BHP members the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital and Aston University – working with the University of Edinburgh – have been awarded a joint research fellowship to develop a working 3D model of the spinal cord, to improve understanding of the management of compressive spinal cord pathology.

The fellowship is funded by Orthopaedic Research UK (ORUK), the British Association of Spine Surgeons (BASS) and the British Scoliosis Society (BSS) and the project will run for three years. The team is led by Professor Adrian Gardner – consultant spine surgeon at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital and Jean-Baptiste Souppez – senior lecturer mechanical, biomedical and design engineering at Aston University. 

The idea for the project came about following a discussion between colleagues about a patient presenting with a multi-level degenerative cervical spine with multi-level spondylolisthesis. Multiple vertebra in the patient’s neck were compressing on each other and several of these vertebra were pushed forwards creating an unstable spine. 

Professor Gardner said: “I was able to make recommendations, however this was based on training over the years and experience. For example, there are multiple ways to approach this kind of injury – you could go in from the front (anterior) or the back (posterior), but the decision is largely down to how you’ve been trained.  It occurred to me that a physical model could be used to better understand the pathology and use scientific evidence to inform surgical solutions for our patients here at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital and across the globe.”

Professor Gardner worked through potential options with contacts at Aston University, who recommended using 3D printing to simulate the different ways spinal cord compression happens, and its management. The model would be made up of a 3D printed, fully articulated vertebral column and use tuneable pneumatic pressure to replicate the spinal cord. Adjustable to reflect various spinal conditions, the model would enable spinal teams to test the likely impact of different procedures.

Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM) is one of the most common spinal injuries, caused by severe compression in the neck. This compression can come because of inflammation, arthritis and age. It can lead to issues with balance, dexterity and control of the bowel and bladder. If left untreated, myelopathy can lead to permanent spinal cord injury and nerve damage. 

Professor Gardner added: “Despite being common, DCMs are under researched. As spinal surgeons we often refer to it as a silent disease – studies show about 2% of the adult population have DCM, but the real number could be much higher. This is because patients may not be aware that they have a degenerative cervical myelopathy and will put their symptoms down to aging, never seeking out treatment. 

“With this fellowship we have the chance to enhance understanding of the best way to treat this under-researched condition and better support clinicians with their management plans. Timing is key in treating people with DCM to maximise recovery and outcomes, but surgeons have always been appropriately cautious due to the lack of research in this space. Ultimately, we hope that this model will help demonstrate that earlier intervention can prevent DCM becoming a serious disability.”

The project is supported by three students from the University of Aston who sit across different engineering disciplines: Design Engineering, Biomedical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. 

Jean-Baptiste R. G. Souppez, senior lecturer in mechanical, biomedical and design engineering at Aston, co-lead on the project, commented: “The award of the inaugural ORUK/BASS/BSS fellowship has been instrumental in enabling this joint research project between the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital and Aston University’s Mechanical, Biomedical and Design Engineering department. 

“It is also fantastic to see the joint effort from three engineering disciplines, coming together to strengthen our commitment to our local community partners, developing innovative solutions to real-world problems as part of our Engineering for Health research centre at Aston University.” 

Following a year in which Birmingham Health Partners expanded its membership to eight member organisations – welcoming Aston University and Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust – we’re pleased to publish our second annual review of activity for the period September 2022-August 2023. 

Download and read the Birmingham Health Partners Report of Activity 22-23  (PDF, 5MB)

Over the past year, BHP has demonstrated the benefits of collaboration across our organisations. The addition of new members and the emergence of integrated care systems together with changes in the funder landscape offer new opportunities for BHP to continue to develop and promote our collaborative purpose.

The year ahead will see us welcome a new Chair, new leaders at some of our Partner organisations and the publication of a strategic framework and delivery plan that reflects our ambitions for the region.

We have in our hands the tools that we need to succeed, the onus is on us to put them to work to ensure Birmingham is seen as the place where innovative research translates into improved health and economic growth.

Outgoing chair Ed Smith commented: “We were delighted to welcome Aston University and Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust to our membership during the year and now comprise two universities, five NHS Trusts, and the West Midlands AHSN. Our collaboration between such significant partners allows us to focus on research, innovation and health care capabilities to deal with important health issues in the region and indeed beyond through wider partnerships. 

“BHP’s key activities over the last year have been a focus on women’s health; improving the environment for clinical research fellowships; and our forward strategy for the next five years – which has been approved by the BHP Board and is focussed on delivering real value to the region from collaborative and skilled contributions which, in the prioritised areas, would be less effective than those from single organisations working individually.”

Downloads:

Birmingham Health Partners Report of Activity 22-23  (PDF, 5MB)

Birmingham Health Partners Report of Activity 2020 to 2022 pdf (4MB)

Two members of Birmingham Health Partners – Aston University and Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (BWC) – are collaborating to explore how digital technology, big data and artificial intelligence can revolutionise healthcare.

To kick off the partnership, Aston University’s Engineering for Health Research Centre is co-hosting the BWC Innovation Summit, which brings together tech firms, healthcare professionals and academics to explore how new technology can benefit paediatric and women’s healthcare as well as the young people’s mental health sector.

Representatives from Hitachi, KPMG and the West Midlands Academic Health Science Network (WMAHSN) will be at the event on October 11th held at Conference Aston.

Amanda Baugh, Head of Innovation at BWC said: “The event is an opportunity to bring together professionals from different disciplines to foster collaboration and springboard ideas on the future of healthcare.

“We want to get a wide range of experts in one place to explore and define challenges and set out plans about how we can adapt and adopt existing technology, products and devices, along with how we might develop products and solutions not currently available to meet these challenges.”

Dr Antonio Fratini is head of Aston University’s Engineering for Health Research Centre. He said: “The University’s College of Engineering and Physical Sciences is delighted to be co-hosting this event which highlights Aston University’s mission to be a leading university of science, technology and enterprise.

“Through harnessing the power of medical and digital technology, analysis of big data and artificial intelligence we will be able to change healthcare – for example by providing care closer to home, improving access and therefore reducing inequalities.”

Further funding has been awarded for BHP founder-member the University of Birmingham to host the Health Data Research UK (HDRUK) Midlands Regional Network for five more years.

HDRUK Midlands aims to improve health through uniting healthcare and data science communities across the Midlands. These communities are committed to working together to improve the quality of health-related data, which includes developing new tools and technologies that equip our frontline healthcare staff to deliver excellent care.

Following recent funding success and as part of its strategy to enhance and grow an inclusive health data community, HDRUK Midlands are launching a new Regional Community Platform, which will bring together clinicians, academics, data scientists, technologies and members of the public.

Professor Alastair Denniston, of the University of Birmingham said: “We’re delighted that the HDRUK Midlands Region Network has been funded for a further five years. This endorsement to continue our work will allow us to expand the network further, and to upskill and improve the knowledge and capabilities of our health and data communities, by enabling us all to learn from each other.”

The growing network is currently made up of 19 organisations, who between them are leading on over 90 projects. Since its inception, 145 people have signed up to the Community, showcasing their skills and interests with the intention of fostering collaborative working. The HDR UK Midlands Regional Community welcoming new members and is open to anyone who has an interest in health data science, including patients and members of the public.

“The recently launched community platform will allow colleagues to connect with others and find experts with a particular skill or interest across the region. We believe our people are our greatest asset and the new Community Platform will help us to make the most of our people.” Dr Fiona Pearce, University of Nottingham.

Original consortium partners include the host institution, the University of Birmingham, its fellow BHP member University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, as well as the Universities of Nottingham, Leicester, and Warwick, with new partners being welcome to join as the network moves into its next phase.