New Co-Lead and Deputy Lead appointed for Industry and Commercialisation
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) has appointed Dr Gareth Kitchen as Co-Lead and Mr Adam Haque as Deputy Lead for Industry and Commercialisation.
Working closely with Professor Rick Body, Manchester BRC Innovation and Partnerships Lead and the Innovation and Partnerships Team, these additions will support the development of greater Intellectual Property (IP) capture and commercialisation across Manchester BRC.
Dr Kitchen (pictured right) is a Senior Clinical Lecturer at The University of Manchester and Honorary Consultant Anaesthetist at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT). Having worked extensively with industry to validate clinical effectiveness across a range of new technologies in respiratory medicine, he has a wealth of experience to bring to the BRC in this new role.
Dr Kitchen, researcher within the Respiratory Medicine Theme, completed the NIHR Future Focused Leadership Programme in 2023 and was lead applicant and Chief Investigator on a NIHR Health Technology Assessment award that led to PROTECT Airways, a large-scale research study to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of advanced airway devices in the NHS, supported by industry.
I am delighted to be taking on the role of Co-Lead and keen to begin work with the Innovation and Partnerships Team at Manchester BRC. I’m excited to build on my experience – from within the NHS and through working with industry – to find new opportunities for innovators to translate life-changing treatments into clinical practice. I will champion Manchester BRC and work collaboratively with stakeholders to further strengthen our research outputs and support BRC innovators to commercialise their research.
Dr Gareth Kitchen, Co-Lead for Industry and Commercialisation
Mr Haque (pictured left) is a BHF Manchester CRE Fellow and Vascular Surgery ST7 at MFT. As founder and medical advisor of two health start-ups – Tomorrow Cardiovascular Ltd and Respect Health Solutions Ltd, he has significant experience in commercialisation and industry collaboration within the NHS.
He is also the Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) Lead for the Integrative Cardiovascular Medicine Theme of Manchester BRC and founded Manchester Vascular Research and Innovation Centre (MAVRIC), which has a growing portfolio of academic and commercial studies in cardiovascular research.
I am very pleased to have been appointed to the role of Deputy Lead for Innovation and Partnerships and I’m thrilled to join the Innovation and Partnerships team. With my background in vascular surgery, commercialisation, and patient-focused solutions, I am eager to leverage my experience to support the development and translation of impactful innovations. I look forward to working with BRC innovators to bridge the gap between research and real-world application and to enhance commercialisation opportunities across Manchester BRC.
Mr Adam Haque, Deputy Lead for Industry and Commercialisation
Professor Rick Body added: “We are extremely pleased to welcome Gareth and Adam as Co-Lead and Deputy to work with us and deliver the Innovation and Partnerships strategy for Manchester BRC. Their experiences of working in NHS-focused commercial industries will provide invaluable insights to the team along with a wealth of expertise in commercialisation and developing impactful solutions in the NHS. These new roles will bolster Manchester BRC’s aims to be a global leader in accelerating the discovery and translation of health and care innovations through close collaboration with patients, members of the public, academia, healthcare professionals and industry partners.”