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New IHE Deputy Directors announced

12 June 2019

We are delighted to announce two new Deputy Director appointments, Prof Geoff Parker (IHE Deputy Director for Translation) and Prof Elizabeth Murray (IHE Deputy Director for Clinical Aspects).

Geoff and Elizabeth join Dr Rebecca Shipley (IHE Director) and Prof Ann Blandford (IHE Deputy Director for Digital) to complete our core management.

Alongside this core team, we have a wider management board and six delivery groups in Research, Engagement, Education, Translation & Industry, Careers and Global activity. 

These new Deputy Director roles have been carefully selected to reflect different IHE priorities and to help drive activity in these areas. Our chosen Deputy Directors have a wealth of experience in their respective areas and we are excited to have their energy and expertise on board. 

Deputy Director for Digital 

Prof Ann Blandford (UCL Computer Science, UCL Interaction Centre) has been our Deputy Director for Digital since the merge of the Institute of Digital Health (IDH) and IHE in March earlier this year. She is Professor of Human-Computer Interaction and specialises in evaluating how complex digital systems are used and interacted with. Her research recognises and works with the inherent ‘messiness’ of the real world. 

The merge with IDH and Ann’s new digitally-focused role has provided an exciting opportunity to draw together the synergies between UCL’s communities in digital and medical technologies. 

Ann said, “I’m delighted that we’re bringing together medical and digital health technologies in the new IHE. There is so much exciting work going on across UCL and our partners to deliver both foundational research and impact in practice. I’m looking forward to working with Becky and all our colleagues as we build even more interdisciplinary capacity to change the future of health and wellbeing”.

Deputy Director for Translation 

Prof Geoff Parker joined UCL in April as our new Professor of Healthcare Engineering, Imaging and Enterprise. He works with MRI and advanced analysis techniques to identify imaging biomarkers. 

He has a strong translational track record and has founded a successful spin-out company, Bioxydyn Limited, which works with the pharmaceutical industry and academia to make use of advanced imaging biomarkers. His co-appointment within UCL Computer Science (CMIC) and UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, supported by the UCLH BRC, directly embeds him within a clinical research environment and maximises opportunities for clinical translation and impact. 

“I’m delighted to be taking this post on. Translation is a key component of what the IHE exists to do as there is little point in healthcare engineering research if it does not move towards use in patients and the population. I’m looking forward to helping this happen”,said Geoff. 

Deputy Director for Clinical Aspects 

The clinical pull is what drives our healthcare engineering research. Prof Elizabeth Murray (UCL Primary Care & Population Health) will ensure that this clinical perspective remains forefront in our activities. 

Elizabeth’s research focuses on the evaluation and implementation of digital health interventions (DHI) that can make a major contribution to health care’s “triple aim” of better healthcare, improved health outcomes and less expenditure. 

She is committed to impact and to exploring how best to implement digital health into routine clinical care. Most recently, her HeLP-Diabetes programme has been rolled out nationally across the NHS, enabling patients with Type 2 Diabetes to self-manage their condition and access online support. 

Elizabeth said, “I’m very excited to be joining the team at IHE and looking forward to articulating the clinical perspective needed for effective healthcare engineering.”