Sarah Richardson (PI), Noel Morgan, Richard Oram, Angus Jones, Andrew Hattersley, Bev Shields, Tim McDonald
Project overview
The GW4 Type 1 Diabetes Centre of Excellence will reveal the causes of diabetes leading to improved patient stratification and tailored therapies.
The Imaging Arthritis Consortium
INITIATOR FUND
Project period: February – July 2019
GW4 community leads
University of Bath: Elise Pegg, Richie Gill
University of Bristol: Flossie Carpenter, Mike Whitehouse
Cardiff University: David Williams, Cathy Holt
University of Exeter: Ben Sherlock (PI)
Project overview
The Imaging Arthritis Consortium will leverage leading experience and facilities for musculoskeletal imaging that exists across the GW4 to promote new collaborations in the field of musculoskeletal imaging.
Using realistic review methodology to investigate digital health interventions for managing long-term conditions
INITIATOR FUND
Project period: February – June 2019
GW4 community leads
University of Bath: Matthew Jones, Charlotte Dack
University of Bristol: Sabrina Grant
Cardiff University: Judith Carrier (PI), Emma Lane, Valerie Sparkes, Roser Beneito–Montagut
Project overview
Digital health interventions to support people with long-term conditions, what works, for whom, in what circumstances?
WALES AND SOUTH WEST RESPONSES AND PREPARATIONS FOR BREXIT AND UK TRADE POLICY
ACCELERATOR FUND
Project period: February – September 2019
GW4 community leads
University of Bath: Maria Garcia (PI)
University of Bristol: Clair Gammage
Cardiff University: Jo Hunt
University of Exeter: David Thackeray
Project overview
This community brings together academics, business representatives and stakeholders in the region to raise awareness and understanding of the intersections between trade policy and other domestic policies and to consider and identify pathways to influence future UK trade policies.
THE GW4 PAY EQUALITY RESEARCH CONSORTIUM (PERC)
SUSTAINING COMMUNITIES FUND
Project period: January 2019 to June 2021
GW4 community leads
University of Bath: Susan Milner (PI)
University of Bristol: Susan Harkness
Cardiff University: Melanie Jones, Alison Parken
University of Exeter: Emma Jeanes
Project overview
The aim of the project was initially to investigate how gender pay gap reporting regulations could be strengthened, and to look critically at the Equal Pay Act 1970 and Equality Act 2010 in order to identify gaps in the legislation and ways to strengthen it. In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic caused a major disruption to the labour market, with negative impacts for women. The project therefore redirected its focus to examine the impact of the pandemic and identify lessons for policy.
A biosocial approach to trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in young people
ACCELERATOR FUND
Project period: September 2018 – April 2019
GW4 community leads
University of Bath: Sarah Halligan (PI)
University of Bristol: Abigail Fraser
Cardiff University: Stan Zammit
University of Exeter: Anke Karl
Project overview
Our goal is to leverage expertise from across GW4 in order to achieve a step change of our understanding of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in children and young people, with a particular focus on groups from low and middle income countries.
A multi-stakeholder approach to medicines optimisation
INITIATOR FUND
Project period: September 2018 – January 2019
GW4 community leads
University of Bath: Margaret Watson (initial PI, now at Strathclyde)
University of Bristol: Rupert Payne (PI)
University of Exeter: Nicky Britten
Cardiff University: Molly Courtenay
Project overview
Medicines Optimisation is the name of a relatively recent policy to ensure the safe and effective use of medicines and thus to enable the best possible outcomes. The project aimed to bring together expertise in this area across GW4, to identify the most salient research issues to take forward as a community.
GW4-BCR (Brain Cancer Research)
ACCELERATOR FUND
Project period: September 2018 – April 2019
GW4 community leads
University of Bath: Lorenzo Caggiano (PI) and Julien Licchesi
University of Bristol: Kathreena Kurian
Cardiff University: Chris Marshall & Stephen Paisey
University of Exeter: Jacqueline Whatmore
Project overview
From Daffodils to Drugs – this community will be investigating synthetic analogues of compounds found in daffodil bulbs to treat brain tumours.