Announcing our IHE Impact Fellows for 2024/25

The IHE Impact Fellowship is a scheme that guides researchers to build their engagement skills and grow their network beyond university walls

Since its 2020 launch, we have trained more than 80 healthcare engineering researchers, who have gone on to make an incredible impact – from leading policy round tables to co-produced art exhibitions, workshops in schools, and community health pop-ups.

This year's Fellows represent a wide range of healthcare engineering disciplines and we can't wait to see what they learn from each other.

Over the next few months, Fellows will receive training and mentorship from experts across a variety of engagement forms, including:

• Co-production
• Measuring impact
• Engaging with policymakers
• Working with community groups and patients

The initiative has been spearheaded by UCL Institute of Healthcare Engineering's Engagement Delivery Group. Email Alice Hardy (Communications and Impact Manager) a.hardy@ucl.ac.uk, if you are interested in finding out more or have ideas for external organisations or potential mentors to engage in this programme.

Amid Ayobi 

I'm a Lecturer at UCL and part of the UCL Interaction Centre. My expertise lies in applying human-centred design approaches to support the lived experiences of people with chronic health conditions. I'm particularly interested in exploring how digital technologies can be designed to support people living with neurological conditions in self-managing their health and wellbeing in everyday life. 

Ela Kanani 

I'm a PhD student in the Quantitative Imaging Group at the Hawkes Institute. My research focuses on developing MRI techniques to image the blood-brain barrier, often compromised in diseases like Alzheimer's. Through this work, I aim to improve the detection of blood-brain barrier damage and support drug side-effect monitoring. 

Andrew Keenlyside 

I'm Andrew and I'm currently a PhD student working on the wiring of the brain during a break from medical school. We have these incredible imaging technologies and scans which I feel everyone should be able to see and learn from! 

Priya Mandal 

I am a materials scientist with expertise in interfacial science, bioinspired liquid-repellent coatings, and nanoengineered surfaces. My research focuses on developing sustainable, multifunctional interfaces for energy and healthcare applications, bridging fundamental studies and applied innovations. I hold a PhD from Shiv Nadar University, India and currently working as postdoctoral researcher at UCL.

Rafizul Md 

I am a CDT i4health PhD student at the Department of Medical Physical Physics and Biomedical Engineering working with Dr Giorgia Bosi and Prof Gaetano Burriesci in developing computational tools that support clinical therapeutic planning in selecting the optimal thromboembolic treatment prevention treatment for patients affected by atrial fibrillation. 

Klara Misak 

PhD researcher at UCL Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering, specializing in MRI technology advancement for breast cancer detection. My work focuses on quantifying and reducing image distortion through phantom development and protocol optimization, contributing to improved early detection capabilities in breast cancer diagnostics. 

Rishan Patel 

I’m a PhD student in Brain Computer Interfacing which allows for patients with motor neural disease to control devices with their thoughts. I am particularly interested in someday commercialising this research, pushing the boundaries of neurotechnology. Outside of this, I am particularly interested in outreach and education to which I engage with many different organisations, filling different roles to enable these goals. 

Helen Rickard 

I’m a PhD student in the Health Infrastructure Research Group at UCL, and I work closely with the IPC team at Great Ormond Street Hospital. I study the bacteria in hospital sinks and the threat they may pose to patients, as well as investigating different ways to reduce this risk. 

Seerat Sekhon 

I’m an EPSRC-funded PhD student at UCL's Department of Electronics & Electrical Engineering, advancing biosensing platforms that can facilitate early diagnosis in heart failure patients. I feel science is shaped and driven by society’s evolving needs, and therefore, I hope to translate such biosensors to low & middle-income settings, enabling equitable access to diagnoses across communities. 

Poppy Smith 

I’m a Research Fellow at the UCL Centre for Nerve Engineering where I work on the development of living artificial nerve tissue as a potential treatment for peripheral nerve injury. This includes incorporating blood vessel features and automating the tissue fabrication process. Patient opinion inspires the research I do, which is why I regularly engage with people living with nerve injury through the Nerve Injury Community and volunteering with the Brain & Spine Foundation. 

Dale Stibbs 

I'm a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biochemical Engineering, working with Professor Qasim Rafiq in collaboration with Cytiva, a life sciences industrial company. My research is developing scalable manufacturing processes for viral vectors, particularly adeno-associated and lentiviral vectors. I previously completed my engineering doctorate (EngD) also at UCL. 

Florence Townend 

I'm a final-year PhD student at the UCL Hawkes Institute, researching AI-driven methods to combine clinical and neuroimaging data for prognosis in motor neuron disease. I also co-host Data Day Health, a podcast on data science in healthcare.