News – Institute of Translational Medicine

An international team of scientists and engineers have been awarded a grant of £768K by UKRI as part of the Newton Fund’s Agile Response Call to develop high performance, low cost ventilators for use in low to middle income countries, it has been announced today. Prompted by a shortage of ventilators in low income countries…

Chemical engineering expertise helps in fight against COVID-19

December 3, 2020

From hand sanitisers and nasal sprays to improved PPE, the University of Birmingham’s School of Chemical Engineering and Healthcare Technologies Institute (based here in the ITM) have made significant contributions to the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, staff set up a manufacturing facility at the Collaborative Teaching Laboratory to produce hand sanitiser, desperately…

‘Rapid science’ makes custom-fitted facemasks for NHS workers

November 25, 2020

A company working with experts from the University of Birmingham and King’s College London has been awarded funding by Innovate UK to produce custom-fitted, reusable, medical grade facemasks that will fit all people regardless of age, sex or ethnicity. MyMaskFit will focus on producing masks at FFP3 standard, which filter 99% of aerosols. The FFP3 standard…

Anti-COVID-19 nasal spray ‘ready for use in humans’

November 19, 2020

A nasal spray that can provide effective protection against the COVID-19 virus has been developed by researchers at the University of Birmingham based here in the ITM, using materials already cleared for use in humans. A team in the ITM’s Healthcare Technologies Institute formulated the spray using compounds already widely approved by regulatory bodies in the…

New mouth spray could benefit patients with painful genetic skin condition

October 29, 2020

A new spray for treating severely painful blisters, mouth ulceration and oral scarring in patients with a rare genetic skin condition is being developed by researchers in the Healthcare Technologies Institute, based here in the ITM. The spray is designed for patients with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a condition that causes the skin to blister and tear…

New Device for Detecting Traumatic Brain Injury ‘On the Spot’

October 12, 2020

A method for detecting traumatic brain injury at the point of care has been developed by scientists at the University of Birmingham based here at the ITM. Using chemical biomarkers released by the brain immediately after a head injury occurs, researchers are able to pinpoint when patients need urgent medical attention. This saves time in…

air ambulance doctor stands in front of helicopter

SRMRC trial innovation helps recruitment

August 17, 2020

A UK trial into the effectiveness of giving blood to trauma patients before they come to hospital has recently introduced an innovation that, if proven to be successful, could be adopted across the country. Previously, only doctors could recruit patients to the RePHILL (Resuscitation with Pre-Hospital Blood Products) trial. The RePHILL team have developed a…

Prestigious career achievement award for Birmingham professor

July 9, 2020

Melanie Calvert, Professor of Outcomes Methodology at BHP founder member the University of Birmingham, has been awarded the prestigious Health Assessment Lab/Medical Outcomes Trust John Ware and Alvin Tarlov Career Achievement Prize in Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures. Only the second UK recipient of this award, Professor Calvert is Director of Birmingham Health Partners Centre for Regulatory…

ITM Director elected Academy of Medical Sciences Fellow

May 14, 2020