On 10 July 2025, we hosted the Research and Innovation Conference, our biggest and most ambitious yet. With more than 70 expert speakers across research, healthcare, academia and industry, 400 attendees joined us to explore and showcase innovation, impact, and collaboration right across healthcare.
Aspirations
This year’s theme, Shaping Future Healthcare, firmly reflected our belief that research and innovation are central to improving patient care and outcomes. We opened with a powerful keynote by Professor Tony Young, NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Innovation, who offered insight into how to translate good ideas into future healthcare. He affirmed that patients must be at the heart of what we do, and it was only fitting that one patient opened the conference to talk about how by participating in trials, she is hoping to help more patients.
Collaboration
The conference represented the close collaboration and powerful ecosystem we are proud to be part of here in the city of Leeds. Together with our sponsors, partners and collaborators we were able to put on an extensive conference spanning major themes of Academic Research, Innovation, Pathology, Research Delivery, and Showcasing Great Work. Its aim: to inspire the healthcare of the future and celebrate the best practice that is already taking place.
We saw how artificial intelligence, immersive tech, sustainability, genomics, and digital platforms are reshaping our clinical landscape. Speakers also explored how clinical research can be further embedded into medical practice and how involvement of patients and public in clinical trials is key.
Beyond the lectures, delegates explored a vibrant exhibition space, engaged with industry leaders, and connected with peers across the research and clinical spectrum. The energy in the room was inspiring to see and I know many attendees are already discussing how to advance their ideas into practice.
It was the ideal platform to highlight initiatives supported by many of our partners across public and private sector.
Professor Chris Twelves, Director of the NIHR Leeds Clinical Research Facility, shared exciting progress on the Cancer Vaccine Launchpad, a transformative initiative harnessing cutting-edge immunotherapy for cancer treatment.
Dr Maria Paton, Specialist Cardiac Physiologist, reflected on her clinical academic journey to optimise cardiac device therapy, demonstrating how CRF support can fuel personal and professional advancement in clinical careers.
Meanwhile, Dr Sarah Mackie, Honorary Consultant Rheumatologist, explored how strong research partnerships are helping improve outcomes for patients with Polymyalgia Rheumatica, an example of having a positive impact directly on patient care.
Plus many more speakers and workshops demonstrated the tremendous work and partnership working that is taking place in the region and having a national and international impact.
Celebrating success
Abstracts and poster submissions on display showcased just some of the very best ground-breaking initiatives across innovation and research, and I was delighted that Dr Magnus Harrison, Chief Medical Officer at the Trust was able to award just some of the best.
It truly was a showcase of the tapestry of talent and passion that already exist, and I was delighted to have Kate Lodge, Partnership Director of Leeds Academic Health Partnership bring the conference to a close and reiterate how Leeds is blazing a trail when it comes to healthtech innovation.
To quote Professor Tony Young from the conference: “In Leeds, you have a Biomedical Research Centre, a Healthtech Research Centre, a Clinical Research Facility, an Innovation Pop Up and an Innovation Village – what other parts of the country have that?”
We are part of something truly inspirational and I am delighted that we can stage an event that can showcase this.
Thank you to everyone who made this conference such a success, especially to our sponsors and in particular, Leeds Hospitals Charity, for their ongoing support.
Together we are driving change with huge patient benefits, with curiosity, compassion and courage.
Dr Ai Lyn Tan
Associate Medical Director – Research and Innovation
