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Researchers from the University of Liverpool have secured £375,000 through the North West Secure Data Environment's (SDE) Data Accelerator Fund for Novel and Emerging Assets (DAFNEA), supporting five projects that will create innovative research-ready data resources in partnership with NHS organisations and local authority collaborators across Cheshire and Merseyside.
The funding will enable the University and its partners to transform valuable health and population datasets into secure resources accessible through the North West SDE, strengthening the region's research infrastructure and supporting research into some of the North West's most pressing health challenges.
Five University of Liverpool-Led Collaborations
The awards showcase the depth of the University's health data research expertise and build on the strengths University of Liverpool research centres and initiatives.
Mental Health Research for Innovation Centre (M-RIC) - Mental Health Data Partnership Project
Led through the Mental Health Research for Innovation Centre (M-RIC), this project brings together the University of Liverpool, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and local authority partners to create one of the most comprehensive mental health research datasets in the region. By linking mental health, community health, prescribing and social care data, researchers will be able to investigate mental health outcomes, inequalities and care pathways across Cheshire and Merseyside.
Liverpool Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Centre (LINC) - Neuroscience Data Project in partnership with The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust
Researchers from the University's Liverpool Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Centre (LINC), working alongside The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust and Civic Health Innovation Labs (CHIL), will establish a secure neuroscience data resource bringing together specialist neurological records, imaging, neurophysiology data and biobank information. The project will support research into conditions including epilepsy, stroke, neurodegenerative diseases and brain tumours, while creating opportunities for the development of advanced AI-enabled diagnostic tools.
Dr Philip Burgess - Liverpool University Hospitals Group Secondary Care and Eye Health Data Project
Led by University of Liverpool researcher Dr Philip Burgess, this project – the largest of the DAFENA awards - will create a large-scale secondary care data asset spanning Liverpool University Hospitals and key regional specialist providers. Combining hospital records, pathology, laboratory data and advanced ophthalmic imaging, the resource will support research into chronic disease, healthcare outcomes and health inequalities, while providing a platform for innovation in personalised medicine and artificial intelligence.
Civic Health Innovation Labs (CHIL) - Multimodal Cancer Data Project at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre
Supported by the University of Liverpool's Civic Health Innovation Labs (CHIL), this project will work with The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust to create a rich, research-ready cancer data resource. By securely linking treatment, diagnostic and outcomes data, the project will enable researchers to better understand how patients respond to different therapies, support translational cancer research and help develop AI-enabled approaches to diagnosis and treatment planning.
DataHEART Project - Geographical and Population Health Project
Led through the University of Liverpool's DataHEART initiative, this project will create a secure geographical and population health data resource in collaboration with healthcare, public sector and local authority partners. By combining health, environmental and place-based datasets, researchers will be able to examine how factors such as deprivation, neighbourhood characteristics and access to services influence health outcomes. The resource will also provide valuable evidence to support population health management and policy development across the region.
Strengthening Regional Research Partnerships
Together, the five DAFNEA awards highlight the University of Liverpool's central role in health data leadership across the region, and our commitment to delivering high-quality research that delivers transformative benefit to the public.
By combining the expertise of University research centres including M-RIC, LINC, CHIL and DataHEART with the knowledge and data resources of healthcare and public sector organisations, the programme will create secure, research-ready data assets that support collaborative research, reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes for patients and communities across Cheshire and Merseyside.