Professor Alan Parker and his team win prestigious Health and Care Research Wales sponsored award

Professor Alan Parker and his team have won the Health and Care Research Partnership with Industry Award, sponsored by Health and Care Research Wales, at this year’s MediWales Innovation Awards.

MediWales and Health and Care Research Wales presented the award to those who have partnered with industry to deliver a project that demonstrates significant positive impact on the health, wellbeing and/or prosperity of the people in Wales.

Professor Alan Parker and his team looked at whether technology, called UltraVision could capture particles of COVID-19 and other viruses during surgery and make them harmless, reducing the risk of infection for patients.   

The team was able to demonstrate the safe and effective capture and inactivation of viruses such as SARS-CoV2, adenoviruses and noroviruses to reduce the risk of viral infections during surgery, keeping surgical staff safe, and potentially enabling the continuation of surgical procedures during future viral pandemics.

Professor Alan Parker, Head of Section of Solid Cancers at the Cardiff University School of Medicine.

Alan said:  “I am delighted to be presented with this award on behalf of my team and to be recognised by MediWales for our efforts.

This has been a fantastic example of how research can have wider reaching positive impacts than initially intended.

Working with our industry partner has allowed us to take a technology initially designed to increase a surgeon's field of view during surgery, and use it to continue lifesaving work, even in the face of a worldwide pandemic.”

Lydia Vitolo, Senior Industry Manager at Health and Care Research Wales said:  

"Health and Care Research Wales is proud to be an award partner for the 'Health and Social Care Research Partnership Award with Industry' at the 2023 MediWales Innovation Awards. We thank all those who have submitted an entry, it is truly inspiring to read so many examples of high-quality research happening across Wales.

"We’ve seen an exceptionally high standard of applications this year; Professor Parker, as well as all of their colleagues from Cardiff University School of Medicine, should be incredibly proud of all their hard work and achievements. Health and Care Research Wales looks forward to continuing to celebrate the incredible health and social care research positively impacting the lives of Welsh people."

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