Our regional hubs are centres of collaboration, welcoming everyone interested in improving health across the UK. We embrace diversity across all sectors and career stages, from experienced professionals to those just starting out. Our aim is to bridge gaps between sectors and create an inclusive environment for connection.
By partnering with established organisations throughout the UK, we have created a network of hubs that reflect local expertise, leverage regional strengths and address specific needs. These hubs serve as meeting grounds, fostering connections across the spectrum of health research and innovation.
Located across the UK, our hubs improve accessibility and broaden the reach of our events. While focused on regional expertise, these hubs attract participants from various areas who seek relevant connections.
We invite participation from:
- Researchers and academics
- Policymakers and local government officials
- Patients and public representatives
- Healthcare professionals
- Third-sector advocates
- Industry innovators
- NHS staff
- And others with an interest in health research
Join us in shaping the future of health research – your perspective is not just welcomed, but essential.
This programme has been made possible through funding from the UK Government Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and Wellcome.
The Academy of Medical Sciences and Life Sciences Hub Wales (LSHW) have established a Cross-Sector hub in Wales, building on a successful pilot in 2022-2023. This partnership, now extended through 2025-2026, aims to advance health innovation across Wales. LSHW's expertise in bridging industry, healthcare, academia, and other sectors enhances the hub's capacity to foster meaningful cross-sector collaborations and drive improvements in health and care.
To date, this Cross-Sector hub has hosted these networking events in Wales and online:
March 2026, From idea to application: A funding masterclass for Wales innovation community (online)
February 2026, Bangor, Working together for Wales, driving cancer innovation in primary care
November 2025, Cancer Innovation in Wales, The importance of Patient and Public Involvement (online)
October 2025, Treforest, Cancer Innovation - Working together for Wales
February 2025, Anglesey, Innovation, Research and Education for Wellbeing in Cancer
October 2024, Swansea, Cancer - Digital and Data
July 2024, Cardiff, Cancer – Early Detection and Diagnosis
November 2023, Swansea, Menopause, maternal health, and future solutions
April 2023, Cardif, Digital applications for home-based care
November 2022, Cardiff, Innovation and precision medicine
As part of the UK-wide Cross-Sector Programme, the Academy of Medical Sciences have partnered with Health Innovation Research Alliance Northern Ireland (HIRANI) to establish a hub in Northern Ireland.
HIRANI brings key stakeholders together to promote partnership to drive innovation for both health and prosperity in Northern Ireland. HIRANI works beyond regional and industry boundaries to secure funding, shape policy, and create opportunities for collaboration. Through cross-sector events and providing deep sector expertise, HIRANI showcases Northern Ireland’s research and development innovators and stakeholders worldwide.
This Cross-Sector hub has hosted the following networking events in Northern Ireland:
March 2026, Belfast, 'Connecting Regional Strengths for Health System'
September 2025, Belfast 'Communities, Technologies and Mental Health'
June 2025, Belfast Data driven Innovation in the Health and Life Sciences
December 2024, Coleraine Clinical Research Translation in Cardiometabolic Disease
The Hub is run by the NHS Research Scotland Central Management Team and is hosted by NHS Tayside. The Project Team consisting of senior representatives from Scottish Government, NHS and Academia, is chaired by Professor Dama Anna Dominiczak (Chief Scientist, Health).
The Hub holds events throughout Scotland that bring together researchers, innovators, regulators, policymakers, patients and the public from all sectors, with the goal of enhancing collaboration in health research across Scotland and beyond.
In 2025 three in-person events were held on:
- Engaging with the Life Sciences Industry Entrepreneurship
- Precision Medicine and Precision Population Health
- Data and Digital Health
As well as performing a deep dive scoping exercise and workshop designed to improve and enhance the utility of the Hub, in 2026/27 we will be holding three more in-person events on:
- Clinical Trials
- Obesity
- Innovation Adoption
The Academy of Medical Sciences have partnered with the Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA) to establish a hub in Northern England.
The NHSA is the North of England's health research partnership connecting leading northern universities and research-intensive NHS trusts across a population of 16 million people. The hub will harness regional strengths in health and life sciences to ensure local expertise, priorities and perspectives help shape national conversations.
The Hub will bring sectors together several times across 2026 through networking events across the North West, North East, and Yorkshire and the Humber, to drive direct interaction with the goal of enhanced collaboration in health research. These events will focus on areas including preventative health research, commercialisation of academic research in cell and gene therapies and enabling technologies, and women's health research. Each event will be designed to spark genuine dialogue, build new connections and support follow-on activity, from early collaborative discussions through to joint projects and funding bids.
This Cross-Sector hub has hosted the following networking events:
April 2026, Commercialising Cell and Gene Therapies: From Idea to Patient Impact
Both the early scoping work and programme development have been informed by our Reference Group, comprising experts from across all life sciences sectors. Having recently refreshed the group's membership following completion of their term, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to all previous members for their valuable contributions and expert guidance.
Reference Group Membership:
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Professor Jackie Hunter CBE FMedSci - Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst / Benevolent AI
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Professor Andrew Horne FMedSci - University of Edinburgh
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Ms Anne Carey - Velindre NHS University Trust
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Professor Eneko Larrañeta FRSE, - Queen's University Belfast
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Dr Gita Khalili Moghaddam - Cambridge University
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Professor Kevin Shakesheff FMedSci - Keele University, (Staffodshire)
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Dr Rabinder (Rab) Prinjha FMedSci - Curve Therapeutics (Southampton)
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Mr Richard Stubbs - Yorkshire and Humber AHSN
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Professor Sheena Ramsay - Newcastle University & FUSE
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Professor Waljit Dhillo FMedSci - Imperial College London
Previous Reference Group Membership:
- Professor Ed Bullmore FMedSci - University of Cambridge
- Dr Muireann Coen - AstraZeneca and Imperial College London
- Dame Kay Davies CBE FRS FMedSci - University of Oxford
- Dr Elin Haf Davies - Apartio
- Professor David Hawkes FREng FMedSci - University College London
- Professor Jonathan Knowles FMedSci - Genomics England
- Dr Jennifer Logue - AstraZeneca
- Dr Andrew Roddam - Our Future Health UK
- Dr Nishan Sunthares - ABHI Diagnostics
- Professor Julie Williams CBE FMedSci FLSW - University of Cardiff
Cross-Sector Experience Awards R3 flyer