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World-class ‘accelerator’ to speed development of crucial rehabilitation technologies

A world-class impact accelerator will connect hundreds of East Midlands MedTech SMEs with health and care professionals, academics and the public to drive the design, development and delivery of pioneering rehabilitation technologies.

    The project will be led from NTU's Medical Technologies Innovation Facility

    Nottingham Trent University has been awarded £2.5 million by the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to lead the project, which is expected to accelerate innovation into health and care pathways and transform how people recover and regain independence and function following injury or illness.

    As people live longer and chronic health conditions increase, the demand for rehabilitation technologies, or ‘RehabTech’ is soaring.

    The ‘EMERGE’ project – East Midlands Emerging RehabTech Growth Enterprise – will launch the East Midlands as the UK’s ‘RehabTech Valley’, a leading hub for rehabilitation technologies excellence.

    The University of Nottingham, Loughborough University and the University of Derby will co-lead, supported by a 30-strong consortium spanning research and innovation, medical and health tech organisations, the NHS, local government and economic development.

    The project will connect the region’s cluster of 459 med-tech SMEs, addressing current challenges around slowing productivity, access to skills, clinical partnerships and private investment.

    It will create mechanisms for engagement between businesses, academics, the NHS and patients and speed up the development and availability of RehabTech.

    It will translate theoretical breakthroughs and proof-of-concept ideas to cutting-edge innovations across areas including sensors and imaging, medical device materials and device design, smart medical wearables, bioengineering, robotics and artificial intelligence.

    As well as supporting recovery and helping people to regain their independence, the move is expected to deliver a significant economic impact, boosting regional growth and productivity and enabling SMEs to secure an increasing share of a rapidly growing market.

    Work will also involve ensuring public and patient involvement is embedded in activities and projects to best address health inequalities.

    There are widening health inequalities in the East Midlands and preventable diseases such as heart disease, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are worse in the region’s cities than the UK average.

    Despite deprived communities being 60% more likely to suffer long-term health conditions than the richest, they still face significant barriers to accessing rehabilitation services that would speed up recovery and return to work.

    The East Midlands is well-positioned to tackle these issues, with the region now considered to be at the forefront of rehabilitation and associated technologies, recognised by the Government’s £105M investment in the National Rehabilitation Centre, which is located in Nottinghamshire and will be run and staffed by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.

    The EMERGE project will be led from Nottingham Trent University’s Medical Technologies Innovation Facility, a dual-site medical devices and advanced materials technology innovation centre.

    Hear more about the EMERGE project, led by NTU

    Professor Richard Emes, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and International at Nottingham Trent University, said: “This award further supports our ambitions in the theme of Health Innovation where NTU researchers are dedicated to transforming patient and community care outcomes.

    “The impact acceleration account will speed the translation of applied research between academic partners and healthcare providers in the region to achieve real-world change for the benefit of patients.”

    UK Science Minister Lord Vallance said: “This investment will allow innovators up and down the country to continue or expand their pioneering work to improve lives and kickstart growth in our economy with new opportunities.”

    Seven projects are being funded through EPSRC’s Place Based Impact Acceleration Account (PBIAA) scheme.

    EPSRC Executive Chair, Professor Charlotte Deane, said: “The seven projects announced today will harness regional research and innovation strengths to unleash the potential of emerging and existing innovation clusters across the UK.

    “Our investment will strengthen partnerships between UK universities, civic bodies and local businesses to create new jobs, improve skills and boost regional economic growth that will benefit places and communities directly.”

    • Notes for editors

      Press enquiries please contact Dave Rogers, Public Relations Manager, on telephone +44 (0)115 848 8782, or via email.

      EMERGE CONSORTIUM MEMBERS INCLUDE:

      Nottingham Trent University; University of Nottingham; Loughborough University, University of Derby; National Rehabilitation Centre; The Centre for Healthcare Equipment and Technology Adoption; Charnwood Campus Science, Innovation and Technology Park; NIHR HealthTech Research Centre for Rehabilitation; Midlands Health Alliance; Charnwood Borough Council, Leicestershire County Council; Nottingham City Council; D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership; East Midlands Combined County Authority; East Midlands Ambulance Service; Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre; Nottingham University Hospitals; Sherwood Forest Hospitals; University Hospitals of Derby and Burton; Pioneer Group; Association of British HealthTech Industries; Health Innovation East Midlands; Medilink Midlands; Midlands Engine; Blüm Digital; Helicon Health; Peak MedTek Ltd; Pennine Healthcare; Spirit Health; Vieunite; Nottingham International Consortium for Educational Research.

      About EPSRC

      The UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is the main funding body for engineering and physical sciences research in the UK. Our portfolio covers a vast range of fields from digital technologies to clean energy, manufacturing to mathematics, advanced materials to chemistry.

      EPSRC invests in world-leading research and skills, advancing knowledge and delivering a sustainable, resilient and prosperous UK. We support new ideas and transformative technologies which are the foundations of innovation, improving our economy, environment and society. Working in partnership and co-investing with industry, we deliver against national and global priorities.

      About Nottingham Trent University 

      Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has been named UK ‘University of the Year’ five times in six years, (Times Higher Education Awards 2017, The Guardian University Awards 2019, The Times and Sunday Times 2018 and 2023, Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023) and is consistently one of the top performing modern universities in the UK.

      It is the 3rd best modern university in the UK (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023). Students have voted NTU 1st in the UK for student employability (Uni Compare 2025)

      NTU is the 5th largest UK institution by student numbers, with over 40,000 students and more than 4,400 staff located across six campuses. It has an international student population of almost 7,000 and an NTU community representing over 160 countries.

      NTU owns two Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for outstanding achievements in research (2015, 2021). The first recognises NTU’s research on the safety and security of global citizens. The second was awarded for research in science, engineering, arts and humanities to investigate and restore cultural objects, buildings and heritage. The Research Excellence Framework (2021) classed 83% of NTU’s research activity as either world-leading or internationally excellent.

      NTU was awarded GOLD in the national 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) assessment, as it was in 2019.

      NTU is a top 10 for sport (British Universities and Colleges Sport league table 2023). 
      NTU is the most environmentally sustainable university in the UK and second in the world (UI Green Metric University World Rankings, 2023).

    Published on 19 November 2024
    • Subject area: Sciences including sport sciences
    • Category: Press office; Research; School of Science and Technology