Over 50 NIHR funded research awards led by researchers in NI including:
Awarded 2023/24
Optimising delivery of integrated palliative care and heart failure services: A realist evaluation (PalliatHeartSynthesis II)
Chief Investigator: Dr Tracey McConnell (Queen's University of Belfast)
Treatment of severe Diabetic macular oedema with Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) monotherapy versus treatment with Anti-VEGF followed by subthreshold Micropulse lasEr when the thickness of the central retina goes below 400 microns (DAME): a pragmatic randomised equivalence trial
Chief Investigator: Professor Noemi Lois (Queen's University of Belfast)
Determining the feasibility of randomising children and young people to invasive and non-invasive urine sampling techniques.
Chief Investigator: Dr Thomas Waterfield (Queen's University of Belfast)
COMBAT: Clinical- and cost-effectiveness, safety and acceptability of COMBined phacovitrectomy, versus sequentiAl viTrectomy and cataract surgery, for the management of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment: A Randomised Equivalence Clinical Trial.
Chief Investigator: Professor Noemi Lois (Queen's University of Belfast)
Precision medicine Adaptive Network platform Trial in Hypoxemic acutE respiratory failuRe (PANTHER)
Chief Investigator: Professor Danny McAuley (Queen's University of Belfast)
Awarded 2022/23
Integrated Palliative Care in Oncology: a Realist Synthesis.
Chief Investigator: Professor Joanne Reid (Queen's University of Belfast)
Empirical oral AntibioticS for possible UTI in well appearing Young febrile infants (EASY).
Chief Investigator: Dr Thomas Waterfield (Queen's University of Belfast)
Free School Meals, Diet Quality and Food Insecurity in Secondary School Pupils: a Mixed Methods Study
Chief Investigator: Professor Jayne Woodside (Queen's University of Belfast)
Building an international precision medicine platform trial for the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
Chief Investigator: Professor Danny McAuley (Queen's University of Belfast)
Elucidating the mechaNism of action of behavioural changes on Child tOoth decay in the Randomised controlled CHOICE trial – a role for salivary lactic Acid? (ENCOURAGE)
Chief Investigator: Dr Anne Nugent (Queen's University Belfast)
Awarded 2021/22
Study of technologies for the diagnosis of angle closure glaucoma (ACE)
Chief Investigator: Professor Augusto Azuara-Blanco (Queen's University of Belfast)
Sugammadex for preventIoN oF pOst-operative pulmoNary complIcAtions (SINFONIA)
Chief Investigator: Dr Jon Silversides (Queen's University of Belfast)
Palliative and End-of-Life Care Research Partnership for Northern Ireland
Chief Investigator: Dr Peter O'Halloran (Queen's University of Belfast)
The impaCt Of dietary intake and Nutritional status in CarE homes on orAl heaLth: an EviDence synthesis (CONCEALED)
Chief Investigator: Dr Gerald McKenna (Queen's University of Belfast)
Is the mechanism of action of hypertonic saline and/or carbocisteine in the treatment of patients with acute respiratory failure due to an increase in mucus hydration?
Chief Investigator: Professor Cliff Taggart (Queen's University of Belfast)
Interventions for myopia control in children: a living systematic review and network meta-analysis
Chief Investigator: Professor Gianni Virgili (Queen's University of Belfast)
Prognostic factors for the development and progression of proliferative diabetic retinopathy in people with diabetic retinopathy
Chief Investigator: Professor Gianni Virgili (Queen's University of Belfast)
Awarded 2020/21
CHOICE TRIAL: Changing Habits tO Prevent ChIld CariEs: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Family-Focused Therapeutic Conversation Delivered by Dental Nurses in Primary Care
Chief Investigator: Professor Michelle McKinley (Queen's University Belfast)
Integrating Palliative Care and Heart Failure: a Realist Synthesis (PalliatHeartSynthesis)
Chief Investigator: Dr Tracey McConnell (Queen's University of Belfast)
The clinical and cost-effectiveness of the DESMOND-ID education programme for adults with intellectual disability and Type 2 Diabetes
Chief Investigator: Dr Laurence Taggart (University of Ulster)
Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a peer-led walking programme to increase physical activity in inactive older adults: Walk With Me Study
Chief Investigator: Professor Mark Tully (University of Ulster)
Remote multicomponent rehabilitation intervention in survivors of critical illness post hospital discharge: a randomised controlled assessor blind clinical and cost effectiveness trial with internal pilot
Chief Investigator: Dr Brenda O'Neill (University of Ulster)
Glaucoma Risk Prediction in ocular hypertension (GRIP): a cohort study using electronic medical records to validate a risk predictor and determine the cost-effectiveness of different monitoring schemes according to risk of conversion to …
Chief Investigator: Professor Augusto Azuara-Blanco (Queen's University of Belfast)
Northern Ireland Multimorbidity Research and Discovery (NIMRAD) Consortium
Lead investigator: Professor Aaron Peace, Professor Anthony Bjourson (University of Ulster)
Awarded 2019/20
Is the mechanism of action of hypertonic saline and/or carbocisteine in the treatment of patients with bronchiectasis due to a decrease in sputum viscoelasticity, inflammation and bacterial load?
Chief Investigator: Professor Cliff Taggart (Queen's University of Belfast)
Mucoactive drugs for acute respiratory failure: A 2x2 factorial, randomised, controlled, allocation concealed, open-label, Phase 3, pragmatic, clinical and cost effectiveness trial with internal pilot
Chief Investigator: Dr Bronwen Connolly (Queen's University of Belfast)
A feasibility study of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the MATILDA intervention to support older adults with learning disability to their improve health, wellbeing and social networks compared to usual care
Chief Investigator: Dr Laurence Taggart (University of Ulster)
Effectiveness and cost effectiveness of an automated text message intervention for weight management in postpartum women with overweight or obesity: the Supporting MumS (SMS) Randomised Controlled Trial
Chief Investigator: Professor Michelle McKinley (Queen's University of Belfast)
Co-developing an Evidence-based Plan to Strengthen the Health Care System and Inform Policy to Reduce Cancer Burden in Mongolia: An Interdisciplinary Approach
Lead investigator: Dr Charlene McShane (The Queen's University of Belfast)
Awarded 2018/19
Enhancing the patient complaints journey: harnessing the power of language to transform the experience of complaining
Chief Investigator: Dr Catrin Rhys (Ulster University)
Awarded 2017/18
SMALL: A Phase III, randomised, multi-centre trial addressing overtreatment of small, screen-detected breast cancer by comparing standard surgery with minimally invasive vacuum-assisted excision
Chief Investigator: Mr Stuart McIntosh (Queen's University of Belfast)
Awarded 2016/17
Low-dose atropine eye drops to reduce progression of myopia in children
Chief Investigator: Professor Augusto Azuara-Blanco (Queen's University of Belfast)
A 2x2 factorial randomised open labelled trial to determine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of hypertonic saline (HTS 6%) and carbocysteine for airway clearance versus usual care over 52 weeks in bronchiectasis (BE)
Chief Investigator: Professor Stuart Elborn (Queen's University of Belfast)
Antifungal stewardship opportunities with rapid tests for fungal infection in critically-ill patients (The A-Stop Study)
Chief Investigator: Dr Ronan McMullan (Queen's University of Belfast)
The JACK Trial A multi-site cluster randomised trial of an interactive film-based intervention to reduce teenage pregnancy and promote positive sexual health
Chief Investigator: Professor Maria Lohan (Queen's University of Belfast)
Awarded 2015/16
An evaluation of a multifaceted intervention to reduce antimicrobial prescribing in care home residents [REducing Antimicrobials in Care Homes (REACH)]: a non-randomised feasibility study and process evaluation
Chief Investigator: Professor Carmel Hughes (Queen's University of Belfast)
Monitoring for neovascular AMD Reactivation at Home: the MONARCH study
Chief Investigator: Dr Ruth Hogg (Queen's University of Belfast)
Effectiveness of Multimodal imaging for the Evaluation of Retinal oedema And new vesseLs in Diabetic retinopathy (EMERALD)
Chief Investigator: Professor Noemi Lois (Queen's University of Belfast)
Sedation and weaning in children: the SANDWICH trial
Chief Investigator: Professor Bronagh Blackwood (Queen's University of Belfast)
Awarded 2014/15
Early switch to oral antibiotic therapy in patients with low risk neutropenic sepsis (The EASI-SWITCH Trial)
Chief Investigator: Dr Victoria Coyle (Queen's University of Belfast)
pRotective vEntilation with veno-venouS lung assisT in respiratory failure. The REST Trial
Chief Investigator: Professor Danny McAuley (Queen's University of Belfast)
'Variation and Determinants of Novel Psychoactive Substance (NPS) Use: Potential Implications for Policy and Practice'
Chief Investigator: Dr Kathryn Higgins (Queen's University of Belfast)
Efficacy of the Telescopic Mirror Implant for Age-related Macular Degeneration: The MIRROR Trial
Chief Investigator: Dr Giuliana Silvestri (Belfast Health and Social Care Trust)
DIAbetic Macular Oedema aNd Diode Subthreshold micropulse laser (DIAMONDS)
Chief Investigator: Professor Noemi Lois (Queen's University of Belfast)
A woman-centred, tailored SMS-delivered multi-component intervention for weight loss and maintenance of weight loss in the postpartum period: intervention adaptation and pilot RCT
Chief Investigator: Dr Michelle McKinley (Queen's University of Belfast)
Awarded 2013/14
A feasibility study and pilot RCT of a peer-led walking programme to increase physical activity in inactive older adults: Walk With Me Study
Chief Investigator: Dr Mark Tully (Queen's University of Belfast)
Effectiveness and Cost-effectiveness of a Physical Activity Loyalty Card to Maintain Behaviour Change: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial
Chief Investigator: Professor Frank Kee (Queen's University of Belfast)
Increasing boys’ and girls’ intention to avoid teenage pregnancy: feasibility trial of an interactive video drama based intervention in post-primary schools in Northern Ireland
Chief Investogator: Prof Maria Lohan
Early detection of neovascular age-related macular degeneration
Chief Investigator: Professor Usha Chakravarthy (Queen's University of Belfast)
Awarded 2012/13
The effectiveness of Community vs. Hospital Eye Service follow-up for patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) with quiescent disease: a virtual trial. (The ECHoES trial)
Chief Investigator: Professor Usha Chakravarthy (Queen's University of Belfast)
A cluster randomised controlled trial evaluation and cost-effectiveness analysis of the Roots of Empathy schools-based programme for improving social and emotional wellbeing outcomes among 8-9 year olds in Northern Ireland
Chief Investigator: Professor Paul Connolly (Queen's University of Belfast)
Pre 2012/13 Awards
Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibition with simvastatin in Acute lung injury to Reduce Pulmonary dysfunction (HARP-2)
Chief Investigator: Professor Danny McAuley (Queen's University of Belfast)
A randomised controlled trial (RCT) of alternative treatments to Inhibit VEGF in patients with Age-related choroidal Neovascularisation (IVAN)
Chief Investigator: Professor Usha Chakravarthy (Queen's University of Belfast)
Five year observational follow-up of the IVAN trial cohort: a study of function and morphology
Chief Investigator: Professor Usha Chakravarthy (Queen's University of Belfast)
Page last updated 25/09/25