IBHO BioResource volunteer from Southampton talks about his motivations for joining

Ardel's story and the site where he joined the IBHO BioResource - the University Hospital Southampton - was picked up by local BBC reporters and featured online and on Radio Solent (starts at around 2h11m), helping to raise awareness of the need for more volunteers to come forward.

The Improving Black Health Outcomes (IBHO) BioResource is a collaborative research programme between the NIHR BioResource, King’s College London, and Genomics England which is focused on improving our understanding of key health conditions that affect people from Black communities. To date, we have more than 1,500 consented volunteers, recruited nationwide across 43 sites, including 29 NHS Trusts.

Why are we doing this?

Historically people from Black communities have been under-represented in health studies, meaning knowledge and treatments as a result of research are predominantly based on White populations. The new initiative is looking to “close the gap” and provide deeper insights into these health conditions, leading to better treatments and more accurate diagnostic tools in the future. By addressing this imbalance, researchers are hoping to create fair and inclusive health research that reflects the country’s diversity.

David Stockley, NIHR BioResource Southampton manager at UHS, said:

"People who join this programme will be playing a vital role in shaping the future of healthcare for Black communities.

“The IBHO BioResource will help us better understand and address health conditions and their unique impacts on Black people and their loved ones, ensuring everyone benefits from fair and inclusive research.

"Our aim is to close the gap and create a healthier future for all."

Ardel, volunteer from Southampton, on why he joined

Southampton father Ardel Richardson, 38, recently joined the programme to help shape a better future for his daughter.

He explains:

"I remember when she bruised her knee a few years ago and we went to the cupboard to get a bandage.

"She pulled out a brown bandage and said, ‘Look Dad, it’s skin coloured!’

"Seeing her joy was a profound moment – it made me realise how often our needs are overlooked.

"If I don’t do more to ensure our views and needs are considered, how can I expect change to happen?"

After completing a diabetes risk survey, he discovered he had a two-in-five chance of developing the condition.

"I was shocked to learn that diabetes hits the Black community in such a disproportionate way.

"We need to be proactive. Research programmes like this are key to improving our knowledge and understanding of how these conditions impact Black communities."

Check out the full interview below.

Who can join the IBHO BioResource?

To be eligible, you must be age 16+, from Black communities, and living in England. Individuals can join whether they have a health condition or not. People without health conditions serve as a vital comparison that helps researchers gain clearer insights into why some people develop a health condition and others don’t, and which treatments may work for some and not others.

There is a special focus on recruiting sickle cell patients, as it is a condition that affects Black communities far greater than other ethnicities and has historically been under-researched. We are working with Genomics England to invite sickle cell patients regardless of ethnic background or age to join the IBHO BioResource and have opened recruitment up to younger patients at selected sites.

Participation involves donating a blood or saliva sample, completing a health and lifestyle questionnaire and providing consent to be matched with relevant research studies, which explore how Black communities develop and experience health conditions. These studies look into areas such as sickle cell, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and kidney disease.

Find out more