NIHRDataInsights/HRCSData huggingface dataset:
Title: Designing Scalable Assistive Technologies and Services for Independent Healthy Living and Sustainable Market Development in the Mixed Digital Economy
Funder: Innovate UK

Abstract: The main objectives of this integrated project are to: (1) develop methods for designing scalable assistive technologies and services and new business models to promote sustainable market development for independent healthy living in a mixed digital economy; and (2) understand the factors that promote or inhibit the uptake, use and integration of assistive technologies for older people living in the community from a user-centred perspective. SALT brings together a multi-disciplinary team of senior academics with practitioners from business, design, health and social care services, government agencies, third sector organisations and user groups to develop innovative, workable solutions. The project also leverages the extensive resources, and expertise of the Design, Business and Connected Communities activities of SiDE, the RCUK Digital Economy Hub at Newcastle on Social Inclusion through the Digital Economy, and extensive business engagement programmes within Newcastle University. The close involvement of businesses, health and social care organisations and users will help identify a clear route to market. It makes a significant contribution to capacity building in the North East, by developing and testing innovative solutions within existing health and social care structures through co-production; exploring new business models for sustainable new market development through case studies; and informing and validating new workable solutions from a user-centred perspective.


Research activity codes: 7.1 INDIVIDUAL CARE NEEDS;8.4 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGIES (HEALTH SERVICES)
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Overcoming barriers to mainstreaming Assisted Living Technologies
Funder: Innovate UK

Abstract: The future large-scale deployment of Assisted Living Technologies (ALTs) depends on establishing cost-effectiveness at scale, overcoming barriers to uptake, and devising viable service and business models. Our research aims to unlock these 3 barriers to ALT mainstreaming by initially focussing on NHS and social care telehealth deployments across Yorkshire and subsequently examining the effect of the introduction of new ALTs. This project will: 1. create cost-effectiveness models of 2 common long-term conditions that allow ALT deployments to be tested for cost-effectiveness at different scales and configurations; 2. refine these models with commissioners and service providers in three areas in Yorkshire where telehealth is being deployed; 3. study user, carer and staff acceptance of telehealth, deepening understanding of ALT acceptability 4. design strategies for service delivery optimising cost-effectiveness and uptake of ALT and evaluate these in three areas in Yorkshire; 5. adapt and apply these models and strategies to innovative ALTs to test their likely benefits; 6.work with industry to identify and develop business models which will optimally service market need for current and future ALT deployment; 7.Produce evidence and tools for policy-makers, commissioners, providers and industry which will support future large-scale ALT deployment.


Research activity codes: 8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Tackling Barriers to Adoption of Assisted Living Technology for Older Adults
Funder: Innovate UK

Abstract: The COBALT project is examining the gap between the development of assistive living technologies (ALTs) aimed at supporting older adults and take-up of these devices by the target population. Our approach is to work with older adults as experts to understand what they like and dislike about technology and how they make decisions to adopt or abandon new technology and devices. To achieve this we are looking at items people love and use in their every day lives as well as items they have abandoned. We are also finding out about how people explore new technologies and what factors are important for them making decisions about adoption. Alongside older adults we are also working with health and social care providers at different levels to understand the factors that influence provision and support of ALTs to older adults. We are working with front line staff to explore their attitudes to technology generally and ALTs in particular. We are also interviewing commissioners and service providers to identify key influencers in the provision of ALTs to older adults. Finally, we are working with industry to understand the key decision-making points where we can try to bridge the gap with their end-users. Our overall aim is to bring all of these groups together in a series of interactive events to help them understand and learn from each other.


Research activity codes: 7.1 INDIVIDUAL CARE NEEDS;8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Consumer Models for Assisted Living - CO-MODAL
Funder: Innovate UK

Abstract: The aim of the CO-MODAL project is to support the development of a market for independent living products for "young" older people (YOP); i.e. those people who are approaching retirement and older age in the 50 – 70 year age range. In particular, project is considering the YOP as a consumer or user of assisted living technology (ALT) products. Project team’s investigations is focusing on understanding the needs and behaviours of four segments: 1. “YOP Consumer Users”: YOP who purchase ALTs for their own use; i.e. those YOP who buy and use the ALT 2. “YOP Purchasers”: YOP ‘decision gatekeepers’ involved in the purchasing decision for other older ALT end users; i.e. those YOP who buy but do not use the ALT 3. “YOP Users”: YOP who use ALTs but refer to other non-YOP ‘decision gatekeepers’ such as a family member, carer or advisor, to make the purchase decision i.e. YOPs who use but do not buy the ALT 4. “YOP Non-users”: YOP who neither buy nor use ALTs


Research activity codes: 7.1 INDIVIDUAL CARE NEEDS
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: One Precious Life
Funder: Innovate UK

Abstract: "One Precious Life" is an ambitious project that will treat individuals in the UK with Long Term Conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, dementia, stroke-survivors, asthma and arthritis, as we would high performance athletes. Rescon, a UK human performance company, has teamed up with Going For Independence, a UK social enterprise focused on empowering individuals to become independent, to deliver One Precious Life. The team are going to actively recruit two individuals with a human performance background and pair them with two individuals from a social care or health background. They are going to house these four coaches together for three months where they will learn about how to apply the principles of high performance athlete training and service to those with Long Term Conditions. They will learn off each other, as well as from the expertise of Rescon and Going For Independence. They will also develop a new competition, designed to be inclusive, fun, active and a great spectator sport, based off the principles of popular sports and paralympic inclusivity. Evaluation and monitoring technologies will be developed, as elite athletes would use, but specifically tailored to those with long term conditions, as appropriate. After the development and training phase the coaches, and their support team, will go into hospitals, and recruit particpants in the program who have both the motivation to be involved and long term conditions. These individuals will be followed up in their own homes where they will be trained up with no attention to detail spared. They will be trained and educated in activity, nutrition, form, function, recovery, managing their conditions, social life, sexual health, and how to access all the information they may need to optimse their day to day performance. A specific target in this program is the participation of all "athletes" in the end of program tournament. Our athletes will compete in an arena in this first of its kind competition where success is not just judged on points scored. Equally weighted to points are team work, being sporting and style. By the end of the program we will have taken 28 individuals, with long term conditions, and given them new hope, an improved body, mind and spirit whilst giving the four coaches a new career in high performance delivery to those who most need it. The pilot of One Precious Life, will build up the resource, knowledge and evidence for delivering this approach to the UK population at scale. One Previous Life will not only save a generation that are chained by a system that does not address individuals with Long Term Conditions as valuable, it will also increase employment and booster new industry and the UK economy. One Precious Life is part of the Long Term Care Revolution. Together with the other pilots that are part of the Long Term Care Revolution we will transform the face of the Health and Social Care industry in the UK, providing a better present and future for us all.


Research activity codes: 7.1 INDIVIDUAL CARE NEEDS
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Flourish
Funder: Innovate UK

Abstract: Aspirational Aging: From Thriving to Surviving We all come into the world with needs. In order to Flourish, we must fulfil not only the most basic, practical needs, but also those that impact our mental wellbeing, that give our lives purpose and meaning: engaging in activities we enjoy, feeling a sense of accomplishment, and building and sustaining relationships (Seligman 2012). Retaining a positive outlook, keeping active (physically, socially and mentally), and maintaining capability and independence are key contributing factors to mental wellbeing in older people (Humphrey et al., 2011). And Robert Butler, the first Director of the National Institute of Aging, identified that those who expressed having clear goals or purpose tend to live longer and live better than those who do not. However, when we require support, the current care system assesses need and delivers care from a narrow, physical perspective, rather than evaluating, planning and providing support that also meets emotional requirements. This one-dimensional approach to care is creating devastating results for our older people. Poorly cared for, lonely and socially excluded, they have a higher risk of dementia (Wilson et al., 2007), a 45% risk of higher mortality and a 59% increase in the risk of functional decline, such as walking and climbing stairs (Perissinotto et al., 2012), which could ultimately increase the possibility of care home admission. It is also estimated that the cost to the UK health service of poor mental health in old age will exceed £34.7 billion by 2026. There is therefore an urgent requirement to address these flaws within the care system to avoid further economic strain on our health services. This is unlikely to happen until we come to the realisation that need is more than just physical, it's the entirety of what is required to make life worth living. Over the next 9 months, our team would like to explore the feasibility of redefining the concept of need. A significant reframing, from a physical perspective to the only one that really matters…yours. From 'needs assessment' to 'understanding purpose', from 'practitioner-led, one-size-fits-all planning', to 'self-managed, personalised paths to aspiration', from 'delivering care' to 'accessing relevant and meaningful choices'. We will do this drawing on recent advances in positive psychology, working with thriving older people to develop designs, and investigating the potential impact of innovative technology for identifying and managing aspiration. If we can enable older people to thrive and flourish, the benefits could be overwhelming: not only improved health and wellbeing, but also better allocation of scarce resources, more autonomy and empowerment for older people and their families, and the redesign of delivery to align with the new definitions of need.


Research activity codes: 7.1 INDIVIDUAL CARE NEEDS;8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Poppins
Funder: Innovate UK

Abstract: The 'Poppins' project is an integrated test system that explores the potential for a virtual currency that will help change attitudes to how the elderly and vulnerable are treated in society and within the dynamics of the High Street. Thirty/forty years ago, habits were very different and people tended to shop daily at a variety of local shops where people knew them and had time for them. The dynamic is radically different today with out-of-town retail sites, internet shopping and people simply choosing to visit their local High Streets less frequently. Poppins intends to both help shops establish new relationships with a key sector of their customer base (the elderly) and help build up new uses for the High Street. Shops are expected to see their involvement in Poppins as an example of good customer relations and corporate social responsibility and as a positive example for their staff. ‘Poppins’ are tagged coins that are given to people as tokens of respect and care by participating retailers and service providers who have agreed to adopt a Code of Practice in their dealings with the elderly. Poppins are exchangeable at a dedicated High Street presence that will also act as focal point for a range of other activities aimed at helping keep the elderly active, interested and independent. Initially, in recognition of the target demographic's perceived preferences, poppins will be a physical 'coin' but in due course a fully virtual version will also be developed. The initial project is designed to establish a framework that could be built upon in future studies.


Research activity codes: 7.1 INDIVIDUAL CARE NEEDS
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: SALTC- simulating Ageing and Long term Conditions.
Funder: Innovate UK

Abstract: "SALTC is a socio-technological research activity concerned with reversing the concept of Long Term Care, and using Reverse Assumption Thinking, looking from the other end, that of the final stages of the condition backwards. By using an immersive experience, the individual is illustrated the typical emotional and financial impacts of these conditions, coupled with the effect on relatives, loved ones etc. as well as the financial impact of providing support for individuals planning for the later stages of their lives. This project seeks to quantify the most common Long Term Conditions and looks to qualify different deterioration stages for each condition, adding them into a "protocol of acceptance". Once this protocol is defined, the project aims to make it available on the internet for interested parties to shape the protocol with their personal experience, thus allowing the public to inform the project of where the "flash points" of personal acceptance are, with regards the need for external help, when looking at specific conditions. Challenging the status quo with regards to both policy and practice, the project looks to find a protocol that might be used by a person to add detail and acceptance thresholds to their understanding of the effects that long term condition may have on them. In such a manner, it might be possible to ascertain the boundaries and trigger points to when people suffering from a Long Term Condition, may require assistance, or may no longer consider that the quality of life is worth continuing with. The final aspect of this research project looks at the socio-economic impact for the UK, using the established protocol's findings to draw a line in the sand regarding suffering and what the public deems acceptable in the context of lone living, and when they need support. It looks to see how support in this context can be planned for in advance and if Living Will's may be augmented by the fidelity that such an immersive experience brings."


Research activity codes: 7.1 INDIVIDUAL CARE NEEDS
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: The role of specialised DNA polymerases in maintaining epigenetic stability at structured DNA
Funder: Worldwide Cancer Research

Abstract: "A cell's identity is determined by both by its DNA sequence and by its transcriptional programme, which is specified epigenetically by post-translational modifications of histone proteins. Maintaining these genetic and epigenetic instructions during cell division is essential to prevent malignant transformation. We have recently demonstrated, in a paper in press at Molecular Cell, the importance of coupling of DNA replication with histone propagation for maintaining epigenetic memory. Cells lacking the Y-family DNA polymerase REV1 are defective in the replication of DNA sequences capable of forming G quadruplex secondary structures (G4 DNA). At G4 DNA, REV1-deficient cells exhibit uncoupling of DNA synthesis from histone recycling resulting in loss of repressive chromatin marks. This manifests as dysregulated gene expression at G4 DNAcontaining loci across the genome. REV1 deficiency, which has been reported in a number of cancer types, thus provides the first example of a single gene mutation that can result in both genetic and epigentic instability. The work proposed in this application will further explore two areas arising from these recent observations. Using the highly tractable avian cell line DT40 we will 1. seek to understand how REV1 and the specialised DNA polymerases it orchestrates facilitate the replication of G quadruplex DNA and 2. aim to find out how loss of processive replication in REV1-deficient cells leads to extensive loss of repressive histone marks ain the vicinity of certain G quadruplex sites. It it increasingly apparent that cancer cells exhibit not only extensive genetic changes, but highly dysregulated gene expression. I hope these studies will extend our understanding of how defective replication can be at the heart of a potentially synergistic interaction between loss of genetic stability and loss of epigenetic stability that can promote cellular transformation and the evoultion of malignancy."


Research activity codes: 1.1 NORMAL BIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTIONING
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Assessment of the variability and effectiveness of closed chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in children
Funder: SPARKS

Abstract: Cardiac arrest causes severe brain damage and death within minutes and so prompt resuscitation of babies, children or adults with appropriate chest compressions is a vital part of basic and advanced life support helping to increase the chance of a successful resuscitation. For children however, it is difficult for the practitioner to estimate time intervals between each chest compression and how much pressure to apply. For example, premature infants will differ 100 fold to teenagers in size and in chest stiffness and yet there are currently no guidelines available for effective treatment. It is challenging to measure techniques which involve manual contact between the practitioner and patient, particularly in small children and the absence of a valid tool has resulted in lack of data to define effective paediatric resuscitation or confirm when an appropriate technique is being applied. Utilising innovative force-sensing technology previously developed with Sparks funding support and integrating it into a heart resuscitation mat – the Data generated will inform and improve delivery of chest compressions in babies and children, and pilot data will be collected during real resuscitation procedures helping to optimise outcomes in intensive care, contributing to practice guidelines and ultimately helping to save lives


Research activity codes: 8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES;7.3 MANAGEMENT AND DECISION MAKING
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Function and regulation of USP9X in mitosis
Funder: Worldwide Cancer Research

Abstract: "Aberrant cell division and failure to undergo apoptosis are features of cancer cells and can be causal in tumour formation. These characteristics, however, provide opportunities to selectively target proliferating cancer cells, which are often delayed in mitosis or are otherwise stressed due to aneuploidy or extra centrosomes. Taxol (paclitaxel) targets the mitotic spindle and is often effective in the treatment of ovarian, breast and nonsmall cell lung cancers, demonstrating the validity of targeting mitotic cells as an anti-cancer strategy. A new generation of enzyme inhibitors that target mitotic protein kinases or motor proteins are also in development as anti-cancer drugs. There is now an urgent need to identify the molecular mechanisms controlling cell death when mitosis is disrupted in order to make existing chemotherapies more effective, properly evaluate new reagents, and identify new drug targets. We have identified the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1 as having a critical role in controlling apoptosis during cell division. Mcl-1 is overexpressed in many cancers and it determines chemosensitivity and disease progression. In response to drugs such as taxol, Mcl-1 is degraded by a ubiquitin-proteasome-mediated process that distinguishes between normal mitosis and a prolonged mitotic arrest that initiates apoptosis. The mechanism controlling the timing of Mcl-1 destruction is unclear, but Mcl-1 ubiquitylation is opposed by the deubiquitinase USP9X, which could provide a new drug target to induce Mcl- 1 destruction and thereby sensitise cancer cells to apoptosis. This project will investigate the function and regulation of USP9X in mitosis and during the temporal regulation of mitotic arrest. This work is anticipated to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms controlling apoptosis during mitotic arrest and in response to anti-mitotic cancer drugs."


Research activity codes: 1.1 NORMAL BIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTIONING
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Role of auto-phosphorylation and PP2C phosphatase/ 14-3-3 protein interactions in Chk1 regulation
Funder: Worldwide Cancer Research

Abstract: "The ATR-Chk1 signalling pathway is a key effector of the DNA damage and replication checkpoints in vertebrate cells and a cardinal regulator of genome stability, a property frequently deranged in cancer cells. Chk1 is also an important target for anti-cancer drug development, with several inhibitors currently undergoing clinical trials. Despite this, the molecular mechanisms that control Chk1 catalytic activity and biological functions in normal and cancer cells remain poorly understood. Based on structural predictions and biochemical evidence, we propose that Chk1 is regulated in a manner analogous to the stress-activated plant kinase, SOS2. Like SOS2, the C-terminal tail of Chk1 is predicted to contain a specific structure, termed a “kinase-associated-1” (KA-1) domain, that we believe mediates phosphorylation-dependent interactions with inhibitory PP2C-family phosphatases and positively-acting 14-3-3 proteins. This application proposes to test this hypothesis by 1) defining which PP2C isoforms bind to Chk1, 2) establishing the functional role of autophosphorylation in Chk1 activation and PP2C phosphatase binding, and 3) testing whether PP2C phosphatases and 14-3-3 proteins modulate Chk1 catalytic activity and checkpoint proficiency in vivo. Answering these questions will help to understand how loss of genome stability occurs during cancer progression and may reveal new ways in which the ATR-Chk1 pathway might be manipulated for therapy."


Research activity codes: 1.1 NORMAL BIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTIONING
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE