Health and Care Research Wales announces latest round of personal and project funding awards

Health and Care Research Wales has announced the recipients of its latest funding awards today (1 April 2025).

Personal award funding has been conferred to researchers from across Wales, including five Advancing Researcher awards, two Personal Award Accelerator and one Trials Development award. 

All new personal award holders automatically become Health and Care Research Wales Faculty members by virtue of their award. Health and Care Research Wales is also announcing Integrated Funding Scheme project awards.

Michael Bowdery, Head of Programmes and Joint Interim Director at Health and Care Research Wales, said: “We are once again pleased to be able to provide funding for a range of personal and project awards that will support the development of our researchers while addressing important areas of health and care need.”

Professor Monica Busse, Director of the Health and Care Research Wales Faculty, added: “Applications submitted to the latest round of personal awards were once again compelling and diverse. We look forward to welcoming them to the All-Wales Faculty community of researchers and hope that this funding will enable them to make meaningful progress in advancing in their research careers in their chosen fields.”

A full list of funding awards and recipients is below:

Personal Awards

Advancing Researcher Awards

• Mr David Westlake, Principal Research Fellow, Cardiff University - Evaluation of treatments and therapeutic interventions - consolidate work already undertaken into a PhD by published works which explores how to do causal evaluations in Childrens Social Care
• Dr Sarah Thompson, Research Associate, Cardiff University - Health and social care services research - Further research into Experiences and outcomes of autistic children in care and to ensure children and carers are suitably supported
• Dr Sarah Bell, Consultant Anaesthetist, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board - Maternity, Anaesthesia
• Dr Alison Cooper, Senior Clinical Research Fellow, Cardiff University - Management of diseases and conditions - Optimising menstrual health to improve participation in physical activity
• Dr Laura Hrastelj, Team lead for Special Schools and Neurodevelopmental Team, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board - Development of treatments and therapeutic interventions - Develop and use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) intervention

Personal Award Accelerator

• Dr Matthijs Backx, Consultant infectious diseases and medical microbiology, Cardiff University - Prevention of disease and conditions - build upon pilot data generated by our department on the risks of developing invasive fungal disease
• Dr Barry Bentley, Reader in Bioengineering, Cardiff Metropolitan University - Development of treatments and therapeutic interventions - damage-free methods for preserving tissues or organs for long durations

Trials Development Award

• Dr Chloe George, Head of Blood Component Development/Consultant Clinical Scientist, Welsh Blood Service / Velindre University NHS Trust - Haematology & Transfusion Medicine

Project awards

Integrated Funding Scheme awards

• Dr Freya Davies, Senior Clinical Research Fellow, Cardiff University - Understanding experiences of intra-uterine device (IUD) fitting to co-produce effective decision support tools about pain relief.
• Professor Stephen Bain, Professor of Medicine, Swansea Bay University Health Board - Assessing the viability of non-medical practitioners conducting photocoagulation for PDR (AVENUE-PDR): A feasibility trial
• Dr David Gillespie, Principal Research Fellow / Director of Infection, Inflammation & Immunity Trials, Cardiff University - Effectiveness of text messages from general practice to increase testing for sexually transmitted infections via an online postal testing platform (Texting for Testing)
• Dr Nathan Bray, Senior Lecturer, Bangor University - Adaptation and Quality of Life: Improving methods of outcome measurement in disability, adaptation and assistive technology use (AdaptQoL)
• Dr Adam Mackridge, Strategic Lead for Community Pharmacy, Bangor University - A feasibility study to explore the introduction of a remotely controlled medication issuing machine during the out-of-hours period in rural and under-served areas of Wales. The REmote MEdiction maDe easY (REMEDY) study