REF 2021 impact case studies
A complete list of University research impact case studies submitted to the Research Excellence Framework 2021.
Our REF 2021 submission was one of the largest in the higher education sector, including a total of 160 impact case studies from across our three Faculties.
We submitted examples of our research impact to 31 subject areas – explore individual impact case studies and key researchers involved.
- Preventing stillbirths and improving the quality of care after a baby dies
Key researchers: , Rebecca Jones, - Advancing treatments for lysosomal storage disorders
Key researchers: , Robert Wynn, Simon Jones, Alexander Broomfield - Radiotherapy research changes standard clinical practice and improves survival for patients with small-cell lung cancer
Key researchers: , , - Clinical trials in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) advancing effective combination treatments
Key researchers: , - Transforming patient outcome of pulmonary aspergillosis with better and faster diagnosis and therapy
Key researchers: , Rob Niven, - New targeted therapies in non-small cell lung cancer improve patient outcomes
Key researchers: , Malcolm Ranson
- Cough monitoring system adopted in clinical trials to enable development of treatments for patients with refractory chronic cough
Key researchers: , Kevin McGuinness, Ashley Woodcock - Improving survival and reducing treatment damage in Hodgkin lymphoma
Key researchers: , - 51福利社’s Lung Health Checks: community-based screening boosts early lung cancer detection and leads to national screening pilots
Key researchers: , Richard Booton - Rapid diagnostic pathways reduce unnecessary hospital admissions for suspected acute coronary syndromes
Key researchers: , Kevin Mackway-Jones, Simon Carley, Garry McDowell - Access to more effective therapies in Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Key researchers: , ,
- Radical reorganisation of trauma services reduces risk and saves many lives among severely injured patients
Key researchers: Antoinette Edwards, Omar Bouamra, , Fiona Lecky, David Yates - Successfully tackling serious fungal diseases to transform global population health
Key researchers: , , - Definitive multinational efficacy trials and pioneering real-world evidence informing treatments and international strategy for managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Key researchers: , , Ashley Woodcock - Biologics registers for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases: enhancing access to novel therapies and balancing drug safety concerns versus effectiveness
Key researchers: ,, , , , , Will Dixon, , , Louise Mercer - Risk assessment and suicide prevention: Improving skills and confidence of frontline workers internationally through STORM training
Key researchers: Linda Gask, Gillian Green, , Richard Morris - ASPIRE™: Using machine learning to detect undiagnosed fractures in patients with osteoporosis
Key researchers: Paul A Bromiley, , Eleni Kariki, Judith Adams - Stimulating debate, changing practice and influencing policy in tackling drug-related deaths in the UK, Europe and USA
Key researchers: , Graham Dunn, ,
- Redressing health inequalities through evidence-based health and social care practice with deaf sign language users
Key researchers: , ,
- Modernising drug development practices for precision dosing in diverse patient populations
Key researchers: , , , - Promoting oral health in medically compromised patients to improve patient outcomes
Key researchers: , , , ,
- Optimising patient care for the prevention of dental caries
Key researchers: , , ,
- Falls prevention amongst older people: increased reach and further impact of interventions, uptake and adherence
Key researchers: , Dawn Skelton, , Maria Horne
- Improving health service support for family carers during end-of-life care: implementing a Carer Support Needs Assessment Tool Intervention (CSNAT-I) and principles for organisation change
Key researchers: , Lynn Austin, Janet Diffin
- Transforming referral management in oral surgery
Key researchers: Iain Pretty, , ,
- Optimising outcomes for people with venous leg ulcers
Key researchers: , , - Smart inhaler improves adherence to treatment for children with Asthma
Key researchers: , , David Henson,
- Metacognitive therapy improves outcomes for patients with anxiety and depression worldwide
Key researchers: , , Pia Callesen
- Transforming long-term support for stroke survivors – developing and implementing clinical tools that informed national policy and improved regional and national service provision
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- Transforming autism treatment worldwide
Key researchers: , ,
- Worldwide reduction in the number of children exposed to harmful antiepileptic drugs in the womb
Key researchers: , Jill Clayton-Smith
- A new international measurement standard and guidelines for healthy lighting
Key researchers: , ,
- World’s first effective treatment to prevent psychosis has been implemented as standard treatment in NHS mental health services across England
Key researchers: Tony Morrison, Paul French, Richard Bentall, , Graham Dunn, , Sophie Parker, Rory Byrne
- Shaping UK policy and guidelines for suicide prevention
Key researchers: ,
- Commercial development and patient benefit of adoptive cell therapy (ACT) for cancer
Key researchers: Fiona Thistlethwaite, Robert Hawkins, Peter Stern, David Gilham
- Transforming the management of people with inherited eye diseases: a paradigm for the implementation of genomic medicine
Key researchers: Graeme Black, , , Rachel Taylor - Improving treatment and prevention of cervical cancer in Kenya
Key researchers: , Lynne Hampson
- A new international lighting standard that meets our biological needs
Key researchers: , , , Helena Bailes
- The miRBase microRNA database – driving the development of commercial microRNA research tools, diagnostics and therapeutics
Key researchers: , Ana Kozomara, Maria Birgaoanu
- Improved infection awareness, prevention and treatment in hard-to-reach groups
Key researchers: , , ,, , - Re-animating school biology lessons through teaching with living flies
Key researchers: , Sanjai Patel - Defining global antifungal azole resistance in Aspergillus – enhancing diagnostics and driving drug discovery
Key researchers: , Peter Warn, , ,
Key researchers: ,
Key researchers: , , , Jianxin Pan
Key researchers: , , , , , , David Hodgetts
Key researchers: , , , Kurt Smith, Lynn Foster, Tom Neill
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Key researchers: , John Gaffney
Key researchers: , Charles Blundell
Key researchers: , ,
Key researchers: , , , , , , , ,
Key researchers: Hywel Owen, , Ranald Mackay, , Roger Barlow
Key researchers: Richard Battye, Brian Cox, Richard Davies, , , , Althea Wilkinson
Key researchers: Andrew Faulkner, Simon Garrington, , Michael Kramer, , Richard Schilizzi, Ralph Spencer, Benjamin Stappers, Peter Wilkinson
Key researchers: Konstantin Novaselov, Andre Geim, , Ursel Bangert,
Key researchers: Konstantin Novaselov, Andre Geim, Aravind Vijayaraghavan
Key researchers: , , Benjamin Stappers, Peter Wilkinson, , Anita M S Richards
Key researchers: , , , , Simon Garrington, Michael Kramer
Key researchers: , Marta Betcke, Nicola Wadeson, William Thompson
Key researchers: , , , Christopher Overton, Helena Stage,
Key researchers: , Tim Butters, Nicholas Higham,
Key researchers: , , Carole Twining, David Christinacce, Kola Babalola, Vlad Petrovic
Key researchers: , David Robertson
Key researchers: Howard Barringer, David Rydeheard
Key researchers: , , David Lester,
Key researchers: , , Carole Twining, , Rodri Davies
Key researchers: , , , , , Muhammad Fahad, Tatiana Grebennikova, , Wu Wen
Key researchers: , Patricia Thornley, Mirjam Roder, Paul Gilbert
Key researchers: , David Sandoz, , Matt Desforges, Matt McEwan, Marie O'Brien
Key researchers: , , , , John Broderick, , ,
Key researchers: , , , , Luis F Ochoa, Pierluigi Mancarella,
Key researchers: , , , , John Broderick, Conor Walsh, Paul Gilbert, Michael Traut
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Key researchers: , Evgenii Matrosov, James Tomlinson, Anthony Hurford, Ivana Huskova, Andrew Slaughter, Robel Geressu, Erfani Tohid, Kevis Pachos
Key researchers: , Megan Jobson, , Lluvia Ochoa-Estopier
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Key researchers: , Xiaofeng Zhao
Key researchers: Prasad Potluri, Tilak Dias,
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Key researchers: , , Iain Dupere, , , Roger Shuttleworth, Jeff Robertson, Antonios Tzimas
Key researchers: Qiang Li, , Shanika Matharage, Paul Jarman
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Key researchers: Adam Fletcher, , , , ,
- Strengthening planning for urban climate change adaptation and resilience
Key researchers: , Stephen Hincks, John Handley, Angela Connelly - Ketso: improving professional practice and participation by embedding research findings into a physical toolkit
Key researcher:
- Mobilising urban living labs to create sustainable infrastructure
Key researchers: , Jana Wendler - Climate Just: shaping more socially-aware responses to climate change
Key researchers: , Joseph Kandeh, Alexandra Kazmierczak, Angela Connelly, Nigel Lawson
- The Everyday Austerity project: shaping welfare policy and practice and shifting public understanding of the everyday impacts of austerity in the UK
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- Transforming European energy poverty policy
Key researchers: , , Harriet Thomson, Neil Simcock, Sergio Tirado Herrero, Caitlin Robinson
- Designing and implementing a new Kidney Exchange (DEC-K) programme in Italy
Key researcher: - Fuller working lives and the economics of ageing
Key researcher:
- Building analytical capacity, informing monetary and macroprudential policy, and strengthening policy frameworks in central banks in middle-income countries
Key researchers: ,
- Shaping the design of economic policy to reduce diet-related disease
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- Influencing policy, management practices, and response capabilities for the effective management of spontaneous volunteers during disasters
Key researchers: , Jenny Moreno, - Changing how international policy organisations understand and manage environmental problems
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- Addressing workplace bullying and harassment: building systems and competences for formal intervention
Key researchers: ,
- Stimulating demand-side innovation through policies on the Public Procurement of Innovation (PPI)
Key researchers: , , ,
- Influencing international and national employment policies to promote inclusive labour markets
Key researchers: , , , ,, ,
- Influencing innovation and servitisation in small and medium-sized enterprises in 51福利社
Key researchers: ,
- The Foundational Economy: influencing economic policy and practice in Wales
Key researchers: Julie Froud, Michael Moran,
- Development and implementation of improved software and service systems in the European manufacturing industry
Key researchers: , Iain Stalker, Martin Carpenter
- Evaluating and improving extended access to primary care
Key researchers: , Damian Hodgson,
- Improving public and organisational policies on health and wellbeing in an ageing workforce
Key researchers: , , Lynn Holdsworth
- Influencing labour standards and stakeholder action through international, European and national law and policy
Key researcher: - Shaping domestic abuse policy and practice
Key researcher:
- Shaping administrative justice policymaking
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- Strengthening political representation and advocacy of the Roma community in Slovenia
Key researchers: , Andrew Russell - Informing British democracy: the impact of the British Election Study on the media, polling, and political party decision making
Key researchers: , Jane Green, Chris Prosser, Jonathan Mellon
- Getting gender on the devolution agenda in Greater 51福利社
Key researchers: , Clare Annesley
- Influencing cultural policy for democracy by mobilising the civic capacity of ‘left behind’ communities
Key researchers: Andrew Miles, Jill Ebrey - History lessons/Our Migration Story: creating an inclusive history curriculum
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- Ensuring more effective and safer data sharing practices through the Anonymisation Decision Making Framework
Key researchers: ,
- The impact of research on work, stress and wellbeing on influencing employment policies and public campaigns on improving working conditions
Key researcher: Tarani Chandola
- Age-friendly cities: improving the lives of older people in urban communities through research
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Key researchers: , , , , , , Pablo Yanguas
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- Shaping public debate and policy on cosmetic procedures in the UK
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The establishment of a Catholic family centre for Papua New Guineans in Cairns, Far North Queensland
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Reframing understandings of the sonic environment in Okinawa, Japan
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- New-generation children's zones: supporting schools and their partners to implement long-term sustainable change in disadvantaged areas
Key researchers: , Alan Dyson, - Transforming wellbeing provision in education: changing the way that schools identify, monitor and provide support for mental health needs among their pupils
Key researchers: , , ,
- Promoting equity in undergraduate admissions
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- Developing emergency medical team deployments worldwide
Key researchers: , , , Amy Hughes - Making data work for the humanitarian community
Key researchers: Larissa Fast, , , , Allard Duursma, Roger Mac Ginty
- Enhancing delivery of multilingual support services for domestic abuse survivors
Key researcher: - Bertolt Brecht’s legacy: enhancing understanding, stimulating debate and influencing creative practice
Key researcher:
- Conflict with Russia in the new information environment: shaping policy analysis, broadcaster practices and public understanding
Key researchers: ,
- Influencing local government strategies and European policy discussion on Eastern European Roma migrants
Key researcher: Yaron Matras
- Supporting social inclusion and justice through enhanced understanding and recognition of language diversity
Key researcher: Yaron Matras
- Queer arts as activism
Key researchers: , ,
- The Centre for New Writing: developing new writers and audiences, enriching public debate and informing arts policy
Key researchers: , , , , ,
- Changing public perception and creative practice around the Irish migrant experience in Britain
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- Show me the money: improving public and professional understanding of economics and finance
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- History for humanitarians: developing and deploying historical methods for humanitarian agencies and policymakers
Key researchers: , Eleanor Davey
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- Corpses of mass violence: changing practice in forensic exhumations
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- Sleeping on it: using history to understand and address today's sleep crisis
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- The circulation of ancient manuscripts on the antiquities market: improving the ethical and regulatory practices and standards of market stakeholders
Key researcher: Roberta Mazza
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Cultural protection in post-conflict Iraq
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- Climate Just: mapping climate disadvantage
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Flood re: flood insurance and social justice
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Enhancing church practitioner training, public understanding and the work of Christian communicators through a new paradigm for explaining early Christian diversity
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- "I am Tibetan, this is my story": developing new museological approaches to the representation of Tibet
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Developing a museum policy and practice for the curation of spontaneous memorials after terrorist attacks and their use for post-trauma recovery
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- In Place of War (IPOW) supporting, developing and promoting artists from conflict zones: from responsive research to internationally significant arts organisation
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Multi-Story Water: cultivating environmental citizenship in West Yorkshire through sited performance research
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- Singing for life: advancing natural voice practice through professional development and intercultural engagement
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Sonic adventures: enhancing cultural experiences through geolocative audio and interactive composition
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