We are entering a new era in healthcare where treatments are tailored to each patient’s profile.
Advances in genomics, artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven medicine offer avenues for transforming clinical practice and improving care, whilst also making healthcare systems more sustainable.
At the Trust, we are leading the way in tailored healthcare, with numerous projects already revolutionising treatment.
From treatment to tailored care in radiotherapy
A major development in this approach was introducing MR-Sim at Leeds Cancer Centre, with support from Leeds Hospitals Charity and industry partners, Philips.
This uses MRI to offer clearer, radiation-free imaging, enabling precise treatment tailored to each patient and reducing side effects. This year, Leeds will be first in the UK to use this technology to treat patients with brain cancer.
One of our patients treated with the new approach said the smaller number of appointments “made a difference” and had been “painless”.
We also lead internationally in ‘re-irradiation’ techniques, re-targeting areas where tumours return near original cancer sites, offering a potential second-chance of a cure for some patients with recurring cancer.
Pioneering personalised surgery: easier for clinicians and patients
Innovation is revolutionising surgery by giving patients an easier recovery which is more efficient and affordable.
In 2024, one of our surgical teams became the first in the UK to remove a brain tumour through a patient’s eye socket, enabled by individualised 3D modelling technology. This shortens recovery time and resulted in significant cost savings compared to standard craniotomy surgery.
This shorter, simpler procedure can save up to £5,300 per operation, allowing us to redirect resources towards treating more patients, reducing hospital stays, and freeing up hospital resources.
Targeted care at scale: personalised medicine in the age of AI
As AI becomes more embedded in healthcare, we are discovering new ways to support personalised care and earlier interventions.
Last year Leeds clinicians used AI to analyse over two million patient records. The research identified 400,000 high-risk patients, accounting for nearly three-quarter of heart-related deaths at ten-year follow-up, illustrating the potential of AI healthcare tools.
As part of this, a targeted sample of 82 patients were reviewed. A fifth received new diagnoses of kidney disease, and over half had medication adjusted to manage risk.
We also support the pioneering FIND-AF trial with the University of Leeds and NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research), using patient records to detect atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm problem which increases the stroke risk fivefold.
Patients identified as at-risk are offered home testing using a handheld ECG device. If readings indicate atrial fibrillation, their GP is notified to discuss treatment options.
In parallel, Leeds is forefront in efforts integrating AI into breast screening, with UK-first studies to improve early cancer detection, reduce unnecessary recalls, and alleviate workforce pressures.
Genes, vaccines, and hope: personalising cancer treatment
We are seeing medical care tailored to a person’s genetic profile, where DNA can be a guide for fresh methods to save lives.
In a new approach, the national trial of personalised cancer vaccines aims to prevent cancer from returning by helping the immune system target and destroy any remaining cancer cells.
Our NIHR Leeds Clinical Research Facility is hosting this trial which uses similar technology to that pioneered in Covid-19 vaccines. Each treatment is tailored to the individual, enabling identification of unique mutations in the cancer and allowing bespoke vaccines to be created for each patient.
Collaboration as the catalyst: Leeds leading the way in personalised healthcare through co-location
This is made possible by partnerships and infrastructure which comprise the Health Innovation Leeds ecosystem.
We host a £40 million NIHR infrastructure with three centres of research excellence, Leeds research ranked[1] third internationally as a healthtech hub, placing us at the forefront of developments in digital pathology, diagnostics, and AI.
We are also co-located with major universities and health industry innovators within the forthcoming £2 billion Leeds City Centre Innovation Arc.
Our Innovation Pop Up initiative provides healthtech innovators opportunities to collaborate with hospital staff on cutting-edge personalised medicine projects, such as the Flatiron Project, using anonymised cancer data for studies in future tailored treatment, and the Neu Health smartphone app for Parkinson’s disease.
This environment brings personalised medicine into everyday practice and, with our partners, puts patients first to shape the future of healthcare.
The road ahead: personalising health, transforming lives
Realising the potential of personalised medicine demands collaboration among clinicians, researchers, and policymakers. The progress we have made is only the beginning—we must sustain momentum to unlock the transformative power of tailored healthcare. By leading this movement, we are not only delivering better, more efficient care, but reshaping the NHS for the future.
[1] Pursuing excellence – an independent analysis of Leeds’ health and care research and innovation (2024)