Prestigious research role for two academics at Leeds Beckett University

As NIHR Senior Investigators, they will advocate for patients, care users, carers and public involvement and engagement in research. They'll also play a leading role in NIHR's contribution to growth by attracting, developing and retaining a highly skilled health research workforce and support collaborations and contract research within the life sciences industry.

Professor Claire Surr and Professor Louisa Ells, from the School of Health at Leeds Beckett University, have both been awarded the significant position. NIHR Senior Investigators are prestigious researchers who make outstanding leadership contributions to the work of the NIHR and are ambassadors for the NIHR across the social care, public health and NHS landscape.

Professor Claire Surr, who leads the Centre for Dementia Research at Leeds Beckett, said: "I'm delighted that Louisa and I have both been named as Senior Investigators. It is a real honour to be recognised in this way for our contribution to our respective research fields and to the National Institute for Health and Care Research. This will give us a great opportunity to work alongside others nationally to support the growth of health and care research nationally that can make a real difference to people's lives."

Claire's areas of research include dementia education and training for the health and social care workforce, developing ways to improve care delivered in social care, particularly care homes, and ways to provide improved healthcare for people with dementia.

Professor Louisa Ells, who is Professor of Obesity at the Obesity Institute at Leeds Beckett, said: "As Senior Investigators, we will be ambassadors for the NIHR, helping to guide research capacity development. To have been selected for this award is a huge honour and privilege, and to have two awards within the school is amazing, and a real opportunity to shape future research."

Louisa's areas of research include obesity, public health, service evaluation, and health inequalities, using evidence reviews, mixed methods, co-production, and person-centred approaches.

Professor Surr and Professor Ells will receive funding for four years to support their research activities while undertaking a senior leadership role for the NIHR.