The Pulse

UKRI backs five research and partnership hubs with over £52 million

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is backing five research and partnership hubs with over £52 million from the UK government. The hubs will develop AI tools for brain health, head injuries, cardiovascular disease, respiratory infections and

AI.info Team · Written with AI · fact-checked · 2026-11-07

Five new research and partnership hubs are being backed by over £52 million from the UK government through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Their work includes smartphone apps that listen to coughs and breathing, AI analysis of routine eye scans and a home-based cardiovascular wellbeing coach. The hubs will develop tools to help people manage their own health, bringing benefits such as shifting care out of hospitals and into communities.

The five national hubs are based in four cities

The national hubs are based in Exeter, London, Southampton and Sunderland. They will bring together experts in engineering and physical sciences from across all four nations in the UK. Teams will work closely with people with lived experience of the conditions, healthcare professionals and partners including the NHS, charities, sports leagues and global industry partners.

Partners will provide an additional £37.5 million in cash and in-kind support. The £52 million investment includes a £1 million contribution from the UKRI Life Science Programme.

BRAINIAC will create the UK’s first NHS brain health clinic network

BRAINIAC, led by Professor David Llewellyn of the University of Exeter, will create the UK’s first network of NHS brain health clinics. Ten sites across the UK will test AI that brings together blood tests, brain scans and digital tools with more than 1,700 patients. The aim is to reduce the risk of dementia and speed up diagnosis by up to 50%.

Imperial College London’s BRAIN-SAFE hub, led by Professor David Sharp, will develop computer models to predict an individual’s risk of brain injury following a head impact, accounting for age, sex and previous injuries. The technology could enable real-time pitch side alerts and car and smartphone crash data that alerts paramedics to likely brain injury.

NORI will use AI to analyse routine eye scans; HeartTech will develop tools for home and local communities

The Northern Ophthalmic Research and Innovation hub, or NORI, will use AI to analyse routine eye scans alongside NHS health records and community data. Led by Professor Matthew Campbell of the University of Sunderland, it will initially focus on diabetes and cardiovascular disease. People in the North East and North Cumbria face the worst health outcomes in England, with life expectancy up to 10 years shorter in some areas.

The HeartTech hub, led by Professor Sebastien Ourselin of King’s College London, will combine wearable-device data, advanced imaging and health records to identify people at risk earlier and deliver personalised support. Cardiovascular disease affects more than 7 million people in the UK and causes a quarter of all deaths. The team will develop an AI-powered wellbeing coach that could provide personalised prompts towards lifestyle adjustments and flag when to see a clinical professional.

CRISP will develop cough-analysis tools for community care

The Community Respiratory Infection Screening and Prognostics hub, or CRISP, is led by Associate Professor Alexander Edwards of the University of Southampton. It will develop wearable sensors, smartphone apps that analyse coughs and breathing, and rapid tests for home and community healthcare. AI will combine this data to predict how an illness is likely to develop. This means people could safely monitor infection at home and get clear, personalised guidance on whether to rest or contact a pharmacist or GP.

Acute respiratory infections, including flu, COVID-19 and chest infections, place huge pressure on the NHS every winter, with around 25 million GP consultations and 850,000 hospital admissions a year in England.

Earlier diagnosis means better outcomes for patients and less pressure on our NHS, and technology has a vital role to play.

Science minister Chris McDonald