These highly competitive posts are designed for early-career doctors, helping them develop as “clinician-scientists” who integrate frontline medical practice with advanced research. Dr. Zaki Hassan Smith, Clinical Associate Professor at Aston Medical School, led the successful application, highlighting that this award will strengthen partnerships between Aston University, NHS England, and regional NHS trusts while tackling pressing health challenges.
NIHR Academic Clinical Fellows combine postgraduate training with active research. Those recruited under this scheme will undertake real-world studies in local NHS hospitals, supported by Aston’s state-of-the-art research facilities such as the Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN), Aston Research Centre for Health in Ageing (ARCHA), and Aston Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Application (ACAIRA). Appointments will last three to four years, depending on specialty.
Aston already hosts 12 NIHR Fellows, appointed in 2023, whose projects span endocrinology, neurology, clinical genetics, psychiatry, trauma and orthopaedics, paediatrics, and general practice. Recruitment for the new cohort begins this autumn, expanding into clinical genetics and genomics, obstetrics and gynaecology, trauma and orthopaedics, and digital health.
Digital health — integrating AI and data science — aims to improve patient outcomes, aid clinical decision-making, and optimise healthcare delivery. AI-based systems can detect disease earlier and help allocate resources more effectively.
Planned projects include evaluating weight-loss therapies for reducing multi-morbidity, studying mechanisms of muscle wasting (sarcopenia) in ageing and metabolic disease, optimising medication use for patients with severe mental health conditions, and investigating the causes of neurological disorders such as epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.
