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Insigneo Newsletter - March 2025
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!
Insigneo Showcase 2025 - call for abstracts
We're pleased to announce that abstract submission is now open for the Insigneo Showcase 2025 which will be held on 4 July at the University of Sheffield's The Wave building.
This full day event is an opportunity for our members, funding agencies, regulatory agencies, industrial colleagues, and other academic groups to meet and see first-hand the innovative research produced by our Institute.
The day will feature:
- A plenary talk from Professor Laoise McNamara, Head of the School of Engineering at the University of Galway;
- Sessions from our five research themes: Biomaterials / Biomechanics / Cell engineering; Computational modelling in medicine; Imaging life; Smart devices and sensors; and Healthcare data / AI;
- Poster exhibition
- Networking opportunities with industry, funders, academics and clinicians.
The deadline for abstract submissions for the poster display is 8 April 2025.
The day is planned as an in-person event but we are offering an option to listen to the talks online if you are unable to travel to Sheffield, UK.
Understanding the genetic roots of aggressive childhood cancer: Research aims to improve Neuroblastoma treatment
Scientists have secured £1.5 million from Cancer Research UK (CRUK) to investigate the genetic secrets behind neuroblastoma - aiming to improve treatments for this aggressive childhood cancer.
The team, led by Insigneo member Dr Anestis Tsakiridis from the University of Sheffield's School of Biosciences, will focus on how these genetic changes disrupt the normal development of neural crest cells. Neural crest cells form various parts of the nervous system and other tissues where neuroblastoma originates from. By meticulously tracking the impact of CNAs and MYCN overactivation on these cells, the researchers hope to gain crucial insights into the cancer's origins and the factors that contribute to its heterogeneity (the presence of diverse cell types within a single tumor).
Sheffield researchers help discover previously unidentified genes linked to rare diseases
A landmark study has found 69 previously unidentified genetic determinants of rare disease, including uncommon forms of kidney disease and diabetes.
The breakthrough research, involving the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, uses a new analytical approach for identifying the genetic basis of rare diseases, which could diagnose more cases and help develop new treatments for patients.
South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub: The Digital Health Hubcast
In this first episode of the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub's new Digital Health Hubcast, host Hannah Clemmens is joined by Insigneo Research Theme Director for Healthcare Data/AI, Professor Tim Chico, and Professor Steve Haake to explore Digital Health as it is now, and how innovation in this field could create a healthier and more connected future.
The Hormone Effect App website launched
Insigneo member Dr Becky Mawson from the School of Medicine and Population Health has launched a website for her Hormone Effect App.
The Hormone Effect project, led by Becky and funded by the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub's innovation pipeline, aims to co-design a digital data collection tool to understand the effects of hormonal contraception better.
Established Researcher Forum
The University of Sheffield's newly-created Established Researcher Forum is a researcher-led network, championing a supportive research environment for Established Researchers through events, activities and development opportunities.
Congratulations to Insigneo Member, Dr Pinaki Bhattacharya from the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering on his election to the Executive Committee of the VPH Institute.
Pinaki said, "I'm chuffed to have been elected to the executive committee of the VPH Institute. I will be working with some amazing colleagues in the committee and the fabulous VPHI board, all of whom represent the very exciting area of research that is in silico Medicine.
"I'd like to say a massive thank you to the entire community of VPH Institute and Insigneo members for your faith and support!"
Meet the newly formed VPHi Executive Committee 2025-2027:
Insigneo Early Career Researcher community
ECR fellowship/grant writing Workshop
We will be running another ECR fellowship/grant writing workshop on 19 March at 4 pm.
The aim is to allow ECRs to discuss with their peers any fellowship/grant applications they might be preparing. 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. Please contact Damien Lacroix (d.lacroix@sheffield.ac.uk) to express your interest in participating.
Opportunity for an ECR to join our committee as the lead for social events!
In this role, you will play a key part in fostering community connections by organizing engaging social and networking events.
If you’re passionate about building a vibrant community and have creative ideas for bringing people together, we’d love to have you on board. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us by emailing Sarah Black (sarah.black@sheffield.ac.uk).
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.
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.
The Insigneo ECR Committee
(Malwina Matella, Neil Stewart, Juntong Lai, Hazem Toutounji, Sarah Black, Sarah Hollely, chaired by: Damien Lacroix)
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
Dr Asra Aslam
Information Schools
Lecturer in Data Science
Dr Asra Aslam is Lecturer in Data Science at University of Sheffield. She is also Principal Investigator at the Alan Turing Institute, UK in collaboration with Industry “Transport for London TfL”.
Previously, she was Research Fellow at Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, UK. She led research & development of Machine Learning models on DynAIRx project, teach AI/ML in Health Sciences, and led team of postdoctoral researchers on medical codelists.
Dr Aslam's research interests are Computer Vision, Deep Neural Networks, Smart Cities, and Health Sciences. She also worked as a “Machine Learning Research Scientist” in the AI Industry and Lecturer in academics in the past few years. She is General Chair for Women in Computer Vision community (>2000) and mentored >100s of women in AI and Computer Vision. She is winner of multiple Awards including Global Talent Endorsement (with Exceptional) by UKRI, "Academic/Education leader of the Year Award", “Hildi Franke Award (BCS)”, and prestigious "Rising Start of the Year Award" in Tech Excellence in Nov 2024 by Computing Co., UK. She has authored over 27 research publications (>1400 citations) and serves on the Editorial Board, Area Chair, and Program Committee, contributing to multiple top-tier journals and leading international conferences.
Professor Sarah Anne Harris
School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Professor of Biological Physics
Sarah Anne Harris is a computational biophysicist and Chair of Biological and Materials Physics in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences in Sheffield.
Her research uses high performance computer simulations to provide physical insight into biological mechanisms from the atomistic up to the cellular level. She has developed new theoretical physics tools to understand molecular biology at the mesoscale, with a focus on modelling molecular motors such as dynein and myosin.
Sarah is a strong advocate for the use of computation in the biological sciences, and is the current Chair of the Collaborative Computational Project in Biomolecular simulation (CCPBioSim) which supports UK researchers using simulations to understand biomolecular interactions and processes. CCPBioSim provides both beginners and expert workshops, and meetings identifying new cutting edge topics.
Daniel Nicoll
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
PhD Student
I am a PhD student in the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering at the University of Sheffield, supervised by Dr Tecla Bonci, Prof Oliver Bandmann, and Prof Claire Brockett.
My research focuses on quantifying mobility metrics derived from wearable device signals collected from Parkinson’s disease patients, in both remote monitoring scenarios and during their clinical assessments. By analysing gait patterns and movement characteristics, I aim to create objective, data-driven metrics that can assist in early diagnosis, more effectively track disease progression, and inform treatment strategies.
Before my PhD, I completed my BEng in Mechanical Engineering at Sheffield, where I conducted a final year dissertation on foot arch deformation and stability during gait. I then worked on the Walk With Path PathStance project, aiming to validate sensorised insoles for fall prevention.
Outside of research, I enjoy sports and movies. I hope my PhD study will enable me to integrate engineering solutions into clinical practice, something I am very passionate about.
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
20 March
Insigneo Seminar: An eye for artificial intelligence in diabetes complications and beyond
21 March
Industry Day on Biomaterials for Wound Healing and Transdermal Delivery
2 June
Insigneo Seminar: Pierre-Alexis Mouthuy, University of Oxford - save the date
A selection of Insigneo seminar recordings are available to view on our YouTube channel.
Other events
18 March
Picture a Scientist - Film Screening and Panel Discussion
21 March
Engaging with Parliament
24 March
Inaugural Lectures: Professor Enrico Dall’Ara and Professor Christine Le Maitre
24-25 March
Physics of Life conference
28 April
Sandpit: moving respiratory health diagnosis into the 21st century (EPSRC)
11 - 12 June
4th Child Health Technology (CHT) Conference
16 - 17 June
BIOREME: Advancing Lung Diagnostic Technologies – A Scientific Meeting, Sheffield
4 - 5 September
BioMedEng25, Glasgow
For a full list of upcoming events visit: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/insigneo/overview/events
Publications
Bipolar electrochemistry-driven wireless drug loading and energy harvesting in conductive hybrid hydrogels (Communications Materials) A. C. Da Silva, X. Hu, V. H. Paschoal, N. Hagis, A. J. Zajac, M. C. C. Ribeiro, I. R. Minev
Local postural changes elicit extensive and diverse skin stretch around joints, on the trunk and the face (Journal of the Royal Society Interface) M. Rupani, L. D. Cleland, H. P. Saal
Analysis of Blood Stasis for Stent Thrombosis Using an Advection-Diffusion Lattice Boltzmann Scheme (Mathematics) R. van der Waerden, J. Spendlove, J. Entwistle, X. Xu, A. Narracott, J. Gunn, I. Halliday
A framework for modelling whole-lung and regional transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide using hyperpolarised xenon-129 lung magnetic resonance imaging (ERJ Open Research) J. H. Pilgrim-Morris, L. J. Smith, H. Marshall, B.A. Tahir G. J. Collier, N. J. Stewart, J. M. Wild
Improving Xenon-129 lung ventilation image SNR with deep-learning based image reconstruction (Magnetic Resonance in Medicine) N. J. Stewart, J. de Arcos, A. M. Biancardi, G. J. Collier, L. J. Smith, G. Norquay, H. Marshall, A. C. S. Brau, R. M. Lebel, J. M. Wild
Attention Network Dysfunctions in Lewy Body Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease (Journal of Clinical Medicine) Y. Huang, R. Cromarty, L. Jia, Y. Han, J. O’Brien, J.-P. Taylor, L. Su
