2025 has been another landmark year. From pioneering responsible AI and data-driven health solutions to fostering entrepreneurship and international partnerships, CHIL continues to work to turn civic data into real-world impact. Across twelve months, our programmes delivered breakthroughs that improve health, empower communities, and build a trusted digital future. Here’s a look at some of the highlights:
January
Major investment signalled for CHI Zone
Nearly £10m was proposed for CHIZone to catalyse responsible AI, support 125+ businesses, train 1,140 people, and create at least 365 skilled jobs, anchoring a decade-long Life Sciences Innovation Zone vision across Liverpool City Region. Read more.
Mobilising UK Data and AI for All with a National Grid of Civic Learning Systems
CHIL and partners collaborated on a Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA) paper which ‘sets out an opportunity for the UK to develop a world-leading infrastructure for data-driven public service innovation driving science and engineering at national and civic scales, sustainably and with public trust.’.
DynAIRx colleagues take part in Community Outreach Events
DynAIRx colleagues connected with the Liverpool City Region community via the Ainsdale Health Fair and the “Meet the Scientists” days at Liverpool World Museum and Eureka! Birkenhead. Visitors were given examples of how AI improves medicine safety by analysing drug interactions, discussed trust in healthcare, and learned how data supports better health outcomes. Read more.
February
Time to Talk event emphasises the importance of collaboration in mental health research
The Mental Health Research for Innovation Centre (M-RIC), in partnership with Sefton CVS, held an event for Time to Talk Day on 6 February. The day linked service users, carers, academics and Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisations to discuss the future of mental health research. Read more.
March
Reflection & learning, five years on from COVID 19
CHIL and University partners shared lessons from Liverpool’s civic data response, linking today’s responsible AI work in transparent public engagement and system learning. Read more.
Celebrating Public Voices in Mental Health Research
The Mental Health Research for Innovation Centre (M-RIC) celebrated public advisors and Service User and Carer Representatives (SUCRs) with a special screening at Crosby’s Plaza Community Cinema. The event featured films highlighting lived experiences and creative contributions, showcasing how public involvement drives research that reflects real-world needs and empowers the future of mental health care. Read more.
April
Harnessing Smart Technology to Support Eating Disorder Care
M-RIC is working with Univa Health on a pioneering study using smartphone technology to monitor eating disorders via digital biomarkers. Tracking hydration, mood, and anxiety will give clinicians timely insights and reduce patient burden, paving the way for personalized, proactive mental health care. Read more.
Opening doors to civic entrepreneurship
A new initiative called for residents with business ideas to tackle priority challenge; connecting them with CHIL expertise, CHIZone networks and data driven evaluation pathways. Read more.
May
CareTech collaboration goes live
CHIL helped unite social care providers with industry to co-develop and evaluate remote monitoring, assistive tech and digital therapies, building data capability and workforce skills across the region. Read more.
Presenting at the COVID enquiry
CHIL Director Prof Iain Buchan presented critical lessons from the Liverpool Covid-19 testing pilot at a public hearing
June
Hosting the Digital Commons Policy Council (DCPC)
CHIL’s Civic Data Cooperative (CDC) programme brought international experts together to codevelop norms, classifications and governance principles for open digital commons, with practical implications for trustworthy health data and AI. Read more.
Inspiring Ideas from Early Career Researchers
M-RIC’s Festival of Ideas at Liverpool Medical Institution united researchers, clinicians, service users, and carers to shape the future of mental health research. Early career researchers showcased innovative projects on mood disorder care, data-driven systems, and inclusive approaches. Read more.
Publication: The impacts of Liverpool Citizen's Advice on Prescription (CAP) on mental health outcomes– an Instrumental Variable (IV) approach
Citizens Advice on Prescription (CAP) provides advice and support to reduce financial insecurity and improve living conditions for people in Liverpool. Using data linkage between Citizens Advice Liverpool’s Case Management system and electronic health records, researchers estimated the impact on mental health and health care use of CAP and estimated cost-effectiveness.
Supported by the Data Action Research Team (DART) CHIL’s research function providing an environment for those using data for research and innovation with civic purpose, to collaborate and share knowledge.
July
A Major Step Forward in Data-Driven Mental Health Care
Working with the North West Secure Data Environment, M-RIC has linked mental health records from Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust with GP data across Cheshire and Merseyside. This integration enables deeper insights into conditions like treatment-resistant depression, supporting personalised care. Read more.
Liverpool City Region’s first of its kind AI Charter
CHIL and partners, brought together by the Civic Data Cooperative (CDC) unveiled an AI Charter to set standards for responsible data usage, strengthening civic trust around AI. The Charter was developed with residents of the Liverpool City Region, learning about AI & Data and debating principles of how it can be used for public good. Read more.
August
Health Data Decoded podcast reaches new audiences
Through CHIL’s public facing podcast, researchers and practitioners unpacked how data and AI translate into safer care, such as doctoral work using open data to prevent harm, and the role of communications in interdisciplinary mental health research. View available episodes on Spotify.
CHIL at Medinfo in Taiwan
Technical Director Gary Leeming and CHIL Director Iain Buchan took part in Medinfo 2025. Discussions included programmable prevention, and the work of the LCR Civic Data Cooperative in promoting social license around use of data, and the exciting work in Taiwan and UK on linking biodata with learning health system approach to transforming research and care. They also presented on learnings developing the Mental Health Research for Innovation Centre (M-RIC) Trusted Research environment.
September
Joining the national policy debate at the Labour Party Conference
CHIL representatives attended the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, demonstrating to attendees how research and innovation can shape the future of health and social care. CHIL hosted ‘Data & AI for All’, a discussion on how data and artificial intelligence can be harnessed to build fairer, more resilient health systems across the UK. Leading the conversation were CHIL’s Professor Iain Buchan and Dr Emily Rempell. Read more.
October
Showcasing AI leadership
CHIL’s responsible AI work led the University’s presence at the Liverpool City Region AI Summit attended by over 1,000 people, demonstrating how civic data partnerships enable real world health improvements. The team also hosted a Youth AI Summit. Read more.
Publication: Shifting the focus of healthcare from consultations to conversations – an AI prescription for prevention
Discover how continuous conversations - rather than occasional appointments - can support healthier habits, improve care for people with multiple conditions, and help health systems work smarter. An article by Professor Iain Buchan, Director of Civic Health Innovation Labs, written for the Kyndryl Institute
November
MoU signed with Busan Techno Park (South Korea)
CHIL formalised a UK/Korea partnership to mirror adult social care testbeds, codevelop assistive robotics, AI care coordination, remote monitoring and digital therapies; scaling deployment and skills exchange. Read more.
Transforming Mental Health Research Through Secure Data
M-RIC has been awarded funding by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) for Mersey Care to lead the delivery of a ground breaking initiative: creating a Secure Data Environment for mental health research. Working alongside DATAMIND and partners, this platform will securely link and analyse data from across the UK. Read more.
December
Malawi visit
CHIL met with colleagues in Malawi for the set-up of the partnership between CHIL and the Data Science and Computational Modelling Unit (DSCMU) at the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Research Programme (MLW). The discussion focused on scientific priority areas for the collaboration to focus on initially, as well as discussions with researchers from the six research themes at MLW.
Publication: MCSG: A Method for Simultaneous Disproportionality Analysis and Background Rate Estimation in Large Pharmacovigilance Databases
This study introduces MCSG, a new method designed to detect safety warnings in massive databases that track how drugs impact patients. These systems collect millions of drug–adverse event reports, but traditional methods often miss important signals when common events "mask" rarer, concerning ones.
Supported by CHIL’s Data Action Accelerator programme, a CHIL programme working across the Faculties of Health & Life Sciences and Science and Engineering with brings together analysts, clinicians, academics, and industry partners to address shared challenges through data-driven innovation.