A pair of Leicester health researchers have been awarded prestigious NIHR Senior Investigator awards to advance their work in emergency medicine and rehabilitation.
Professor Sally Singh and Professor Tim Coats both combine teaching and research at the University of Leicester with roles at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL), and become Senior Investigators with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
Kamlesh Khunti CBE, Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine at the University of Leicester and a lead researcher at Leicester BRC, is named an Emeritus Senior Investigator for his contributions to primary health care.
Sally Singh is Professor of Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation at the Leicester BRC and Head of Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation for UHL. She said:
“I am delighted to have been honoured with this award, it is great to have rehabilitation research conducted by allied health professionals recognised. We have a wonderful team of researchers in Leicester helping improve outcomes for people with long standing cardiac and respiratory conditions.”
Tim Coats, Professor of Emergency Medicine and Associate Dean for Clinical Data Science at the University of Leicester, and consultant in emergency medicine at Leicester’s Hospitals, works in the field of trauma care, clinical data science, and new technology in emergency care. Professor Coats said:
“Our work in Emergency Care contributes to Leicester’s international reputation in medical research. Our studies in major trauma care have changed the way that the NHS treats people who suffer severe injuries and has helped to halve the chances of dying following major trauma over the last 20 years.
“This award is both a recognition of past success and an accelerator for the future.”
Senior Investigators are among the most prominent and prestigious researchers funded by the NIHR and are considered among the most outstanding leaders of patient and people-based research within the health research community.
As well as demonstrating research excellence, the pair will contribute to the NIHR as senior leaders and lead in training and development of the next generation of health researchers.
Professor Thompson Robinson, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Life Sciences at the University of Leicester, said:
“Being recognised as an NIHR Senior Investigator is a real honour, and is testament to the exhaustive work being done by both Sally and Tim – and indeed many of our health researchers – to improve patient outcomes.
“For Leicester to be one of only six institutions granted more than one of these titles in this tranche of awards clearly demonstrates our academics’ tireless contributions to health research.
“I also wish to congratulate Kamlesh for his Emeritus award, which is fitting recognition for his long-standing work in primary health care.”
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