Derby co-leading ‘accelerator’ to speed development of rehab technologies

20 November 2024

Academics at the University of Derby are co-leading a world-class impact accelerator which 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 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council has granted £2.5 million of funding for the 'EMERGE' project - East Midlands Emerging RehabTech Growth Enterprise - which will launch the region as the UK's 'RehabTech Valley', a leading hub for rehabilitation technologies excellence.

The project, led by Nottingham Trent University, and co-led by the Universities of Derby, Nottingham and Loughborough, will be supported by a 30-strong consortium spanning research and innovation, medical and health tech organisations, the NHS, local government and economic development. It 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 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, academic, the NHS and patients and speed up the development and availability of RehabTech.

Professor Myra Conway, Associate Provost - Innovation and Research at the University of Derby and co-applicant on the bid, said:

"The University of Derby is delighted to be involved in this ground-breaking project which is expected to accelerate innovation into health and care pathways.

"It will also put the East Midlands firmly on the map when it comes to rehabilitation and associated technologies such as sensors and imaging, medical device materials, robotics and artificial intelligence, and help to boost the local economy."

The project is aligned to the University of Derby's commitment to providing solutions to real-world health problems. Its research in the biomedical and clinical field is focused on ways to prevent and treat diseases, and improving the health, wellbeing and care of people.

Biomedical and Clinical Science is one of the University's six key academic themes, with a brand-new Biomedical Science Lab due to open in 2025 at the University of Derby's Kedleston Road site.

The facility is set to revolutionise the University's student offer, creating an innovative, inspiring and interdisciplinary teaching facility focusing on core elements of Biomedical Science including haematology, immunology, histopathology, molecular biology, genetics and cell/tissue culture.

Find out more about studying  Biomedical Science at the University of Derby.