Insigneo Newsletter - December 2024

Welcome to our monthly Insigneo newsletter!  

Our monthly e-newsletter keeps you up to date with events, funding, success stories and information. We hope you will find it useful! 

Foreword from Jim Wild

Image: Jim Wild and Damien Lacroix

This has been a busy and productive year for Insigneo. I am very happy to say that we have come through the University’s Centre review and are considered as an exemplar of a cross-faculty University centre of excellence. This is reflected by the growth in our membership from 250 in 2021, to over 400 at the latest count! 

Our research themes are flourishing with very well-attended seminars and workshops, as well as several large collaborative initiatives launched from the themes this year.

As we grow, the responsibility of directing our expanding institute grows and I am very happy to say that Damien Lacroix has agreed to take on a Co-Director role of Insigneo.

Damien is a founding member of the Insigneo Institute and I have very much enjoyed working with him over the years, both as a former research director and more recently in his role as Deputy Director since 2022.   

The co-directorship reflects the contribution of both Damien and his faculty of Engineering to the Insigneo Institute as we go from strength to strength. 

We look forward to working with you in the new year and wish you a happy holiday season.

Jim Wild, Insigneo Co-Director

Insigneo Showcase 2025 - save the date!

We are delighted to announce that our Annual Showcase event will return to the University of Sheffield's The Wave building on Friday 4 July 2025.  Please hold this date in your diaries!

We're pleased to confirm that our plenary speaker for 2025 is  Professor Laoise McNamara, Head of the School of Engineering at the University of Galway.

Read about last year's event here. 

Health technology partnership event explores ways to expand innovation for patient benefit

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals has hosted its first ever health technology partnership event with the Shelford Group and the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI). 

Image: Insigneo Co-Director, Jim Wild, presenting.

The event included a session focused on the Sheffield innovation ecosystem, including the AWRC and AMRC, Insigneo and the Digital Health Hub, Health Innovation Yorkshire and Humber, and the Trust’s existing innovation work with the NIHR Health Tech Research Centres in Sheffield and on the national stage. It showcased Sheffield’s existing innovation infrastructure, and its extensive support for NHS and industry partnerships. 

Insigneo engaging with Horizon Europe event

On Thursday 28 November we held an event to look at the many mechanisms Horizon Europe provides to secure funding across the spectrum of our activities and explore schemes that are relevant to our interdisciplinary remit.

Insigneo members came together to hear about experiences of current European funding rounds and talk about opportunities and challenges ahead.

Insigneo commercialisation journey launch

Last week, we launched our first medical devices cohort on their commercialisation journey to explore the world of clinical and commercial considerations that a successful technology must navigate.

Our commercialisation manager, Alex Wilkinson, will take our innovators on a step-by-step journey to enhance their translational research capabilities, providing structured learning, support and resources. They’ll acquire the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary to achieve their commercial aspirations in the field of medical devices through our comprehensive programme. We’re really impressed by the talent of our innovators and can’t wait to see what they achieve!

We were grateful for the insights provided by our speakers.  Mike Karim and Caroline Harrison provided case studies on their real-world experiences of commercialisation. We also heard from Edward Draper, María Fernanda Velázquez de la Paz, and the Northern Triangle Mentor Network who offered support and perspectives on academics wanting to explore the commercial potential of their ideas.

South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub: a year of community building and innovation

Twelve months in, our South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub (SYDHH) is making strides along the road to addressing the stark health inequalities that exist across the region.

Insigneo Research Theme Director for healthcare data/AI Tim Chico, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Sheffield and Director of the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub, said: “The first year of the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub has been a remarkable success. We've built a strong community of passionate individuals and groups who are committed to transforming healthcare and tackling health inequalities. By working together and breaking down barriers, we're paving the way for a healthier, more equitable future for our region.”

Computer Science academics strengthen AI health research links with the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)

Insigneo members Dr Ning Ma and Professor Guy Brown, from the School of Computer Science, recently visited Zambia to initiate a second project that will research the potential of using AI analysis of cough sound to screen for tuberculosis (TB).

Computer Science lecturer recognised as ELLIS Scholar

Insigneo member Dr Chen (Cherise) Chen from the School of Computer Science has been recently elected an ELLIS Scholar in the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) under the Robust Machine Learning program.

This prestigious honour highlights her contributions to advancing robust machine learning research and its applications, particularly in healthcare.

AMRC Primary Care Sheffield workshop

Insigneo members Jim Wild, David King, Charlie Appleby-Mallinder and Craig McCrossan led a joint workshop with Primary Care Sheffield at the AMRC on 20 November 2024 looking at opportunities to revolutionise healthcare in the region.

The event was attended by GPs representing many wards of Sheffield who provided insights into how industry processes could be used to address current challenges in delivering the best care for patients.

Dr Dana Damian appears on BBC Radio 4 'Best Medicine' podcast

Insigneo Research Theme Director for Smart Devices and Sensors, Dr Dana Damian from School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, appeared on BBC Radio 4's Best Medicine podcast. Best Medicine is presented by award-winning comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean and celebrates medicine's past, present and future.

Listen in at 9m 46s to hear Dana make her case for Origami Surgical Capsules as 'the best medicine'. 

Professor Claire Brockett on 'How to become an academic leader and stay true to yourself' research culture podcast

Hosted by Ruth Winden from the University of Leeds, this episode of the  Research Culture Uncovered podcast highlights Insigneo member Claire Brockett's career path in biomechanics and her value-driven and person-centered approach to research and teaching in academia.

"One of the things I discovered about myself was how much I appreciated developing people and how rewarding it was to see people progress."
Professor Claire Brockett.

Claire is a Professor of Biomechanics and Director of PGR in the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering. 

Insigneo Early Career Researcher community

Our Early Career Researcher ECR group is open to all Insigneo Members who are PhD students, postdocs, fellows, lecturers and those who self-define as an ECR.

Find out more and join

If you are not already a member of the Insigneo Institute and would like to join you can read more about the benefits and apply here: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/insigneo/membership. 

Insigneo Early Career Researcher (ECR) - Grant and Fellowship Writing Group

The Insigneo ECR Committee is organising a group centred around writing. The aim is to give ECRs the opportunity to discuss with their peers any fellowship/grant applications they might be preparing. We will meet for 2 hours every 2 months. 
During each session, we will have one to two ECRs presenting their work, followed by a round table discussion. This group is reserved for Insigneo ECR members who are seriously considering or are in the process of writing their first grant or applying for a fellowship.

We will be running these as an in-person event, although we might consider some hybrid participation. 

The next session will be 18 December at 3.15pm. Please contact Damien Lacroix (d.lacroix@sheffield.ac.uk) to express your interest in participating. 

The Insigneo ECR Committee
(Malwina Matella, Neil Stewart, Juntong Lai, Hazem Toutounji, Sarah Black, Sarah Hollely, chaired by: Damien Lacroix)

Congratulations to Insigneo member Dr Chaona Chen from the School of Computer Science, on her election to the Executive Committee of the EPSRC UK-Robotics and Autonomous Systems (UK-RAS) Network.

Congratulations also to Dr Ning Ma from the School of Computer Science who has been appointed as N8 CIR Theme Lead for Machine Learning for Sheffield.

The N8 CIR focuses on the creation of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Computationally Intensive Research (CIR) methods, skills, and facilities to underpin the strategic research objectives of the N8 universities.

Congratulations to Insigneo member Dr Joshua Astley from the School of  Medicine and Population Health who received his Institute of Physics (IoP) Medical Physics PhD Thesis Prize and delivered an invited talk at this year’s Medical Physics group translation meeting (see image above) on 29 November 2024. His talk focused on the role of deep learning in structural and functional lung image analysis.

Joshua also gave  an oral presentation at this year’s British Thoracic Society Winter meeting on ‘Predicting longitudinal decline in gas exchange in asthma and/or COPD using Xenon-129 MRI and explainable machine learning techniques’ on 27 November 2024.

Congratulations to Insigneo member Dr Hanya Mahmood from the School of Clinical Dentistry who receved a prize for her oral paper ‘3 minute pitch’ presentation at Association of British Academic Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (ABAOMS) Annual Scienctific Conference 2024 which took place 27 - 29 November 2024.

Insigneo member Dr Nicholas Farr from the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering gave an invited talk at the NHS Implant Analysis Service Annual Conference on 25 November 2024.

The aim of the event was to share meaningful insights on the physical analysis of retrieved implants and to discuss this crucial information to improve patient safety.

Insigneo member Laura Wiggins from the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering gave a talk on 'Doubling discovery: the powerful fusion of atomic force microscopy and molecular dynamics simulations through deep learning' at the Crick BioImage Analysis Symposium 2024 on 25 November 2024.

Insigneo Research Theme Director for Healthcare data/AI, Professor Tim Chico from the School of Medicine and Population Health gave a keynote talk on 'Tackling inequalities and upskilling a region: lessons from South Yorkshire's new Digital Health Hub' at the BMJ Future Health conference on 19 November 2024.

We would like to introduce some of our new members who have joined the Insigneo Institute recently. 

Find out more about Insigneo membership and our members here: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/insigneo/membership 

My research focuses on comprehensive evaluation of unenhanced CT scans, using fully automated segmentation and predictive models to support the diagnosis and assessment of pulmonary hypertension and left heart diseases.  

Before starting my PhD, I completed my MSc in Medical Imaging Science at the University of Manchester in November 2022 and a BSc in Radiological Sciences from King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAUHS) in Saudi Arabia in July 2019.

My work centers on the innovative co-production of biopolymers such as PHA and cellulose using algae-bacteria consortia and industrial leachate. I am particularly interested in optimizing synthetic consortia functionality and developing novel in vivo polymer modifications to enhance their industrial applications.

The aim of my project is to identify in vivo multiparametric MRI biomarkers of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) in the human foot.

I currently represent the Faculty of Health as an Early Career Researcher Lead for the Neuroscience Institute. I am also the junior chair of an international technical recommendation consensus project on renal DCE-MRI in conjunction with the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM) Renal study group.

I previously worked under the direction of Professor Steven Sourbron as a predoctoral research assistant in MRI of the Liver on the EU-funded TRISTAN project. Prior to this, I completed a two-year research MSc. in Biophysics and Biophotonics at the University of Amsterdam, where I worked at the Amsterdam University Medical Centre developing a technique for quantifying organ motion upon MRI images.

Before this, I did my PhD in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, as part of the INSPiRE-MED European Union project under the Marie Curie and Horizon 2020 scholarship.

My PhD focused on optimizing Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI)
techniques for studying mouse brain tumors.

Now at Sheffield, my work is centered on creating advanced methods for metabolic and functional imaging of the human brain using MRS. This involves developing and refining techniques for multi-nuclear spectroscopic imaging, including programming MR acquisition and pulse sequences for both proton and non-proton imaging, as well as building analysis pipelines for processing spectroscopy data.

My PhD research focuses on improving type 1 diabetes care with the help of artificial intelligence. I completed my Bachelor's degree at the University of Exeter, with a dissertation concerning fracture detection on X-rays using neural networks.

I look forward to joining the community and exploring possible avenues of collaboration in the future!

My role involves developing Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality models of the bladder that account for its microstructure and composition, synthesising data from multiple imaging modalities.

Prior to this, I completed my BSc in Computer Science at the University of Sheffield, graduating summer 2024. A particular highlight was completing my dissertation, where I developed the first computational model simulating freediving biophysics and physiology. This experience ignited a passion for applying computational techniques within a biological context.

I am excited to continue my time at the University of Sheffield, with the opportunity to leverage my computational background to help contribute to advancements in healthcare.

His research explores how stem cells make decisions, the establishment of signaling gradients in embryos, and the transcription factor networks that govern cell states. He studies developmental programs in both mouse and human systems, leveraging advanced imaging, sequencing, applied mathematics, and machine learning.

Stanley received training in stem cell biology (Austin Smith; PhD), developmental biology (Jennifer Nichols; PDRA), and super-resolution imaging (Srinjan Basu; Henry Wellcome Fellow) at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute. He has also collaborated closely with mathematical biologist and Insigneo member Alexander Fletcher on the development of computational tools and mathematical models for studying embryonic processes.

He recently joined the Centre for Stem Cell Biology within the School of Biosciences as part of the Physics of Life and Quantitative Biology Fellows cohort. His research group aims to develop a quantitative, predictive framework for understanding tissue patterning during early human development. By integrating molecular and embryonic scales, his work seeks to identify critical points at which embryos fail to develop or implant successfully, in the hopes of advancing insights into developmental disorders and potential therapeutic interventions.  

Stanley is enthusiastic about collaboration (empirical, computational, theoretical), please contact him!

My research focuses on uncovering the mechanisms that underpin (i) the development of complex tissue structures, (ii) the self-organised migration and patterning of multicellular systems, and (iii) active dynamics at the cellular scale that influence these systems.

To address these questions, I combine quantitative analysis of experimental data with mathematical modelling and numerical simulations, seeking to clarify how physical principles drive the dynamic organisation of living systems. For more information, see my personal webpage.

My project will develop and validate multiscale computational models of the mouse to predict bone adaptation over time due to biomechanical stimuli.

 My research will combine motion capture analysis, multi-body dynamic models, and finite element models of the mouse’s tibia to estimate the mechanical loading endured by the tissue during gait by considering all the complexity of the musculoskeletal system.

I am mostly based at the University of Sheffield’s Medical School, where I will be conducting micro-CT imaging, histology, and gait analysis of the mouse hind limb.

Prior to joining the VMHTs-OP project I gained a PhD at the University of Sheffield. My research utilized three-dimensional imaging and geometric morphometric methods to compare the skeletal anatomy of the fourth and fifth carpometacarpal joints of modern humans, non-human great apes, and extinct hominins, and involved an extended period as a Visiting Research Fellow at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D. C. Prior to my PhD, I gained an MSc in Palaeoanthropology. I also have a BSc and MSc in Geological Sciences, and have worked in the natural resources exploration and conservation sectors.

Do you have news to share with us?

If you would like us to include information and/or events to this newsletter please email: info@insigneo.org (the newsletter will be issued during the 2nd week of the month, excluding January and August). 

Insigneo members - please let us know when your students are graduating so that we can celebrate their success!

Please ensure that you submit items for inclusion with a minimum of one week's notice.

Guest Lectures, Conferences & Seminars

We will share a link to our Online Training Opportunities document here each month.

Insigneo events

6 March
Insigneo PPIE Workshop with Grace Edwards, NIHR BRC & CRF PPIE Officer

20 March
Insigneo Seminar: Professor Yalin Zheng, University of Liverpool (topic: Digital twins, AI and retinal imaging )

A selection of Insigneo seminar recordings are available to view on our YouTube channel.

Other events

16 December
Sano seminar: 150. Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024: Tiny Titans – How MicroRNAs Are Reshaping Medicine

2025

20 January
Sano Seminar: DeepImplant – Modeling of personalized cranial implants in real-time using artificial intelligence

12 February
Inaugural Lectures: Professor Chris Toseland and Professor Guillaume Hautbergue

7 March
14th Annual Mellanby Centre Research Day - abstract deadline 10 January 2025.

24-25 March
Physics of Life conference - abstract deadline extended: 15 December 2024!

11 - 12 June
4th Child Health Technology (CHT) Conference - abstract deadline: 22 January 2025.

For a full list of upcoming events visit: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/insigneo/overview/events

Vacancies

We have a number of exciting PhD projects available with Insigneo members.  PhD students who are supervised by Insigneo members are eligible to join the Insigneo Insitute and our Early Career Researcher (ECR) community.

You can find out more about postgraduate study at the University of sheffield here: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/postgraduate/phd 

PhD Opportunity: MRC DiMeN Doctoral Training Partnership: Examining the role of metabolism in paediatric cancer initiation using human pluripotent stem cells (closing date: 13/12/24)

PhD Opportunity: Remote patient monitoring using wearable devices and AI (closing date: 02/01/25)

PhD Opportunity:  How does non-coding RNA structure regulate gene expression? (closing date: 06/01/25)

PhD Opportunity:  The role of keratin networks in maintaining epithelial tissue integrity (closing date: 06/01/25)

PhD Opportunity: Developing Imaging Solutions to Study the Dynamics of Human Condensin I (closing date: 06/01/25)

PhD Opportunity: Deciphering the role of biomechanical cues in embryonic cell fate decisions using human pluripotent stem cells (closing date: 06/01/25)

PhD Opportunity: Sh.24.3 PhD in Sound Analysis for Predicting Category 1 Ambulance Calls (closing date 15/01/25)

PhD Opportunity: Accelerating virtual population inference in immuno-oncology through data-efficient multi-fidelity modelling (C3.5-MPS-Xing) (closing date: 29/01/25)

PhD Opportunity: Developing Digital Biomarkers for Tracking Multiple Sclerosis Progression Using Wearable Devices and AI (S3.5-COM-Sun) (closing date: 29/01/25)

PhD Opportunity: Engineering an in vitro human embryo implantation platform to study pathologies arising in early pregnancy - S3.5-SMP-Lucas (closing date: 29/01/25)

PhD Opportunity: Developing innovative, anti-infective peptide-coated calcium phosphate particles for the treatment and prevention of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) - C3.5-DEN-Miller (closing date: 29/01/25)

PhD Opportunity:  Forces in Focus: How do Actin Filament Networks Shape Cellular Mechanics? S3.5-MPS-Peters (closing date: 29/01/25)

PhD Opportunity:  A Tip-everting Endoscope with Adjustable Length, Shape, and Stiffness - C3.5-ELE-Cao (closing date: 29/01/25)

PhD Opportunity:  Beyond the helix: new insights into the structure, function and design of RNA therapeutics using biophysics technologies and deep learning (C4-CMB-Pyne) (closing date: 29/01/25)

PhD Opportunity:  S3.5-MAC-Bonci - Tremor in Parkinson’s disease subtypes: objective measures and classification (closing date: 29/01/25)

PhD Opportunity:  S3.5-MAC-Cheong - Multiscale modelling of the murine growth plate (closing date: 29/01/25)

PhD Opportunity: S3.5-MAC-Dardeno - Enhancing personalised medicine via ecosystems of digital mirrors (closing date: 29/01/25)

PhD Opportunity: Advancing ECG Interpretation with Human-Centred Multi-modal AI (S3.5-COM-CChen) (closing date: 29/01/25)

PhD Opportunity: GlucoVox: Voice Analysis for Non-Invasive Diabetes Glucose Monitoring Using Machine Learning (C3.5-COM-Ma) (closing date: 29/01/25)

PhD Opportunity: User Simulation-Grounded Automatic Conversational Depression Diagnosis Support (C3.5-COM-Wang) (closing date: 29/01/25)

PhD Opportunity:  Developing the evidence base for the visual presentation of complex data to clinicians - S3.5-SMP-Alix (closing date: 29/01/25)

Publications

A standardized MRI phantom for dissolved phase ¹²⁹Xe MRI (Journal of Magnetic Resonance Open) M. Filkins, A. Harrison, G. J. Collier, G. Norquay, J. M. Wild, S. P. Rigby, G. E. Pavlovskaya, T. Meersmann

Air Pollution and Osteoporosis (Current Osteoporosis Reports) O. Allen, M. M. Knight, S. W. Verbruggen

Fabrication of hierarchically porous trabecular bone replicas via 3D printing with high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) (Biofabrication) N. Sengokmen-Ozsoz, M. Aleemardani, M. Palanca, A. Hann, G. C Reilly, E. Dall'Ara, F. Claeyssens

Highly porous polycaprolactone microspheres for skeletal repair promote a mature bone cell phenotype in vitro (Journal of Materials Chemistry B) T. E. Paterson, R. Owen, C. Sherborne, H. Bahmaee, A. L. Harding, N. H. Green, G. C. Reilly F. Claeyssens