Cranfield University
Cranfield University is a research intensive University focusing on research which will transform knowledge into ingenious solutions and make substantial differences to individuals, organisations, governments and society.
Cranfield comprises five schools one of which is the school of Health. Research within Cranfield Health ranges from Translation Medicine through Biotechnology to Food and Food Safety. Sponsors of research within Cranfield Health include Research Councils, major charities, UK/EU government together with funding from industrial collaborators.
Cranfield University has supported growth in Cranfield Health with investment for research infrastructure to create an excellent environment for research to flourish. The Translational Medicine group is housed within 800m2 of new laboratory space on the top floor of the Vincent Building opened in May 2008.
One major focus of the group in Cranfield Health is to determine the role of key molecules in the health and disease of the immune system and to characterise their expression and control. In addition we are translating our knowledge of age associated immune decline into the production of devices and diagnostic tests which will improve the detection and prevention of infection and inflammatory diseases.
Key Personnel involved in the project
Richard Aspinall, Professor of Translational Medicine, Chair
TBA M/F Research Assistant
Main tasks attributed to them in the project
Cranfield will contribute to Biogerontology and will assess the quality of different strategies which have emerged from recent breakthroughs and which aim to improve the quality of life in old age. This will be achieved through the organisation of workshops and focus groups in which we will introduce a small number of health devices which may impact on lifestyle of the elderly and through a combination usability tests and contextual inquiry we will seek to understand barriers to device adoption and identify better-targeted interventions.
Short profile of all personnel and previous relevant experience.
Richard Aspinall is Professor in Translational Medicine at Cranfield University a Visiting Professor at the Open University and a member of the Board of the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Postgraduate Medical School. Professor Aspinall’s previous EU funding includes funding as a partner in 2 FP7 consortia, one led by Prof A Buerkle at the University of Konstanz (2008-2013) called Markage and the second consortium led by Prof T Huzinga at Leiden University (2008-2013) called Masterswitch. Between 2004 and 2007 Prof Aspinall also received funding through Biogerontology as a partner in a consortia led by Dr Mochegiani from INRCA called Zincage.
Research assistant: this individual will have overall responsibility for the day to day management of the project, running the workshops and focus groups analysing the data and writing the reports.