The Academy of Medical Sciences has awarded over £930,000 to 13 professionals who will spend up to a year working outside their usual sectors, forging partnerships between industry, academia, government and charities to break down silos and accelerate solutions to major health challenges.
Now in its second year, the Cross-Sector Experience Awards provide up to £100,000 per recipient for three to 12-month placements in a sector different from their own. This is designed to create time, space and resources for professionals to step outside their usual environment, absorb new ways of thinking, and spark collaborations in the UK and internationally that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.
From using artificial intelligence to transform cataract surgery to addressing homelessness through better use of local authority data, these partnerships target some of society’s most pressing challenges by enabling a research ecosystem that is connected, coordinated and equipped for the future.
The programme plays a vital role in strengthening international ties, reinforcing the UK’s position as a trusted partner in global health innovation and helping to ensure that research insights and solutions transcend borders.
This year, some individuals are also working at more than one host organisation during the placement, reflecting the increasingly interconnected nature of research and the reality that breakthrough solutions often require coordination across several sectors and specialisms.
For example, Emma Adams a NIHR Doctoral Fellow from Newcastle University will collaborate with Gateshead Council and Northumberland County Council, exploring how housing and homelessness data can be better used to inform public health strategy. Emma Adams exemplifies the programme’s potential impact. Her project aims to enable more timely, targeted action to support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, addressing the deep-rooted health inequalities they face.
Emma Adams commented:
“I’m thrilled to receive the Academy’s Cross-Sector Experience Award to partner with Gateshead Council and Northumberland County Council. This creates opportunities to collaboratively develop innovative approaches to strengthen housing and homelessness data – ultimately helping to better address the health needs of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.”
Professor Christopher McConville, Professor in Biomedical Innovation at Ulster University, similarly demonstrates the difference the awards can have. Working at the interface of academia and pharmaceutical innovation, Professor McConville will collaborate with ALMAC Group to improve the solubility and bioavailability of pharmaceutical formulations, helping to unlock the full therapeutic potential of next-generation medicines. By connecting academic insight with real-world manufacturing expertise, the project will help accelerate the journey from research lab to commercial drug development.
Professor Christopher McConville commented:
“By uniting cutting-edge research with real-world pharmaceutical innovation, my work bridges the gap between lab bench and patient bedside, developing advanced drug delivery formulations that can transform treatment outcomes and redefine how medicines are made. This award will allow me to establish a pipeline from lab to clinic by integrating research with pharmaceutical manufacturing.”
Professor Jackie Hunter CBE FMedSci, Chair of the Cross-Sector Awards Panel, said:
“Too often, innovation is limited by structural barriers between sectors. These awards help break those down, bringing together people with different skills, experiences and ways of thinking. This round shows just how varied and impactful cross-sector partnerships can be.
“Whether it’s developing new therapies, designing data systems to reduce health inequalities, or strengthening community healthcare, each project is a chance to spark ideas that wouldn’t emerge within traditional silos.”
Delivered in partnership with Wellcome, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the UK Government Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the awards support professionals working in any role or discipline, so long as their work contributes to improving human health.
By enabling cross-sector mobility, alongside our Cross-Sector hub network, the Academy of Medical Sciences is supporting the development of a future-proofed health system that values flexibility, nurtures diverse talent, and strengthens coordination across all parts of the innovation pipeline.
Professor James Naismith FRS FRSE FMedSci, Vice President (Non-Clinical) at the Academy of Medical Sciences, added:
“Cross-sector collaboration isn’t a luxury – it’s essential. If we want real-world impact, we need real-world partnerships. By enabling these flexible placements, we’re supporting professionals to learn from other sectors, share their expertise, and return with new tools to tackle the biggest health and societal challenges.
“By investing in people, embedding collaboration into career paths, and building the kind of agile, inclusive workforce needed to deliver both health improvements and national prosperity, we can future-proof the UK research system. These goals are strongly aligned with the UK’s long-term Industrial Strategy, which rightly places life sciences at the heart of our country’s economic and social renewal.”
The Cross-Sector Experience Awards are open to applicants at any career stage. Whether based in academia, the NHS, charities, or private enterprise, awardees are given the flexibility to undertake a placement and return to their original role with fresh perspectives, expanded networks and valuable new capabilities.
Applications for the next round of Cross-Sector Experience Awards are expected to open in late autumn 2025. More information, including eligibility and how to apply, is available on the Academy of Medical Sciences website.
Full list of Cross-Sector Round 2 awardees:
- Dr Ania Zylbersztejn, University College London
- Dr Anna Peeler, King’s College London
- Dr Antonio Ruiz-Gonzalez, Health Innovation Network South London
- Dr Elizabeth Such, King’s College London
- Ms Emma Adams, Newcastle University
- Professor Grant Trewartha, Teesside University
- Dr Kaushik Chattopadhyay, University of Nottingham
- Dr Nur Kocaturk, University of Dundee
- Dr Robert Drake, University of Bristol
- Dr Salissou Moutari, Queen’s University Belfast
- Professor Christina Yap, Institute of Cancer Research, London
- Professor Christopher McConville, Ulster University
- Professor Mandeep Sagoo, University College London and Moorfields Eye Hospital, London