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Researchers from the NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) have been appointed or re-appointed as Senior Investigators – a title given to the most outstanding leaders in the NIHR research community.

NIHR Senior Investigators are among the most prominent and prestigious researchers funded by the NIHR. They help guide research capacity development and enhance the career paths of NIHR researchers.

Newly appointed from the NIHR Newcastle BRC is:

Professor Quentin M Anstee – theme lead for Liver Disease, Multimorbidity and Lifestyle. He is Professor of Experimental Hepatology at Newcastle University. A practising clinician, he is also an Honorary Consultant Hepatologist in the Liver Unit with the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where he leads one of the largest NAFLD clinical services in the UK.

Two current award holders have been reappointed:

Professor Avan Aihie Sayer is Director of the NIHR Newcastle BRC and co-theme lead for Ageing, Sarcopenia and Multimorbidity theme. She is William Leech Professor of Geriatric Medicine at the Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University and an Honorary Consultant Geriatrician at Newcastle Hospitals. Avan is internationally renowned in the field of Geriatric Medicine for her research on sarcopenia, frailty and multimorbidity (two or more long-term health conditions).

Professor Nick Reynolds is co-theme lead for Skin Disease, Oral Disease and Immunogenomics. He is Professor of Dermatology at Newcastle University and an honorary consultant dermatologist at Newcastle Hospitals. Nick’s clinical and research interests are centred on inflammatory skin disease, multiple long-term conditions and the development of precision diagnostics to improve patient care.

This announcement continues Newcastle’s consistent success in securing such appointments, with several of the NIHR Newcastle BRC’s research themes having leaders currently appointed as Senior Investigators:

• Professor John Isaacs, deputy director of NIHR Newcastle BRC
• Professor Lynn Rochester, theme co-lead for Digital Health, Ageing Innovation and Inclusion
• Professor Volker Straub, theme co-lead for Neuromuscular Disease, Rare Diseases and Mitochondrial Dysfunction

The NIHR Newcastle BRC also benefits from senior leaders from its partners having Emeritus status:  Professor Sir John Burn, Chairman of Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Professor Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor at Newcastle University, Professor David Burn, Pro-Vice Chancellor for the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Newcastle University, and Professor David Jones, Professor of Liver Immunology, Newcastle University and former BRC theme lead.

Martin Dixon, chief operating officer of the NIHR Newcastle BRC, said: “We would like to congratulate our Senior Investigators on their prestigious appointments. We are thrilled to see them winning recognition for their outstanding contributions to clinical research.”

“Newcastle’s consistent success in the national NIHR Senior Investigators competition is testament to the skills and experience of our colleagues – who are key to us realising our vision of improving lives through world-class research in ageing and multiple long-term conditions.”

Researchers are awarded Senior Investigator status based on their contributions to the NIHR, quality and volume of international research and its relevance to patients and the public, researcher leadership, and engagement of patients, the public and healthcare policymakers and planners.

In their roles, Senior Investigators are critical to the ongoing success of NIHR, helping to develop the health research capability for the challenges we must meet and enhancing the career paths of NIHR researchers. This includes participating as mentors in the NIHR mentoring programme.