Early-stage projects backed by charity funding to improve patient care

A range of new research projects, focused on improving care for people with heart and lung conditions, have been awarded funding through the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity Seed Grants.

This year’s funded studies explore everything from improving diagnostic tools and refining clinical procedures, to better understanding disease risk and developing more personalised approaches to care.

Together, these projects highlight the breadth of research activity taking place across Guy’s and St Thomas’.

The Seed Grants provide up to £40,000 to support early-stage research, helping staff test new ideas and generate the evidence needed to improve patient care. In this latest round, a diverse group of clinicians and researchers have received funding. Read more about their projects below:

Afrasiab Ahmad, specialist physiotherapist, for his project “SPICE-CF – SPutum Induction and nebuliser deviCEs”.

This study is exploring which of two alternative devices works best for helping people with cystic fibrosis provide sputum samples for testing, after the previous standard device was withdrawn. It will also assess whether it’s practical to run a larger study in the future, to ensure the most suitable approach is used in clinical care.

Dr Chiara Bucciarelli-Ducci, consultant cardiologist, for her project “Accelerating Innovation in the NHS: A Pilot Feasibility Study using Novel Needle-Free, Contrast-Free CMR Methods for the Surveillance of Patients receiving Anticancer Treatment.”

This study is testing a new type of heart scan that doesn’t require needles or contrast dye, making it simpler and more comfortable for patients undergoing cancer treatment. It aims to find out whether this approach can safely and effectively monitor the heart for any treatment-related damage.

Dr Freda Yang, consultant respiratory clinician, for her project “A pilot study to validate Nasosorption sampling before and after Monoclonal Antibody treatment in severe asthma Patients (NASOMAP)”

This study is investigating whether a simple, painless nasal swab can help predict how people with severe asthma will respond to advanced treatments. The aim is to help doctors choose the most effective treatment for each patient from the start, rather than relying on trial and error.

Dr Owair Dar, consultant cardiologist, for his project “A prospective blinded pilot study evaluating the sensitivity and specificity of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (non-invasive imaging) for the diagnosis of rejection in heart transplant recipients”.

This study is testing whether a specialised heart scan can accurately detect signs of rejection in people who have had a heart transplant, without needing invasive procedures. It will help determine if this non-invasive approach could be a reliable alternative to current testing methods in the future.

Dr Ranil de Silva, consultant interventional cardiologist, for his project “Biomechanical determinants of coronary atherosclerotic plaque progression”.

This study looks at how physical forces within the heart’s arteries influence the build-up and progression of fatty plaques that can lead to heart attacks. By better understanding these processes, the research could help identify high-risk plaques earlier and improve how heart disease is prevented and treated.

Dr Sara Neves Silva, research associate, for her project  “Early detection of cardiovascular Remodelling in intermediate-risk pre-eclampsia (ACORN)”

This study aims to identify early signs of heart and blood vessel changes in women at risk of pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy complication linked to high blood pressure. By detecting these changes sooner, the research could help improve monitoring and reduce the risk of long-term heart problems.

Dr Sean Zheng, clinical research fellow, for his project “An isoform-resolved transcriptomic single cell map of the whole human heart”

This study is creating a highly detailed map of the cells in the human heart, showing how they use different versions of genes to function. This could improve how genetic heart conditions are diagnosed and help researchers develop more targeted, effective treatments in the future.

Dr Upasana (Paz) Tayal, consultant cardiologist, for her project “Cardiomyopathy Genetics and Long-Term Cardiac Dysfunction in Women with Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy”

This study explores whether genetic differences can help identify women who are more likely to develop long-term heart problems after experiencing high blood pressure during pregnancy. By spotting those at higher risk earlier, it aims to support more personalised monitoring and care.

Congratulations to all this year’s winners.