We were delighted to welcome attendees to our fourth NIHR BioResource Scientific Conference on 17 June 2026.
This year's key topics included Inflammatory Bowel Disease, mental health and research inclusion.
This year’s event once again brought together researchers, clinicians, and healthcare professionals from across the UK and beyond for a dynamic and engaging half-day online conference, showcasing the breadth of cutting-edge research made possible through NIHR BioResource data, samples, and participant recall.
More than 200 attendees joined, continuing to show the growing interest in translational research and the power of collaboration in advancing healthcare.
The event opened with our keynote speaker, Dr Nick Watkins, Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser and Deputy Director of Health Protection in the Science, Research and Evidence (SRE) directorate from the Department of Health and Social Care. Nick who delivered a very informative presentation outlining the vision for the future of health research in the UK.
The conference featured a diverse range of expert-led presentations reflecting the breadth of research supported by the BioResource. Dr Michael Colwill, a gastroenterology fellow from St George’s Hospital, London explored important research into inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in transgender and gender non-conforming populations. This talk offered new insights into an underrepresented area of study.
This was followed by Professor Cath Williamson, Professor of Women’s Health at Imperial College London, who shared her expert view on the role of genomics in maternal health, demonstrating the growing importance of precision medicine approaches in improving outcomes for mothers and babies.
A key highlight of the event was a thought-provoking fireside chat focused on research inclusion. Featuring Dr Esther Mukuka, NIHR Director of Research Inclusion, alongside Professor Cath Williamson and Vicky Hills, Research Recruitment Manager at NIHR BioResource, the session explored how inclusive research practices can be embedded across studies, discussed the barriers that face inclusive research and the potential solutions to overcome them. The discussion underscored the importance of ensuring that research reflects the diversity of the populations it aims to serve.
Clockwise from top left: BioResource Comms Manager and conference host, Louise Walker, Esther Mukuka, Cath Williamson and Vicky Hills
Following a short break, the conference resumed with further presentations on cutting-edge topics. Alicia Rowland and Lucy Clossick Thomson from Purespring Therapeutics presented on a pioneering gene therapy for kidney disease and how the BioResource has supported recruitment within a NICE-defined patient group. This session offered a clear example of how BioResource infrastructure can accelerate the delivery of complex clinical studies.
The programme continued with Professor Rachel Upthegrove, who spoke on the Mental Health Mission and the SMILE BioResource, showcasing how targeted initiatives are advancing mental health research and enabling new discoveries in this critical area.
The conference then concluded with closing remarks from our Director, Professor Nathalie Kingston, who highlighted some of BioResource’s key achievements and thanked speakers and participants for their contributions to another successful event.
Overall, we had over 30 questions for our speakers, and 40 people contributed to our word cloud about what research inclusion means to them.
Feedback from attendees was very positive, highlighting how great it was to hear about future research projects and studies, what is happening regarding inclusion of different people from different backgrounds and the challenges they have faced.
Recommendations included a greater focus on genetics, challenges for nurses during their day-to-day practice in research and how they are overcoming those challenges.
We would like to extend our thanks to everyone who contributed to making the 2026 Scientific Conference a success. In particular, we are grateful to Ashley James from EventsAir for his invaluable help and support in delivering the event, and to Blake Dust and Elliott Bunker from University of Cambridge team for their support in making the event a success.
As we look ahead, we remain committed to building on this momentum and continuing to showcase the incredible research made possible through the NIHR BioResource.
Plans for future events are already underway, and we look forward to welcoming even more members of the research community next year.
