Biomedical Engineering

Technology gives the opportunity for significant healthcare benefits, yet frequently these benefits are lost due to regulatory and adoption barriers in our health service. Over the past decade Imperial has developed critical mass and expertise in technology, regulatory approvals, and translational and commercialisation of medical technologies through a project management “translational passport” process. This will be scaled up and expanded through to first-in-human trials and NHS adoption pathways in order to research methods for maximum patient benefit.

We aim to provide a patient-centred technology gateway into clinical practice for North-West London, where technologies come into the theme through two routes: patient-led demand (technology-pull); and identification of available technologies to fulfil patient needs (technology-push). We will-

1. conduct first in human clinical trials on our innovative technologies;
2. identify and provide exemplars use of platform technologies and interventions;
3. support rapid cycle of generating evidence on novel devices at early stages of development; and
4. map clinical pathways and formulate strategies to overcome barriers to introducing disruptive and incremental-gain technologies into the clinical environment.

We have three levels of projects: priority, pilot and support. Our priority projects are:

1. a precision-medicine approach for personalised atrial fibrillation with a novel catheter design that enables simultaneous ablation and visualisation;
2. our novel nanofibrous haemostatic material technology to address the key issues of requiring blood to be soaked up to cause clotting to seal the wound as well as dressing removal re-tearing and destabilising the wound; and
3. repurpose and apply our platform functional electrical stimulation technology for patient-optimised pre- and post-operative joint arthroplasty surgery habilitation, targeting the most common orthopaedic conditions in NW London: hip and knee replacements.

Patient and Public Involvement, Engagement and Participation is embedded at all levels of the Theme: at the Theme Management, in all priority projects (with named individuals), in all pilot projects (in the selection, planning and monitoring through the PPIE Theme Group), and in all supported projects through Theme updates. Theme-level recruitment is supported by our excellent lay members and our ‘home’ Theme Departments – Bioengineering and Surgery & Cancer – are sharing and embedding best practices for PPIE and EDI.

A senior academic EDI lead and a senior professional services EDI lead will jointly work to ensure that the Theme is not only compliant with the overall BRC EDI strategy but is an example of excellence. Monitoring of data, processes and decision-making will take place as well as a consistent focus on culture with dedicated time given to reflection.

The Biomedical Engineering Theme Management Committee include the following members:

• Professor Anthony Bull
• Professor George Hanna
• Professor Gina Brown
• Professor Rylie Green
• Dr Bohwon Kim