Transforming our future: prediction, prevention and early diagnosis in healthcare
On Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 February 2026, the Royal Society will hold a conference on prediction, prevention and early diagnosis in healthcare.
This two-day conference will bring together leading voices from industry, academia, government, and the wider healthcare community to explore the innovative science that is transforming our approach to disease prediction, prevention and diagnosis. Through talks and panel discussions, we will examine recent advances in both technological and population-based approaches, as well as the complex challenges associated with implementation.
Transforming our Future conferences
This conference forms part of the Royal Society's industry-focused Transforming our Future series. These unique meetings showcase cutting-edge science and bring together experts to explore and address key scientific and technical challenges of the coming decade.
Attending this event
In-person attendance is limited and by invitation only. Please contact industry@royalsociety.org to enquire about whether any places are available.
This conference is supported by AstraZeneca and GSK.
Organisers
Schedule
| 09:30-09:35 |
Sir Mark Walport FRCP FMedSci HonFRSE FRSThe Royal Society
Sir Mark Walport FRCP FMedSci HonFRSE FRSThe Royal Society Sir Mark Walport is Foreign Secretary and Vice President, the Royal Society. He chairs Imperial College Health Partners, Imperial College Academic Health Sciences Centre and the Kennedy Memorial Trust. He is a non-executive board member of NHS England, and trustee of the British Museum and the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation. |
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| 09:35-09:40 |
Introduction to the opening plenary
Sir Mark Walport FRCP FMedSci HonFRSE FRSThe Royal Society
Sir Mark Walport FRCP FMedSci HonFRSE FRSThe Royal Society Sir Mark Walport is Foreign Secretary and Vice President, the Royal Society. He chairs Imperial College Health Partners, Imperial College Academic Health Sciences Centre and the Kennedy Memorial Trust. He is a non-executive board member of NHS England, and trustee of the British Museum and the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation. |
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| 09:40-10:05 |
Prediction, prevention and early diagnosis in healthcare: practical issues
Professor Chris Whitty FRSChief Medical Officer for England
Professor Chris Whitty FRSChief Medical Officer for England Professor Chris Whitty is Chief Medical Officer for England and head of the public health profession. He is a practicing NHS consultant physician at UCLH. Previously he was head (CEO) of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and Chief Scientific Adviser at DHSC and prior to that DFID as well as interim Government Chief Scientific Adviser. As professor of public and international health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine his research was mainly in the diagnosis and management of diseases of poverty in Africa, Asia and the UK. |
| 10:05-10:30 |
The economics of prevention
Professor Andrew ScottEllison Institute of Technology Oxford, and London Business School
Professor Andrew ScottEllison Institute of Technology Oxford, and London Business School Andrew J Scott is Professor of Economics at London Business School and Senior Director of Economics at the Ellison Institute of Technology. He is also a Research Fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research and a co-founder of The Longevity Forum. He holds a PhD from Oxford University and previously held positions at Oxford University, Harvard University, and the London School of Economics. His research focuses on the economics of longevity and ageing and is published in a wide range of leading academic journals. He is the author of The Longevity Imperative (2024) and the global best seller The Hundred Year Life (2016), both runner-ups in the FT Business Book of the Year Award. Scott has advised a range of corporations, governments and international organizations and his work is regularly featured in the media. His focus is how we adapt and adjust to achieve a longevity rather than an ageing society so that life isn’t just longer but healthier, productive and engaged for longer. |
Chair
Professor Sir Peter Donnelly FRS
Genomics Ltd
Professor Sir Peter Donnelly FRS
Genomics Ltd
Professor Sir Peter Donnelly FMedSci FRS is CEO and Co-Founder of Genomics Ltd and Emeritus Professor of Statistical Science at the University of Oxford, where he was Director of the Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics from 2007–2017, and Head of Department of Statistics from 1996–2001. Genomics is a science-led transatlantic TechBio combining large-scale genetic and health data with proprietary analytics to accelerate drug discovery and advance predictive, preventative healthcare. It featured in the Sunday Times 100 Tech 2025 as one of the UK’s fastest-growing private tech companies and was recently named as one of Newsweek’s "UK’s 100 most loved workplaces". Peter played central roles in the major national and international human genetics projects of the last 20 years, including the International HapMap project and the landmark Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC, WTCCC2) which he led, a large international collaboration studying the genetic basis of more than 20 common human diseases and conditions in over 60,000 people. He also led the genotyping of UK Biobank, and the WGS500 project, which pioneered whole genome sequencing in clinical medicine and led to the UK NHS 100,000 Genomes project. His other substantive academic contributions are in mathematical and population genetics, including the development of coalescent theory, and in understanding meiotic recombination. He is one of the global leaders in the development of statistical and machine learning algorithms to analyse and extract insights from modern genomic "big data". Peter has received numerous awards for his research, including lifetime achievement awards from the Genetics Society and the American Society of Human Genetics, and a knighthood in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to the understanding of human genetics in disease. His TED talk has been downloaded more than 1.5 million times and his academic papers cited over 100,000 times.
| 11:00-11:05 |
Introduction to Session 1
Professor Sir Peter Donnelly FRSGenomics Ltd
Professor Sir Peter Donnelly FRSGenomics Ltd Professor Sir Peter Donnelly FMedSci FRS is CEO and Co-Founder of Genomics Ltd and Emeritus Professor of Statistical Science at the University of Oxford, where he was Director of the Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics from 2007–2017, and Head of Department of Statistics from 1996–2001. Genomics is a science-led transatlantic TechBio combining large-scale genetic and health data with proprietary analytics to accelerate drug discovery and advance predictive, preventative healthcare. It featured in the Sunday Times 100 Tech 2025 as one of the UK’s fastest-growing private tech companies and was recently named as one of Newsweek’s "UK’s 100 most loved workplaces". Peter played central roles in the major national and international human genetics projects of the last 20 years, including the International HapMap project and the landmark Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC, WTCCC2) which he led, a large international collaboration studying the genetic basis of more than 20 common human diseases and conditions in over 60,000 people. He also led the genotyping of UK Biobank, and the WGS500 project, which pioneered whole genome sequencing in clinical medicine and led to the UK NHS 100,000 Genomes project. His other substantive academic contributions are in mathematical and population genetics, including the development of coalescent theory, and in understanding meiotic recombination. He is one of the global leaders in the development of statistical and machine learning algorithms to analyse and extract insights from modern genomic "big data". Peter has received numerous awards for his research, including lifetime achievement awards from the Genetics Society and the American Society of Human Genetics, and a knighthood in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to the understanding of human genetics in disease. His TED talk has been downloaded more than 1.5 million times and his academic papers cited over 100,000 times. |
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| 11:05-11:20 |
From population data to personalised care: the evolution of clinical risk prediction
This lecture will examine the evolution of clinical risk prediction from its origins in population-based epidemiology to its routine use in personalised clinical care. It will describe the first use of large-scale electronic health records to develop and validate clinical risk models, and how these approaches have matured through continual updating as evidence, data quality, and clinical needs have evolved. Focusing on tools such as QRISK, Cancer, and related models, the talk will highlight how rigorous methodological development coupled with implementation science has enabled widespread adoption across the NHS, where these tools are now used over ten million times annually. The lecture will conclude by considering future directions for risk prediction to support prevention, early diagnosis, and equitable, data-informed healthcare. 
Professor Julia Hippisley-CoxQueen Mary University of London
Professor Julia Hippisley-CoxQueen Mary University of London Professor Julia Hippisley-Cox is Professor of Clinical Epidemiology and General Practice at Queen Mary University of London, Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and an NIHR Senior Investigator. She has pioneered the use of large-scale electronic health record data to develop, validate, and implement clinical risk prediction models that improve prevention, diagnosis, and patient outcomes. She created the first risk prediction models using routinely collected electronic health care data and has continued to update and refine them as new evidence emerges. These innovations have directly informed NICE guidance and driven updates to national clinical guidelines. As founder and director of QResearch, one of the world’s largest medical research databases, she has led the development of tools such as QRISK, QDiabetes and, QCancer – now embedded in NHS systems and used over 10 million times each year to identify patients at high risk of major conditions where early intervention can improve outcomes. Their widespread adoption has brought probabilistic reasoning and risk-based decision-making into everyday clinical practice, enabling more personalised and data-informed care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Hippisley-Cox developed QCOVID at the request of the UK Chief Medical Officers, guiding shielding policy, vaccine prioritisation, and subsequent vaccine safety analyses. Her contributions have been recognised with the RCGP John Fry Award, the Florence Nightingale Award from the Royal Statistical Society, and six Research Paper of the Year awards. She remains committed to rigorous, transparent research that strengthens the evidence base for patient care. |
| 11:20-11:35 |
Genetic risk scores as an anchor for predictive population health
The rapid confluence of advanced data-science, computing power, and falling sequencing costs, alongside exploding expenditure on healthcare, necessitates a fundamental transformation toward predictive and preventive health care. This shift requires a rethinking of population level care delivery and a move away from traditional, single-disease silos. The contribution of genetics toward the risk of all common complex diseases is now understood, yet it remains a critical missing factor in the current delivery of population health. This talk will explore genetic risk scores, examining their predictive power and outlining how they can quickly become the cornerstone for implementing data-driven population health strategies. 
Dr Seamus HarrisonGenomics Ltd
Dr Seamus HarrisonGenomics Ltd Dr Seamus Harrison is Chief Medical Officer at Genomics Ltd, where he leads on translation of genetic technology into products and services that improve human health and longevity. He leads on initiatives such as partnerships with Our Future Health, Bupa, and also with biopharma partners. A cardiovascular surgeon by training, he served as a consultant at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, where he led the regional aneurysm screening service for Cambridgeshire. He is also formally trained in genetic epidemiology, earning a PhD from UCL. His research spans cardiovascular genetics, Mendelian randomisation, screening and patient safety, and he received funding from the British Heart Foundation and MRC. |
| 11:35-11:50 |
Ageing, clonal expansions and cancer risk: what can we learn from haematopoiesis?
Can we predict cancer? Are pre-cancerous growths an inevitable feature of ageing? Is cancer prevention a realistic goal? From the moment a human zygote undergoes its first cell division, its genetic material is susceptible to alteration, and this process of mutation acquisition continues inexorably throughout life in all cells. Within tissues, stem cells compete for dominance in a process of natural selection; if a stem cell acquires a mutation that improves fitness, it expands clonally. Two fundamental facts about these clonal expansions are clear: first, they become ubiquitous with age and, second, while they represent a step on the path towards cancer, they rarely progress. In this talk, I will describe our work on the blood system, including its behaviour during normal ageing and on progression towards leukaemia, and whether we can predict this transition. I will share how we are translating these basic discoveries into clinical practice. I will also describe our work to leverage population-scale data to develop risk-prediction tools more broadly across diseases. 
Dr Margarete FabreAstraZeneca and University of Cambridge
Dr Margarete FabreAstraZeneca and University of Cambridge Margarete is the Oncology Lead in the Centre for Genomics Research at AstraZeneca, and an Honorary Consultant Haematologist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. Following her medical training at Oxford University, she trained as an academic haematologist in London and Cambridge, focussing on haematopoietic ageing and the pre-clinical evolution of cancer. She co-leads the NHS Clonal Haematopoiesis Clinic in Cambridge, with the goal of preventing haematological malignancies. Since 2022, she has also led the Oncology research and development at the AstraZeneca Centre for Genomics Research in Discovery Sciences. |
| 11:50-12:00 |
Q&A
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| 13:00-13:05 |
Introduction to Session 2
Professor Sir Peter Donnelly FRSGenomics Ltd
Professor Sir Peter Donnelly FRSGenomics Ltd Professor Sir Peter Donnelly FMedSci FRS is CEO and Co-Founder of Genomics Ltd and Emeritus Professor of Statistical Science at the University of Oxford, where he was Director of the Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics from 2007–2017, and Head of Department of Statistics from 1996–2001. Genomics is a science-led transatlantic TechBio combining large-scale genetic and health data with proprietary analytics to accelerate drug discovery and advance predictive, preventative healthcare. It featured in the Sunday Times 100 Tech 2025 as one of the UK’s fastest-growing private tech companies and was recently named as one of Newsweek’s "UK’s 100 most loved workplaces". Peter played central roles in the major national and international human genetics projects of the last 20 years, including the International HapMap project and the landmark Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC, WTCCC2) which he led, a large international collaboration studying the genetic basis of more than 20 common human diseases and conditions in over 60,000 people. He also led the genotyping of UK Biobank, and the WGS500 project, which pioneered whole genome sequencing in clinical medicine and led to the UK NHS 100,000 Genomes project. His other substantive academic contributions are in mathematical and population genetics, including the development of coalescent theory, and in understanding meiotic recombination. He is one of the global leaders in the development of statistical and machine learning algorithms to analyse and extract insights from modern genomic "big data". Peter has received numerous awards for his research, including lifetime achievement awards from the Genetics Society and the American Society of Human Genetics, and a knighthood in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to the understanding of human genetics in disease. His TED talk has been downloaded more than 1.5 million times and his academic papers cited over 100,000 times. |
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| 13:05-13:20 |
Personalising CV risk — the way forward
CVD prevention is a timing problem. The UK has the tools to solve it:
This is not overreach; it is a rational update to match the evidence. If we act now, the next decade can bring fewer heart attacks and strokes, narrower inequalities, and lives prolonged not just by years, but by healthy years. 
Professor Ahmet FuatOrchard Court Surgery Darlington and Durham University
Professor Ahmet FuatOrchard Court Surgery Darlington and Durham University Professor Ahmet Fuat was a GP in Darlington, County Durham for 37 years, where he was CVD and Research Leads for Darlington Primary Care Network and Darlington GP Federation. He joined Oberoi Consulting as Medical Director in September 2023 and also works as an Honorary Consultant Lipidologist/GPSI within the diabetes and endocrinology team at County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust, running a secondary prevention and genetic lipid clinic. He has been a GPSI Cardiology for over 25 years having undertaken a Postgraduate Diploma in Cardiology at Bradford University graduating with distinction. He went on to be a tutor on the course for many years teaching on HF, HVD, AF and IHD. He started the first one stop diagnostic and integrated heart failure clinic in the UK in 2002 with local colleagues. His PhD by research in heart failure diagnosis and management including work on natriuretic peptides generated several publications that have informed guidelines and led to the award of an Honorary Professorial Chair at Durham University. He has contributed to various NICE and ESC CVD and HF guidelines, and RCGP CKD/AKI toolkit. He has held and holds various roles in CVD and research including the being past President, education and research leads of the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society (PCCS) which he was instrumental in reforming, and previous Lipid and Heart Failure primary care lead for North East and North Cumbria Academic Health Science Network. He sits on the NHSE CVD Prevention Clinical Leadership group and NHSE expert advisory group for Heart Failure and Heart Valve disease. He was a founder member of CaReMe UK representing the PCCS. He is currently Vice Chair of the HEART UK Lp(a) Task Force, and advisor to Pumping Marvellous, a Heart Failure patient charity. He has a passion for medical education and remains an active lecturer, tutor and researcher. He is on the editorial boards of the British Journal of Cardiology and Primary Care Cardiovascular Journals and a peer reviewer for most high impact Cardiovascular journals and research bodies. His work in community cardiology has been recognised with Fellowships from the RCGP, RCP London and RCP Edinburgh, ESC and the PCCS. He has led many quality improvement initiatives over the years in HF, AF, Lipids, hypertension, diabetes and CKD. His work on HF was included in their BHF blueprint for HF. Much of this work was carried out using Oberoi digital adit platforms as has been replicated by colleagues across the UK, benefiting patients and practices positively. |
| 13:20-13:35 |
Beyond the statistics: behavioural impacts of risk prediction
Being able to estimate risk of disease more accurately has the potential to improve health outcomes and resource allocation within the healthcare system. Realising these benefits requires an understanding and appreciation of the behavioural impacts of risk, both at the individual level and population level. At an individual, risk perception is not as simple as recalling a number and the processing of risk information is not purely ‘rational’ or ‘objective’. Instead, an individual’s perception of risk is based on a complex integration of cognitive and social biases arising from cultural and personal experiences and theories of disease and risk. At a population level, transparency about how risk is estimated and used, consideration of which risk factors are included and how they are obtained, and clear communication are all essential to ensure public acceptability and reduce potential increases in health inequalities. 
Dr Juliet Usher-SmithUniversity of Cambridge
Dr Juliet Usher-SmithUniversity of Cambridge Dr Juliet Usher-Smith is an Associate Professor in General Practice and Head of the Primary Care Unit in the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Cambridge. Her research focuses on optimising the implementation of risk-stratified medicine to promote prevention and early detection of cancer and cardiovascular disease. This includes the development and validation of risk models, evaluation of the societal, psychological and behavioural aspects associated with their use, and conducting trials of incorporating risk models within clinical pathways. She has a particular interest in risk-stratified bowel cancer screening and risk assessment for breast cancer amongst young women and has led work on understanding and overcoming technical barriers to implementation of risk assessment within primary care. |
| 13:35-13:50 |
From genes to prevention: using genomics to identify those most at risk of obesity
Obesity is a major public health challenge that often begins in childhood and persists into adulthood, underscoring the need for early-life predictors of risk. Genetic variants, fixed at conception, offer a promising avenue for such prediction. Recent advances in polygenic scores (PGSs) have improved the ability to quantify inherited susceptibility to complex traits, including obesity. A newly developed PGS, derived from data on 5 million individuals, explains up to 18% of the variation in BMI and shows strong predictive performance (AUC-ROC > 0.80) for severe obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m²). Children with higher PGSs exhibit accelerated BMI gain from age 2.5 through adolescence, including earlier adiposity rebound. Incorporating the PGS into birth-based predictors nearly doubled explained BMI variance from age 5 onward, and improved prediction of BMI at age 18 when added to early-life BMI. These findings highlight the potential of PGSs to enhance early identification of individuals at elevated obesity risk. 
Professor Ruth LoosUniversity of Copenhagen, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research
Professor Ruth LoosUniversity of Copenhagen, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research Professor Ruth Loos is the Vice Executive Director of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR) at the University of Copenhagen. Ruth has dedicated her career to understanding the genetic causes of obesity, to gain insights into the biology underlying body weight regulation. She is a founding member of the GIANT (Genetic Investigation of ANTropometric traits) consortium, where she has spearheaded numerous large-scale gene-discovery efforts for BMI and obesity. Her interests extend beyond conventional obesity outcomes, focusing on more refined adiposity phenotypes and composite phenotypes to uncover new biological insights that traditional obesity research may have missed. The emergence of new -omics data has led her team to integrate genetic and proteomic information to identify obesity subtypes, predict who is at risk of obesity, and develop tailored prevention and treatment strategies. |
| 13:50-14:00 |
Q&A
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Chair
Professor Dame Sue Hill
Chief Scientific Officer for England and Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics in the NHS
Professor Dame Sue Hill
Chief Scientific Officer for England and Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics in the NHS
Professor Dame Sue Hill DBE FMedSci FRSB FRCP(Hon) FRCPath (Hon) FHCS (Hon) is the Chief Scientific Officer for England and the NHS in England, is the Head of Profession for the scientific workforce and provides scientific leadership and advice for the wider health and care system. A respiratory scientist by background, she has an international academic and clinical research reputation. Dame Sue leads and directs Genomics in the NHS, driving the world-leading programme to introduce a nationwide Genomic Medicine Service working in partnership between the NHS and academia, industry, UK and international governments/initiatives, building on her work in heading up the NHS contribution to the world-leading 100,000 Genomes Project. Sue was made a Dame Commander in 2018 in recognition of the scale of her contribution to British genomics, having previously been awarded an OBE in 2005 in recognition of her services to healthcare science.
| 14:20-14:25 |
Introduction to Session 3
Professor Dame Sue HillChief Scientific Officer for England and Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics in the NHS
Professor Dame Sue HillChief Scientific Officer for England and Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics in the NHS Professor Dame Sue Hill DBE FMedSci FRSB FRCP(Hon) FRCPath (Hon) FHCS (Hon) is the Chief Scientific Officer for England and the NHS in England, is the Head of Profession for the scientific workforce and provides scientific leadership and advice for the wider health and care system. A respiratory scientist by background, she has an international academic and clinical research reputation. Dame Sue leads and directs Genomics in the NHS, driving the world-leading programme to introduce a nationwide Genomic Medicine Service working in partnership between the NHS and academia, industry, UK and international governments/initiatives, building on her work in heading up the NHS contribution to the world-leading 100,000 Genomes Project. Sue was made a Dame Commander in 2018 in recognition of the scale of her contribution to British genomics, having previously been awarded an OBE in 2005 in recognition of her services to healthcare science. |
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| 14:25-14:40 |
Developing a strategic approach to population-based discovery science
For the quantification of the combined effects of lifestyle, environment, genotype and other exposures on health outcomes, prospective observational studies with stored biological samples have a number of advantages. In particular, risk exposures can be assessed prior to disease development, which helps avoid reverse causality. However, since only a minority of participants will develop any particular disease, they typically need to involve hundreds of thousands of individuals followed for many years in order to provide reliable estimates of the associations of risk factors with disease. Establishing some large, accessible, prospective studies in settings with different risk factor levels (in order to extend the range of exposures studied) and different disease incidence rates (in order to extend the range of diseases that can be studied) would be a cost-effective way of providing widely generalizable evidence about the relevance of the full range of human exposures to many different health conditions. 
Professor Sir Rory Collins FRSUK Biobank
Professor Sir Rory Collins FRSUK Biobank Rory Collins is an epidemiologist who studies prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. He is the founding Head of Oxford University’s Nuffield Department of Population Health. During the past 40 years, he has conducted large randomised trials which have demonstrated that clot-dissolving and clot-preventing treatments during a heart attack more than halve mortality, and that lowering LDL-cholesterol with statins safely reduces cardiovascular death and disability. He has led UK Biobank since 2005. Involving 500,000 participants, it is the largest deeply-characterized prospective study globally, available for health research. About 20,000 researchers worldwide actively use it, generating ~5000 papers in 2024 alone. |
| 14:40-14:55 |
Our Future Health: The world’s largest consented cohort and resource for population health, genomics and prevention research
Our Future Health – established specifically to provide the evidence base for new approaches to prediction, early detection, early intervention and prevention of common chronic disease – is the largest longitudinal health research cohort and clinical trials resource in the world with over 2.5 million consented participants with linked primary and secondary care health data, and over 1.5 million with genomic data and biobanked samples. The cohort is also the most diverse ever recruited with over 1 million participants from historically under-represented groups (ethnic minorities, younger adults, more deprived populations and coastal/rural populations from all four home nations) thereby ensuring our research will benefit all parts of the population and help to reduce health inequalities. In 2026, Our Future Health will launch the world’s largest population-scale precision trials platform – accelerating recruitment, broadening participation, and enabling the next generation of diagnostics, therapeutics, and prevention strategies to be tested in real‑world populations. 
Professor Raghib AliOur Future Health
Professor Raghib AliOur Future Health Professor Raghib Ali is the CEO, Chief Investigator and Chief Medical Officer of Our Future Health, the largest health research programme of its kind in the world with over 2.5 million participants. He is also a Clinical Epidemiologist at the University of Cambridge; Research Professor at New York University Abu Dhabi and an Honorary Consultant with the Office for Health Disparities and Improvement. He graduated from Cambridge University and has been awarded postgraduate degrees in Epidemiology and Public Health from the Universities of London, Cambridge and Oxford and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. His main research interests are in health inequalities and specifically in improving understanding of the causes of non-communicable diseases in neglected populations – in the UK, India and the Middle East. He has been involved in population health research since 2004 nationally and globally, working firstly on UK Biobank, then leading studies of cancer incidence by ethnic group in England and India from 2005 to 2013 and established the UAE Healthy Future Study in 2014 which focuses on understanding the causes of common chronic diseases including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. He was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthdays Honours 2022 for services to the NHS and the Covid-19 response and elected as an Honorary Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health, ‘the highest accolade the Faculty can bestow and is awarded to those who have given exceptional service to the science, literature or practice of public health’ in April 2023. |
| 14:55-15:10 |
Genomics England: Linking clinical care and research to support better prediction, prevention and early diagnosis
Genomics England’s mission is to provide the evidence and digital systems so that by 2035 genomics could play a role in up to half of all healthcare interactions, and to secure the UK’s position as a leading place to discover, prove and benefit from genomic innovations. We do this by working in close partnership with the NHS, experts in industry and academia, the public and research participants: providing data services to support national scale use of genomics in clinical care; providing researchers with access to data from individuals who provide consent as part of routine care or our research cohorts; and we run targeted research studies to develop evidence on potential future uses of genomics for health benefit such as through the Generation Study exploring newborn genomic screening and our upcoming Adult Population Genomics Programme that will include a major focus on pharmacogenomics. 
Dr Richard ScottGenomics England
Dr Richard ScottGenomics England Dr Richard Scott is Chief Executive Officer at Genomics England and before this was Chief Medical Officer and Deputy CEO. He joined the organisation in 2015. He is also a Consultant and Honorary Associate Professor in Clinical Genetics at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and the UCL Institute of Child Health where his practice focuses on diagnosing children with rare multisystem disorders. Richard trained in medicine at Cambridge University and University College London. He specialised in Paediatrics and subsequently Clinical Genetics in London and completed his PhD on childhood cancer syndromes at the Institute of Cancer Research. Through his clinical practice and in his role at Genomics England he is passionate about harnessing the power of new genomic technologies for the benefit of all patients in mainstream healthcare. |
| 15:10-15:25 |
Creating a genomics-ready health system through the Singapore National Precision Medicine Program
The Singapore National Precision Medicine Program is a 10-year program that aims to incorporate genomic data alongside other data about our patients in a way that allows them to optimize their health and wellbeing. In the first 2 phases of the program, the focus was on building capacity for genetic testing in Singapore, and to develop an understanding of how genetics contributes to chronic diseases in population cohorts. In the next phase of the program, the goal is to transform the healthcare system to one that is ready for leverage on the advances in genomic technologies at a population level. Some key elements of the strategy include: 1) aggregation of demand and building capacity for whole genome sequencing at a cost so that it is no longer a rate limiting step for access to genetic testing; 2) building the digital infrastructure that would allow for storage of whole genome sequence data and appropriate analysis and return to the health system, providers and patients; and 3) developing as many validated use cases for using genetic data across the life course of an individual. All this is carried out with careful consideration of the need for policy, governance and/or legislation that will allow the use of the data in a way that is aligned with societal values and protects the individuals against discrimination while ensuring equitable access. 
Professor E Shyong TaiPrecision Health Research Singapore and National University of Singapore
Professor E Shyong TaiPrecision Health Research Singapore and National University of Singapore Prof Tai trained as a physician at the University of Dundee before returning to Singapore to train as an endocrinologist. He has a special interest in the treatment and management of lipid disorders and diabetes mellitus. He served as the head of the division of endocrinology at the National University Hospital from 2009 to 2015. He has served on committees that formulated clinical practise guidelines for lipids and diabetes mellitus. He has a long track record of studying the epidemiology of dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes which includes the determinants (including genetic factors) and the consequences of these disorders. As Chief Medical Officer of Precision Health Research, Singapore, he oversees activities that could lead to the adoption of genomics into mainstream healthcare in Singapore. |
| 15:25-15:40 |
Q&A
|
Chair
Dr Tony Wood FRS
GSK
Dr Tony Wood FRS
GSK
Tony Wood was appointed Chief Scientific Officer designate on 19 January 2022 and became Chief Scientific Officer, with full accountability for GSK R&D, with effect from 1 August 2022.
Tony is a highly respected scientist and one of the world’s pre-eminent medicinal chemists, with more than 30 years of experience working across diverse disciplines of R&D to deliver innovative medicines. He joined GSK from Pfizer in 2017 as Senior Vice President, Medicinal Science and Technology, responsible for all science and technology platforms supporting the delivery of new medicines.
He has led large-scale global organisations in drug discovery and development in multiple therapeutic areas, including immunology, oncology and infectious diseases. Tony has been integral to delivering the recent improvements in GSK’s R&D productivity and central to developing its R&D approach focusing on science of the immune system, human genetics and advanced technologies. He built GSK’s functional genomics and AI/ML organisations from the ground up, and was the architect of collaborations with UK biotech Adrestia, Oxford University, and the Laboratory for Genomics Research with Jennifer Doudna.
Tony invented an HIV antiviral medicine for which he won several international awards including the PhRMA Discoverers Award, the Prix Galien USA, the ACS Heroes of Chemistry Award, and the UCB Ehrlich Award from the European Federation of Medicinal Chemistry.
Tony has lived and worked in both the UK and the US. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, from whom he has also received an Honorary Fellowship, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology. Tony was closely involved with the UK Government’s COVID-19 planning, notably establishing the GSK/AstraZeneca/Cambridge University testing facility at the University’s Anne McLaren Laboratory.
Tony has a BSc in chemistry and PhD in organic synthesis from the University of Newcastle, and was a postdoctoral fellow at Imperial College, London.
| 16:00-17:10 |
Panel discussion
Baroness Nicola BlackwoodHouse of Lords
Baroness Nicola BlackwoodHouse of Lords Baroness Nicola Blackwood is a recognised leader in life sciences and innovation. She is Chair of Oxford University Innovation, Genomics England, and the inaugural Chair of the Health Data Research Service. Nicola holds positions on the Boards of the biotechnology company BioNTech and the investment fund RTW Biotech Opportunities. She is also a member of the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus Expert Advisory Group and the Oxford Harrington Rare Disease Centre Advisory Council. A member of the House of Lords, Nicola previously served as a Minister in the Department for Health and Social Care under two Prime Ministers. As Minister for Innovation, she led on Life Sciences, NHS Data and Digital Transformation, and Global Health Security. Nicola was the first female Member of Parliament for Oxford, and the first female Chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee. Nicola remains one of the youngest committee chairs in British parliamentary history. 
Rosalind CampionAcademy of Medical Sciences
Rosalind CampionAcademy of Medical Sciences Rosalind joined the Academy of Medical Sciences in October 2025. Prior to that she led the Government’s Office for Life Sciences for four years, bringing together the Government, the NHS, academia and industry to drive improved patient outcomes and economic growth through life sciences. She led the development of the recently published Life Sciences Sector Plan which sets out a bold ambition for the UK to become the third most important life sciences economy in the world by 2035. In her role at OLS she has worked with the Academy of Medical Sciences’ Fellows and partners across the health system; she has been at the heart of driving forward the UK’s most critical initiatives to improve biomedical and health research. Rosalind began her career as a solicitor working in the City before moving into Government, where she held senior leadership roles on social and economic policy issues, from setting up and running the Sentencing Council, to key roles in the Cabinet Office, the Home Office and in the Department of International Trade. She spent more than six years working as a senior diplomat working on economic issues in Washington DC and Tokyo, including leading the UK’s science and tech teams in both countries. 
Sir Jonathan SymondsGSK
Sir Jonathan SymondsGSK Jon was appointed to the Board of GSK as Chair on 1 September 2019. Jon has extensive international financial, life sciences and governance experience. He served as an Independent Non-Executive Director of HSBC Holdings plc from April 2014 and as Chairman of the Group Audit Committee from 1 September 2014 and Deputy Group Chairman from August 2018, until his retirement from the Board in February 2020. Jon was previously Chairman of HSBC Bank plc, Chief Financial Officer of Novartis AG, Partner and Managing Director of Goldman Sachs, Chief Financial Officer of AstraZeneca plc, and a Partner at KPMG. Jon is also a Member of the European Round Table for Industry and a Senior Advisor to Chatham House. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. 
Lawrence TallonMedicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
Lawrence TallonMedicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Lawrence Tallon is the Chief Executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). He was previously Deputy Chief Executive at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, where he led the Trust’s approach to strategy, technology, innovation and improvement. He has extensive experience across the healthcare sector in strategy and leadership roles, including within the Department of Health and Social Care alongside ministers and NHS leaders. |
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| 17:10-17:15 |
Closing remarks
Dr Tony Wood FRSGSK
Dr Tony Wood FRSGSK Tony Wood was appointed Chief Scientific Officer designate on 19 January 2022 and became Chief Scientific Officer, with full accountability for GSK R&D, with effect from 1 August 2022. Tony is a highly respected scientist and one of the world’s pre-eminent medicinal chemists, with more than 30 years of experience working across diverse disciplines of R&D to deliver innovative medicines. He joined GSK from Pfizer in 2017 as Senior Vice President, Medicinal Science and Technology, responsible for all science and technology platforms supporting the delivery of new medicines. He has led large-scale global organisations in drug discovery and development in multiple therapeutic areas, including immunology, oncology and infectious diseases. Tony has been integral to delivering the recent improvements in GSK’s R&D productivity and central to developing its R&D approach focusing on science of the immune system, human genetics and advanced technologies. He built GSK’s functional genomics and AI/ML organisations from the ground up, and was the architect of collaborations with UK biotech Adrestia, Oxford University, and the Laboratory for Genomics Research with Jennifer Doudna. Tony invented an HIV antiviral medicine for which he won several international awards including the PhRMA Discoverers Award, the Prix Galien USA, the ACS Heroes of Chemistry Award, and the UCB Ehrlich Award from the European Federation of Medicinal Chemistry. Tony has lived and worked in both the UK and the US. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, from whom he has also received an Honorary Fellowship, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology. Tony was closely involved with the UK Government’s COVID-19 planning, notably establishing the GSK/AstraZeneca/Cambridge University testing facility at the University’s Anne McLaren Laboratory. Tony has a BSc in chemistry and PhD in organic synthesis from the University of Newcastle, and was a postdoctoral fellow at Imperial College, London. |
| 09:30-09:35 |
Sir David BaulcombeCambridge University
Sir David BaulcombeCambridge University David Baulcombe is a plant molecular biologist with an interest in disease resistance. He and his group discovered small RNA and various protein components of an RNA silencing system that protects plants against viruses and affects patterns of plant gene expression. David’s work has been recognised by awards including the Gruber Genetics Prize (2014), the Balzan Prize (2012) (for epigenetics), the Wolf Prize for Agriculture (2010) the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research (2008) and a Royal Medal (2006) of the Royal Society. He is an International Member of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) (elected 2005) and was made a Knight Bachelor in 2009. Since 2007 he is Professor of Botany (Regius since 2012) (now Emeritus) in Cambridge, was a Royal Society Research Professor (2007–2022), and from 2024 until 2029 he is Biological Secretary of the Royal Society. |
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Chair
Dr Edward Piper
AstraZeneca
Dr Edward Piper
AstraZeneca
Dr Ed Piper is Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs at AstraZeneca. He trained in Medicine at United Medical and Dental Schools of Guys and St Thomas’, University of London. In 2001 he moved from clinical practice into the pharmaceutical industry and has worked for Aventis, Takeda and AstraZeneca.
He has worked across all stages of drug development (phase I-IV) with a particular interest in innovative medicines for respiratory and cardiometabolic disease. At AstraZeneca he has led global development projects for biologics targeting severe respiratory disease and inhaled combination treatments for broader use. Throughout his Industry career he has been involved in design and delivery of commercial clinical trials and supports a wide range of initiatives to ensure a thriving UK trials ecosystem.
He is currently responsible for AstraZeneca medical strategy in UK across cardio-renal, respiratory, immunology and vaccines therapy areas and leads a multidisciplinary team including medical affairs, real world evidence, regulatory affairs, and population health. He is an enthusiastic advocate for effective collaboration between NHS, academia, and the pharmaceutical industry to improve patient outcomes and reduce heath inequalities.
| 09:35-09:40 |
Introduction to Session 4
Dr Edward PiperAstraZeneca
Dr Edward PiperAstraZeneca Dr Ed Piper is Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs at AstraZeneca. He trained in Medicine at United Medical and Dental Schools of Guys and St Thomas’, University of London. In 2001 he moved from clinical practice into the pharmaceutical industry and has worked for Aventis, Takeda and AstraZeneca. He has worked across all stages of drug development (phase I-IV) with a particular interest in innovative medicines for respiratory and cardiometabolic disease. At AstraZeneca he has led global development projects for biologics targeting severe respiratory disease and inhaled combination treatments for broader use. Throughout his Industry career he has been involved in design and delivery of commercial clinical trials and supports a wide range of initiatives to ensure a thriving UK trials ecosystem. He is currently responsible for AstraZeneca medical strategy in UK across cardio-renal, respiratory, immunology and vaccines therapy areas and leads a multidisciplinary team including medical affairs, real world evidence, regulatory affairs, and population health. He is an enthusiastic advocate for effective collaboration between NHS, academia, and the pharmaceutical industry to improve patient outcomes and reduce heath inequalities. |
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| 09:40-09:55 |
Concept to implementation of an early diagnostic: lessons from the oesophagus
Society and individuals are seeking a more pro-active approach to diagnosing cancer earlier, at a stage when it can be treated more effectively and with fewer side effects. In this paradigm rather than a re‑active symptom-based approach, individuals are invited to undergo tests to find cancer and treat it earlier, including before symptoms are apparent. This requires a deep understanding of who is at risk and the test characteristics in the intended to screen population – usually this involves largescale trials with a long lead time. Aside from the test one needs to consider the health economics and downstream clinical pathways as well as the accessibility and acceptability of the test. In this talk I will describe the work we have done to develop a targeted approach to earlier diagnosis for cancer of the oesophagus, where we are up to on the journey from concept to implementation and how our learnings can be applied to transforming our future for earlier detection of cancer. 
Professor Rebecca Fitzgerald FRSUniversity of Cambridge
Professor Rebecca Fitzgerald FRSUniversity of Cambridge Rebecca Fitzgerald OBE FMedSci HonFREng FRCP EMBO FRS is Professor of Cancer Prevention and Founding Director of the Early Cancer Institute and Head of University Dept of Oncology at the University of Cambridge and practices medicine as Hon. Consultant in Gastroenterology and Cancer Medicine at Addenbrooke's Hospital. After training in Cambridge, Stanford and London she moved to Cambridge to focus on research to understand how tissues become cancerous and whether identifying pre-cancer at scale can reduce cancer morbidity and mortality, focussing on the upper GI tract. Interdisciplinary research is key to her approach, especially with bioengineering and public health, which forms the philosophy underpinning the Early Cancer Institute. Her work to develop and implement a non-endoscopic capsule sponge and related biomarker assays for detection of Barrett's oesophagus and associated dysplasia has gone from inception to clinical implementation through her start-up Cyted Health. Rebecca has contributed to evidence reviews and policy work around screening including for the Department of Health in the UK and led a review of cancer screening for the European Commission that led to new screening policy for EU member states. She been awarded several prizes including the Westminster Medal, an NHS Innovation prize, and the Don Listwin Early Detection Prize. In 2022 Rebecca was awarded an OBE for services to cancer research. |
| 09:55-10:10 |
Targeted screening for prostate cancer using germline genetics
There is evidence for genetic predisposition to prostate cancer (PrCa) from twin and other epidemiological studies. Germline genetic variation is composed of rarer genetic variants, many of which are in DNA repair genes in about 7–13% of cases. The largest component of genetic predisposition is due to common variants, most of which are in non-coding regions. The latest common variant genomic profile comprises 451 single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] and informs on risk applicable to individuals of diverse ancestries. We have shown in international targeted screening studies (IMPACT) that annual PSA in those who harbour germline pathogenic variants in the BRCA1/2 genes have a higher incidence of clinically significant disease. In the BARCODE1 study in the UK, polygenic risk scores in men of European origin in the top 10% of the risk distribution from common variants have a higher PrCa incidence and higher incidence of clinically significant cases that need radical treatment than is found in population-based PSA screening studies. These data show that germline genetics can be used to identify individuals at increased PrCa risk that is clinically significant and would therefore be useful for targeted screening programmes. 
Professor Ros EelesThe Institute of Cancer Research / The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
Professor Ros EelesThe Institute of Cancer Research / The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust Professor of Oncogenetics, The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and Honorary Consultant in Clinical Oncology and Oncogenetics, The Royal Marsden Hospital (RMH). Professor Eeles is both a clinician and scientist and has been instrumental in ensuring new discoveries in cancer genetics immediately benefit patients, particularly in her speciality areas of genetic predisposition to prostate cancer from rare and common constitutional genomic variation. She trained at the University of Cambridge and St Thomas’ Hospital Medical School, has a PhD in cancer genetics and is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London and the Royal College of Radiologists (Clinical Oncology Faculty). She is also the Genomics Champion for The Royal College of Radiologists (Clinical Oncology Faculty). She leads the largest prostate cancer genetic study in the UK, set up an international consortium that involves over 100 research groups worldwide, and is leading multiple clinical trials and screening studies. She also started the flagship, Prostate Risk clinic at the RMH to evaluate the increasing role of genetic testing in men with and at risk of prostate cancer. She has sat on many genetics advisory committees, both national and international. She is author on over 500 papers and her book which she led as lead editor ‘Cancer Prevention and Screening’ won the BMA Chairman’s Book of the Year Award in 2019. |
| 10:10-10:25 |
Personalising breast screening
The UK breast screening programme currently offers mammography every three years to women between 50–70 years assessed by two human readers. Women with a very strong family history (<2% of the population) are offered annual MRI with mammography and those women at intermediate risk have annual mammography from age 40 years. Using risk questionnaires about family history, hormone usage and lifestyle together with genetic information and single nucleotide polymorphisms and breast density we can stratify women into lower or higher than average risk. More appropriate imaging tools can be used to detect more cancers in dense breasts. AI tools are now available for detection of cancers and short term prediction of those women who are more likely to develop a breast cancer in the next three years. Cost‑effectiveness models suggest introducing abbreviated MRI would come within the UK funding threshold. This talk will focus on the evidence and what needs to change in breast screening. 
Professor Fiona GilbertUniversity of Cambridge
Professor Fiona GilbertUniversity of Cambridge Professor Gilbert, Department of Radiology, University of Cambridge undertakes clinical work in breast cancer and oncology and evaluating new imaging technology assessing impact on patient care. She leads multicentre trials across the UK and collaborates internationally. She has evaluated various imaging techniques including digital breast tomosynthesis, MRI, Whole Breast Ultrasound and Contrast Enhanced Mammography and Artificial Intelligence. She uses multimodal functional imaging with MRI and PET to better understand cancer growth and novel treatments. Since 2012 Professor Gilbert has been awarded fifteen competitive grants worth over £20M. Previously she was Chair of the research committee of the Royal College of Radiologists, Chair British Society of Breast Radiology, President of the European Society of Breast Imaging, Head of department of Radiology in University of Cambridge and prior to that University of Aberdeen, member of several NHS committees and advisory panels. She is lead advisor in AI for the Royal College of Radiologists. She is a Board member of an investment company. Professor Gilbert has over 300 peer reviewed publications, 6 book chapters and numerous conference abstracts. She is a regular speaker at international Radiology conferences in Chicago and Vienna and was awarded Honorary membership of Radiological Society of North America, Honorary fellowship of the American College of Radiologists, the Gold Medal from the European Society of Radiology, Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences. |
| 10:25-10:40 |
Genomics-driven targeting of metastasis and therapy resistance
Metastasis remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, irrespective of the primary tumour origin. However, the core gene regulatory program governing distinct stages of metastasis across cancers remains poorly understood. We investigate this through single-cell transcriptome analysis encompassing over 200 patients with metastatic and non-metastatic tumours across six cancer types. Our analysis revealed a prognostic core gene signature that provides insights into the intricate cellular dynamics and gene regulatory networks driving metastasis progression at the pan-cancer and single-cell level. Notably, the dissection of transcription factor networks active across different stages of metastasis, combined with functional perturbation, identified SP1 and KLF5 as key regulators, acting as drivers and suppressors of metastasis, respectively, at critical steps of this transition across multiple cancer types. Through in vivo and in vitro loss of function of SP1 in cancer cells, we revealed its role in driving cancer cell survival, invasive growth, and metastatic colonisation. Furthermore, tumour cells and the microenvironment increasingly engage in communication through WNT signalling as metastasis progresses, driven by SP1. Further validating these observations, a drug repurposing analysis identified distinct FDA‑approved drugs with anti-metastasis properties, including inhibitors of WNT signalling across various cancers. We employed similar approaches to successfully target chemoresistance across various cancers. 
Professor Vijay TiwariInstitute of Molecular Medicine, SDU, Odense, Denmark
Professor Vijay TiwariInstitute of Molecular Medicine, SDU, Odense, Denmark Prof. Vijay Tiwari is Professor and Head of Research at the Institute of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, SDU, Denmark as well as a Senior Consultant at the Department of Clinical Genetics, Odense University Hospital and Chair at the Danish Institute of Advanced Studies (DIAS). His team employs a highly multidisciplinary approach combining cutting-edge genomics, epigenetics and molecular biology tools together with computational biology tools in defined model to understand cancer progression and disorders of the brain and develop avenues for precision medicine. In pursuit of the best academic opportunities, his education, training and independent research have spanned seven countries in the last three decades (Denmark, UK, Germany, Switzerland, USA, Sweden and India). As an internationally recognized scientist, his research excellence is reflected by his research achievements, internationally impactful publications, several recognized awards, acquisition of third-party funds and an invitation to various internationally reputed meetings as a speaker. His research has been published in high-impact journals including publications in leading journals like Nature, Nature Genetics, Nature Cell Biology, Cell Stem Cell, Cancer Cell, Science Discovery, Genes & Development, Genome Research, EMBO Journal, Nature Communications, PNAS etc. His work has also been recognized by a large number of national and international awards and recognitions including the DNRF Chair Award (2023), Faculty Member of the Year Award (2022), Executive Board Membership to Wellcome-Turing program in Health Data Science (2020), induction as a BBSRC pool of expert (2019), Innovative Ideas Award (2018), Wilhelm Sander-Stiftung Award for outstanding contributions in biomedical research (2015), Faculty Member of the Year Award (2014), Bruno Speck Award for outstanding work in the field of stem cell research (2013) and EU Young Investigator's RISE1 Award (Research Integrating Systems Biology, Epigenetics) (2012). |
| 10:40-10:50 |
Q&A
|
Chair
Dr Edward Piper
AstraZeneca
Dr Edward Piper
AstraZeneca
Dr Ed Piper is Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs at AstraZeneca. He trained in Medicine at United Medical and Dental Schools of Guys and St Thomas’, University of London. In 2001 he moved from clinical practice into the pharmaceutical industry and has worked for Aventis, Takeda and AstraZeneca.
He has worked across all stages of drug development (phase I-IV) with a particular interest in innovative medicines for respiratory and cardiometabolic disease. At AstraZeneca he has led global development projects for biologics targeting severe respiratory disease and inhaled combination treatments for broader use. Throughout his Industry career he has been involved in design and delivery of commercial clinical trials and supports a wide range of initiatives to ensure a thriving UK trials ecosystem.
He is currently responsible for AstraZeneca medical strategy in UK across cardio-renal, respiratory, immunology and vaccines therapy areas and leads a multidisciplinary team including medical affairs, real world evidence, regulatory affairs, and population health. He is an enthusiastic advocate for effective collaboration between NHS, academia, and the pharmaceutical industry to improve patient outcomes and reduce heath inequalities.
| 11:20-11:25 |
Introduction to Session 5
Dr Edward PiperAstraZeneca
Dr Edward PiperAstraZeneca Dr Ed Piper is Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs at AstraZeneca. He trained in Medicine at United Medical and Dental Schools of Guys and St Thomas’, University of London. In 2001 he moved from clinical practice into the pharmaceutical industry and has worked for Aventis, Takeda and AstraZeneca. He has worked across all stages of drug development (phase I-IV) with a particular interest in innovative medicines for respiratory and cardiometabolic disease. At AstraZeneca he has led global development projects for biologics targeting severe respiratory disease and inhaled combination treatments for broader use. Throughout his Industry career he has been involved in design and delivery of commercial clinical trials and supports a wide range of initiatives to ensure a thriving UK trials ecosystem. He is currently responsible for AstraZeneca medical strategy in UK across cardio-renal, respiratory, immunology and vaccines therapy areas and leads a multidisciplinary team including medical affairs, real world evidence, regulatory affairs, and population health. He is an enthusiastic advocate for effective collaboration between NHS, academia, and the pharmaceutical industry to improve patient outcomes and reduce heath inequalities. |
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| 11:25-11:40 |
Re-imagining viral diagnostics using microscopy and machine learning
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted significant gaps in current viral diagnostics: laboratory-based molecular tests are highly sensitive but slow and resource-intensive, while home and point-of-care assays offer speed at the cost of accuracy and adaptability. This talk introduces a novel machine-learning-based diagnostic approach that bridges this divide by enabling the rapid and accurate diagnosis of a wide range of viral targets without laboratory infrastructure. The platform is broadly applicable to both known and newly emerging viral pathogens and delivers results in as little as one minute, opening new possibilities for home and point-of-care testing and improved pandemic preparedness. 
Dr Nicole RobbUniversity of Warwick
Dr Nicole RobbUniversity of Warwick Nicole Robb is an Associate Professor at the Warwick Medical School and a visiting lecturer at the University of Oxford. She completed a BSc in Microbiology at Imperial College London before doing a DPhil at the University of Oxford, where she specialised in the field of influenza virology. Following a post-doc in Physics at the University of Oxford she was awarded a Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship to set up her independent research group in the Warwick Medical School. Her current research interests include using biophysical techniques for rapid pathogen detection and the application of machine learning algorithms for image analysis. During the Covid-19 pandemic she was seconded to the UKHSA as a subject matter expert on diagnostics. She holds several patents on viral diagnostic technology and is co-founder of a spinout company from the University of Oxford that is working on rapid viral testing. She is also PhD Course Director of the University of Warwick’s Institute for Global Pandemic Planning (IGPP), an interdisciplinary initiative formed to research solutions to mitigate the effects of pandemics and is part of the CONTAIN project, advising on the virology underpinning zoonosis and disease transmission risks. |
| 11:40-11:55 |
Early diagnosis for cardiovascular risk — extracting more value from CT imaging
Diagnosis of coronary artery disease and other important cardiovascular conditions is increasingly based on CT scans, including CT coronary angiograms (CTCA), to detect the development of plaque in the coronary arteries that may progress to cause narrowing or blockage – the cause of heart attack or death. However, most heart attacks and deaths in the ten years after a CCTA occur in those without significantly narrowed or blocked coronary artery. This is because biological disease activity is not visible on routine scans, and plaque or narrows are a late consequence of the disease. Changes in the fat tissue around the coronary artery mirrors inflammation in the artery wall, and can be quantified from routine CCTA scan datasets using AI. This clinical biomarker of coronary artery inflammation predicts heart attack and death, even in people with minimal or no plaque. This technology is now being evaluated in NHS hospitals and as a tool for guiding clinical trials of new drugs to target coronary inflammation. Generation of bespoke molecular biomarkers from tissue, combined with radiomic analysis of imaging scans, linked with clinical outcomes, is a powerful new approach to clinical drug development, risk prediction and optimal targeting of treatments. 
Professor Keith ChannonUniversity of Oxford
Professor Keith ChannonUniversity of Oxford Professor Channon is the Field Marshal Earl Alexander Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Head of Radcliffe Department of Medicine at the University of Oxford. He is an Honorary Consultant Cardiologist at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. He is Director of the Oxford Academic Health Partners (OAHP) and Chairs the NIHR-BHF Cardiovascular Partnership across the major UK centers. His research group investigates the biology of cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis, particularly using genetic models, and links these with clinical and translational research in coronary artery disease, through his leadership of the Oxford Acute Myocardial Infarction (OxAMI) Study. Professor Channon served as Director of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) during 2008–2018, was Deputy Head of Medical Sciences Division (Research), University of Oxford, from 2016–2021 and Director of R&D at Oxford University Hospitals from 2013–2021. He is a past Chairman of the British Atherosclerosis Society, an NIHR Emeritus Senior Investigator, and a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. He plays active roles on grant funding and other committees at the MRC, British Heart Foundation, Wellcome Trust and the British Cardiac Society. |
| 11:55-12:10 |
The need for early, precise diagnosis for dementia and related neurodegenerative conditions
Dementia and related neurodegenerative conditions represent a significant, and growing, health and economic burden worldwide. Treatments are starting to emerge but there is an urgent need for minimally-invasive, cost-effective, scalable and globally-relevant biomarkers and tools in order to facilitate trials that target the right individuals with the right interventions at the right time. Most neurodegenerative conditions have a preclinical phase stretching over years and decades, representing a window of opportunity to intervene. The emergence of multimodal brain health “measures” integrating genetics (polygenic risk score), digital (eg sleep sensors) and blood biomarkers will begin to address disease heterogeneity and allow more targeted stratified trials - inclusion and monitoring/outcomes. Early, precise diagnosis will transform the outcomes of millions living with or at risk of dementia and associated neurodegenerative conditions worldwide. 
Professor Siddharthan ChandranUK Dementia Research Institute
Professor Siddharthan ChandranUK Dementia Research Institute Siddharthan Chandran is Director of the UK MRC Dementia Research Institute. He graduated from Southampton Medical School, trained in neurology at Queens Square, UCL and Cambridge where he also undertook a PhD in developmental neurobiology. He holds the MacDonald Chair of Neurology, at the University of Edinburgh, is Professor of Neurology at University College London, and Visiting Faculty at the Centre for Brain Research, Indian Institute of Science, India. He is best known for his work in motor neuron disease (MND) and multiple sclerosis (MS). His work encompasses the use of human induced pluripotent stem cells to identify cellular phenotypes of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) as well as pioneering innovation in multi-arm, multi-stage platform trials for NDDs. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Academy of Medical Sciences. |
| 12:10-12:25 |
Innovative approaches to early diagnosis of long-term conditions
Early detection of long-term conditions enables prompt, guideline-based treatment, improving outcomes for both individuals and the wider population. Artificial intelligence (AI) provides multiple novel opportunities to support clinicians with diagnosis from image interpretation to pattern recognition in medical records. AstraZeneca seeks to support transformation of healthcare through the application of innovative approaches to diagnosis; two differentiated approaches will be described. In the first, community-based diagnosis of breathlessness in partnership with Everton in the Community tested the hypothesis that incident cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure (HF) could be identified using novel screening technology. The second approach explored AI-enabled early diagnosis of ATTR amyloidosis, a rare cause of heart failure that typically presents late and with a poor prognosis.
Dr Edward PiperAstraZeneca
Dr Edward PiperAstraZeneca Dr Ed Piper is Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs at AstraZeneca. He trained in Medicine at United Medical and Dental Schools of Guys and St Thomas’, University of London. In 2001 he moved from clinical practice into the pharmaceutical industry and has worked for Aventis, Takeda and AstraZeneca. He has worked across all stages of drug development (phase I-IV) with a particular interest in innovative medicines for respiratory and cardiometabolic disease. At AstraZeneca he has led global development projects for biologics targeting severe respiratory disease and inhaled combination treatments for broader use. Throughout his Industry career he has been involved in design and delivery of commercial clinical trials and supports a wide range of initiatives to ensure a thriving UK trials ecosystem. He is currently responsible for AstraZeneca medical strategy in UK across cardio-renal, respiratory, immunology and vaccines therapy areas and leads a multidisciplinary team including medical affairs, real world evidence, regulatory affairs, and population health. He is an enthusiastic advocate for effective collaboration between NHS, academia, and the pharmaceutical industry to improve patient outcomes and reduce heath inequalities. |
| 12:25-12:35 |
Q&A
|
Chair
Professor Dame Sue Hill
Chief Scientific Officer for England and Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics in the NHS
Professor Dame Sue Hill
Chief Scientific Officer for England and Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics in the NHS
Professor Dame Sue Hill DBE FMedSci FRSB FRCP(Hon) FRCPath (Hon) FHCS (Hon) is the Chief Scientific Officer for England and the NHS in England, is the Head of Profession for the scientific workforce and provides scientific leadership and advice for the wider health and care system. A respiratory scientist by background, she has an international academic and clinical research reputation. Dame Sue leads and directs Genomics in the NHS, driving the world-leading programme to introduce a nationwide Genomic Medicine Service working in partnership between the NHS and academia, industry, UK and international governments/initiatives, building on her work in heading up the NHS contribution to the world-leading 100,000 Genomes Project. Sue was made a Dame Commander in 2018 in recognition of the scale of her contribution to British genomics, having previously been awarded an OBE in 2005 in recognition of her services to healthcare science.
| 13:30-13:35 |
Introduction to Session 6
Professor Dame Sue HillChief Scientific Officer for England and Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics in the NHS
Professor Dame Sue HillChief Scientific Officer for England and Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics in the NHS Professor Dame Sue Hill DBE FMedSci FRSB FRCP(Hon) FRCPath (Hon) FHCS (Hon) is the Chief Scientific Officer for England and the NHS in England, is the Head of Profession for the scientific workforce and provides scientific leadership and advice for the wider health and care system. A respiratory scientist by background, she has an international academic and clinical research reputation. Dame Sue leads and directs Genomics in the NHS, driving the world-leading programme to introduce a nationwide Genomic Medicine Service working in partnership between the NHS and academia, industry, UK and international governments/initiatives, building on her work in heading up the NHS contribution to the world-leading 100,000 Genomes Project. Sue was made a Dame Commander in 2018 in recognition of the scale of her contribution to British genomics, having previously been awarded an OBE in 2005 in recognition of her services to healthcare science. |
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| 13:35-13:50 |
Rare disease as a proof of concept for innovation in healthcare
Rare diseases present some of the most complex challenges in healthcare, yet they also offer a powerful proving ground for innovation. This talk explores how rare disease research can act as a proof of concept for new scientific, clinical, regulatory, and delivery models, demonstrating what is possible when urgency, collaboration, and patient‑centric design are aligned. By examining rare disease as a catalyst rather than a niche, the session highlights how innovations developed at the margins can be scaled to transform healthcare systems more broadly. 
Dr Harriet HolmeExec Chair PCD Research, Drug Development Clinician Weatherden
Dr Harriet HolmeExec Chair PCD Research, Drug Development Clinician Weatherden Dr Harriet Holme is a senior life sciences leader with over 20 years of experience spanning the NHS, academia, early-stage drug development, rare disease innovation, and system-level policy. She brings a unique cross-sector perspective that bridges clinical practice, translational science, and strategy, enabling her to identify unmet needs and deliver patient-first innovations that scale. A former NIHR Clinician Scientist specialising in paediatric oncology, Harriet completed her PhD at the ICR/UCL, where her research focused on synthetic lethal approaches in osteosarcoma. Her scientific grounding underpins a career dedicated to translating complex science into meaningful impact for patients. For the past four years, Harriet has worked in early-phase drug development at Weatherden, serving as a fractional CMO to biotech clients. She brings clinical credibility and deep translational expertise to cross-functional teams, guiding strategy and execution. As the Founder and Executive Chair of PCD Research, and as a mother to a child with a rare disease, Harriet combines professional and personal insights into the challenges facing rare disease communities. Motivated by unmet need, she conceived a national operating model for rare disease that translates emerging science, technology, and regulation into patient and economic value, building a broad cross-sector coalition spanning government, regulators, industry, and global institutions to secure alignment, momentum and reform. |
| 13:50-14:05 |
The evidence-base for large-scale change
This talk will discuss the evidence base for improvement in prediction, prevention and early diagnosis. The problem of improvement waste will be characterised. I will discuss the infrastructure – including clinical pathways, work system design, resourcing, and training – necessary to ensure high quality delivery. I will identify challenges relating to the quality of underpinning scientific evidence for interventions such as clinical prediction tools, along with failures to optimise tools for implementation from the start. The need for co-design of clinical tools that can secure clinician and patient engagement and address diverse needs will be addressed. I will offer examples of how we can do better, drawing on the evidence from improvement research about what works, what doesn’t, and why. 
Professor Mary Dixon-WoodsThe Healthcare Improvement Studies (THIS) Institute
Professor Mary Dixon-WoodsThe Healthcare Improvement Studies (THIS) Institute Mary Dixon-Woods is Director of THIS Institute and the Health Foundation Professor of Healthcare Improvement Studies in the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Cambridge. Mary is also a fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and the Academy of Medical Sciences, an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, the Royal College of General Practitioners, and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. She was an NIHR Senior Investigator 2017–2022. Mary served on England’s National Advisory Group on the Safety of Patients in England, which produced the Berwick report in 2013. She also served on the review of information technology in the NHS led by Professor Bob Wachter, which reported in 2016. She was a Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator 2012-2019. Mary was the Harveian Orator for the Royal College of Physicians in 2018, the 500th anniversary of the College’s founding. She is a member of the BMJ’s international advisory board. Mary’s programme of research is concerned with generating a high quality evidence-base to support improvement in the organisation, quality and safety of healthcare. Characteristically using mixed-methods approaches, her work focuses on evaluation of quality and safety improvement interventions and programmes, culture and behaviour in health systems, and regulation and governance of health research and care. She has a special interest in methodological innovation in the study of healthcare improvement. |
| 14:05-14:20 |
Innovation and engagement – why the workforce matters
Healthcare workforces are in crisis across the world, with a projected shortfall of a 250,000 healthcare workers in the UK’s NHS, and an estimated shortage of 11 million healthcare workers worldwide, by the end of this decade. Innovation transforms how we deliver healthcare and what we are capable of, it creates new expectations of life and survival. But without proper partnership with the professionals closest to the consequences of that innovation, and proper attention to how these technologies might manifest, we run the risk of creating an unsustainable future. 
Professor Kevin Fong OBEUCLPartners
Professor Kevin Fong OBEUCLPartners Kevin Fong is consultant anaesthetist at UCLH, professor of public engagement and innovation in the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) at University College London and Chief Medical Officer at UCLPartners. Dually accredited in anaesthesia and critical care medicine, he flies as a helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) doctor with Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex and has previously worked with NASA's human space flight operations teams at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In March 2020, Kevin was seconded to NHS England (NHS E) as National Clinical Advisor in Emergency Preparedness Resilience and Response for the COVID-19 incident. During this time he worked across several key elements of the operational response including the NHSE's Severe Covid Response Cell, the Joint Biosecurity Centre Alert Level Update team, UKHSA's Joint Modelling Team and with the National Strategic Incident team at NHSE. He set up Peer Support and Rapid Review teams at NHSE to engage with, support and gather information from frontline clinical teams; information and insight which in turn informed the national pandemic strategy. These roles and experiences have led to his interest in high risk, high reliability teams; how we should build and lead modern teams, how they succeed and why they sometimes fail. |
| 14:20-14:35 |
Prioritising adoption in the NHS and supporting data for research and innovation
The convergence of advances in biology and in data science offers an unprecedented opportunity to improve human health and intervene in human disease. However, despite globally competitive scientific creativity in the UK, innovation adoption and diffusion in the NHS lacks pace and precision. To transform to an innovation led NHS, the system needs to prioritise innovation adoption and functional delivery to bring benefits to the patients that we serve. In addition, to better understand those benefits integrated data and analytic capabilities are required. Improvement in innovation adoption and the supporting data infrastructure will both improve patient care and generate opportunities for life sciences sector growth in the UK. 
Professor Ian AbbsSRO NHS Metagenomics Programme
Professor Ian AbbsSRO NHS Metagenomics Programme Professor Ian Abbs is a distinguished transplant nephrologist, clinical academic, and medical leader. He most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (GSTT), the largest NHS Trust in England, from July 2019 to September 2025. As CEO, he oversaw a £3.2 billion turnover, managed over 23,000 staff, and was responsible for five hospital campuses. Previously, he held roles as Medical Director and Chief Medical Officer at GSTT. Ian holds a BSc in Immunology, medical degrees, an MBA from the University of Cambridge, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal Society of Arts. He is also a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at King’s College London, reflecting his commitment to research and education. Throughout his career, Ian has championed digital transformation and innovation in healthcare. He led the implementation of the EPIC electronic health record system at GSTT and played a pivotal role in developing life sciences partnerships. He chairs the South East Genomic Medicine Service Partnership Board, is a member of the NHS England Genomics Board, and has a particular interest in genomics and equitable adoption of new technologies. Ian also leads the development of London’s secure data environment for clinical care and research and serves on NHS England’s Digital Transformation Portfolio Board. After stepping down as CEO, Ian remains Strategic Advisor to GSTT, Senior Responsible Owner for GSTT Genomics and the national NHSE metagenomics program, and continues to advance life sciences collaborations for King’s Health Partners. |
| 14:35-14:45 |
Q&A
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Chair
Dr Tony Wood FRS
GSK
Dr Tony Wood FRS
GSK
Tony Wood was appointed Chief Scientific Officer designate on 19 January 2022 and became Chief Scientific Officer, with full accountability for GSK R&D, with effect from 1 August 2022.
Tony is a highly respected scientist and one of the world’s pre-eminent medicinal chemists, with more than 30 years of experience working across diverse disciplines of R&D to deliver innovative medicines. He joined GSK from Pfizer in 2017 as Senior Vice President, Medicinal Science and Technology, responsible for all science and technology platforms supporting the delivery of new medicines.
He has led large-scale global organisations in drug discovery and development in multiple therapeutic areas, including immunology, oncology and infectious diseases. Tony has been integral to delivering the recent improvements in GSK’s R&D productivity and central to developing its R&D approach focusing on science of the immune system, human genetics and advanced technologies. He built GSK’s functional genomics and AI/ML organisations from the ground up, and was the architect of collaborations with UK biotech Adrestia, Oxford University, and the Laboratory for Genomics Research with Jennifer Doudna.
Tony invented an HIV antiviral medicine for which he won several international awards including the PhRMA Discoverers Award, the Prix Galien USA, the ACS Heroes of Chemistry Award, and the UCB Ehrlich Award from the European Federation of Medicinal Chemistry.
Tony has lived and worked in both the UK and the US. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, from whom he has also received an Honorary Fellowship, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology. Tony was closely involved with the UK Government’s COVID-19 planning, notably establishing the GSK/AstraZeneca/Cambridge University testing facility at the University’s Anne McLaren Laboratory.
Tony has a BSc in chemistry and PhD in organic synthesis from the University of Newcastle, and was a postdoctoral fellow at Imperial College, London.
| 15:10-15:15 |
Introduction to the closing plenary
Dr Tony Wood FRSGSK
Dr Tony Wood FRSGSK Tony Wood was appointed Chief Scientific Officer designate on 19 January 2022 and became Chief Scientific Officer, with full accountability for GSK R&D, with effect from 1 August 2022. Tony is a highly respected scientist and one of the world’s pre-eminent medicinal chemists, with more than 30 years of experience working across diverse disciplines of R&D to deliver innovative medicines. He joined GSK from Pfizer in 2017 as Senior Vice President, Medicinal Science and Technology, responsible for all science and technology platforms supporting the delivery of new medicines. He has led large-scale global organisations in drug discovery and development in multiple therapeutic areas, including immunology, oncology and infectious diseases. Tony has been integral to delivering the recent improvements in GSK’s R&D productivity and central to developing its R&D approach focusing on science of the immune system, human genetics and advanced technologies. He built GSK’s functional genomics and AI/ML organisations from the ground up, and was the architect of collaborations with UK biotech Adrestia, Oxford University, and the Laboratory for Genomics Research with Jennifer Doudna. Tony invented an HIV antiviral medicine for which he won several international awards including the PhRMA Discoverers Award, the Prix Galien USA, the ACS Heroes of Chemistry Award, and the UCB Ehrlich Award from the European Federation of Medicinal Chemistry. Tony has lived and worked in both the UK and the US. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, from whom he has also received an Honorary Fellowship, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology. Tony was closely involved with the UK Government’s COVID-19 planning, notably establishing the GSK/AstraZeneca/Cambridge University testing facility at the University’s Anne McLaren Laboratory. Tony has a BSc in chemistry and PhD in organic synthesis from the University of Newcastle, and was a postdoctoral fellow at Imperial College, London. |
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| 15:15-15:30 |
Prizing health: new ideas in the science and support of healthspan
XPRIZE is a global leader in designing large-scale competitions to solve humanity's greatest challenges, having launched $519M in prizes since 1994. XPRIZE Healthspan is a $101 million, 7-year global competition addressing the critical gap between lifespan and healthspan. With over 750 teams from 71 countries, this initiative demonstrates that therapeutic interventions can restore age-related functional decline in muscle, cognition, and immune systems by 10-20 years in adults over 50. The competition includes two interim milestones ($10M each) and grand prizes up to $81M for teams achieving 20-year functional restoration in one-year trials. Beyond therapeutic validation, it establishes standardized methodologies for measuring biological aging, generates consensus on aging biomarkers, and drives regulatory guidance for healthspan‑extending interventions. Supported by NIA Scientific Directors and partnered with Hevolution Foundation and GSK, XPRIZE Healthspan has broad implications for global healthcare systems, scientific discovery, and economic sustainability. Future prize concepts include AI-accelerated data challenges, synthetic biology, and ovarian aging solutions. 
Dr Jamie JusticeXPRIZE Foundation
Dr Jamie JusticeXPRIZE Foundation Dr Jamie Justice is the Executive Vice President Health Domain, Director of the $101M Healthspan Prize at XPRIZE Foundation, and Adjunct Professor in Internal Medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine (WFUSM). She was the recipient of the Jarrahi Research Scholars Fund in Geroscience Innovation, the 2022 Vincent Cristofalo Rising Star in Aging Research, and the 2022 NIA Nathan W Shock Awardee. Her training background at University of Colorado Boulder, academic research at WFUSM, and global leadership at XPRIZE advance translation of therapeutics to improve human healthspan and ovarian function. |
| 15:30-15:45 |
The transformative potential of online cognitive assessment
Over the past decade, rapid advances in digital technology have enabled fully automated, online assessment of cognition and mental health at scale. In this talk, I will present insights from a series of studies using the Cognitron platform to investigate persistent cognitive and memory deficits across a range of clinical populations, including individuals with long COVID, acquired brain injury, and those at increased risk of developing dementia. I will also discuss how such technologies have the potential to transform overburdened cognitive healthcare services by enabling earlier detection, large-scale monitoring, and more efficient allocation of clinical resources. 
Professor Adam HampshireKing’s College London
Professor Adam HampshireKing’s College London Adam Hampshire is a Professor of Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience in the Department of Neuroimaging at King’s College London, UK, and visiting Professor of Restorative Neurosciences in the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London, UK. He completed his undergraduate studies in Natural Sciences, specialising in experimental psychology, at the University of Cambridge, before earning a PhD in cognitive neuroscience at the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge. Following his doctorate, he remained at the MRC Unit as a postdoctoral fellow prior to establishing his own laboratory at Imperial College London. His research focuses on identifying the primary dimensions of human cognitive ability, understanding how individual differences in these abilities relate to both typical and pathological brain mechanisms, and developing methods for their precise measurement. A major output of his recent work is the development of Cognitron, an automated online platform for precision assessment of cognition and mental health. The platform is designed for large-scale deployment via home-based devices and has been used to conduct hundreds of thousands of assessments across citizen science initiatives, birth cohorts, clinical trials, epidemiological studies, and healthcare settings. |
| 15:45-16:00 |
Will we be using data from smartphones and wearables in healthcare in 2036?
Over 90% of UK adults use a smartphone, and 50% use a smart device like a smartwatch. These collect huge quantities of data with obvious medical utility, including: physical activity, heart rate, sleep, mobility, environment and self-reported health measures (like body weight, blood pressure and quality of life questionnaires). The use of this data in healthcare has been discussed for years, but with little progress. The recent NHS 10-year plan named wearables as one of five "Big Bets" to transform healthcare delivery, even though we have little evidence to show how to do this. In my talk I'll explain why I believe such data could make a major contribution to improving healthcare, why progress has been so slow, and what we might do about this. 
Professor Tim ChicoUniversity of Sheffield
Professor Tim ChicoUniversity of Sheffield Tim is a NHS consultant Cardiologist and Director of the South Yorkshire EPSRC/UKRI Digital Health Hub. Until 2026 he was Associate Director of the British Heart Foundation Data Science Centre (part of Health Data Research UK), where he led the Smartphone and Wearable data theme. |
| 16:00-16:15 |
Revolutionising health and wellbeing with personalised technologies
Professor Robert HarleGoogle London, and University of Cambridge
Professor Robert HarleGoogle London, and University of Cambridge Robert Harle is the lead research scientist for the consumer health research team with Google London and a Professor in Mobile and Cyberphysical Systems at the University of Cambridge. His research interests lie in the use of technology to aid health, performance and wellbeing. Within Google, his team works on health sensing from wearables and mobiles (primarily) but also across the portfolio of Google hardware products. The team also works on coaching users to help make the measurements more understandable and actionable, using the latest AI technologies. His belief is that these technologies offer a step-change for health and wellbeing, but that getting there requires working at scale, which in turn needs mutually beneficial collaboration between public and private entities. |
| 16:15-16:30 |
Q&A
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| 16:30-16:40 |
Closing remarks
Dr Edward PiperAstraZeneca
Dr Edward PiperAstraZeneca Dr Ed Piper is Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs at AstraZeneca. He trained in Medicine at United Medical and Dental Schools of Guys and St Thomas’, University of London. In 2001 he moved from clinical practice into the pharmaceutical industry and has worked for Aventis, Takeda and AstraZeneca. He has worked across all stages of drug development (phase I-IV) with a particular interest in innovative medicines for respiratory and cardiometabolic disease. At AstraZeneca he has led global development projects for biologics targeting severe respiratory disease and inhaled combination treatments for broader use. Throughout his Industry career he has been involved in design and delivery of commercial clinical trials and supports a wide range of initiatives to ensure a thriving UK trials ecosystem. He is currently responsible for AstraZeneca medical strategy in UK across cardio-renal, respiratory, immunology and vaccines therapy areas and leads a multidisciplinary team including medical affairs, real world evidence, regulatory affairs, and population health. He is an enthusiastic advocate for effective collaboration between NHS, academia, and the pharmaceutical industry to improve patient outcomes and reduce heath inequalities. |