17 March 2026

The third round of the King’s Health Partners Centre for Translational Medicine (KHP CTM) Predoctoral Clinical Research Excellence Fellowships have been awarded.

It was an extremely competitive field - with 66 applications received, representing a 50% increase from last year.

This scheme offers one year of pump-prime funding to allow protected research time and training for health professionals working in translational medicine. Development of external funding applications to support a doctorate is expected during the year, and securing further research funding represents a key success metric of the fellowships.

It is anticipated that during the fellowship, candidates will:

  • Actively pursue their research project, generating data to contribute to a doctoral fellowship application;
  • Engage in research and professional development opportunities, including via the CTM, King’s Clinical Academic Training Office, locally in departments, across KHP and beyond, to support their development as a clinical academic researcher;
  • Prepare scientific/research data to present at meetings where relevant opportunities arise;
  • Prepare a research fellowship application for submission to an external funding body, such as a Research Council, Charity, NIHR, to support a period of doctoral research.

Clinical academic and academic staff from across KHP, charity representatives, and public and patient representatives supported the shortlisting and interview process. From 66 applications, 19 candidates were shortlisted and interviewed. Eight candidates were ultimately awarded a fellowship in this round of funding, including four Doctors and four candidates from a nursing, midwifery or professions allied to healthcare (NMAHP) background.

The successful fellows and their project titles are as follows: 

  • Andrew Whitfield - Developing objective measures of functional neurological symptoms for diagnosis and outcome measurement;
  • Ben Coumbe - The role of tissue resident T cells in the development of immune-related adverse events during immune checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) therapy;
  • Chloe Apps - Assessment and rehabilitation of individuals recovering from critical illness in the community setting using a novel instrumented motion sensor squeeze ball;
  • Jaina Lad - Gut Microbiome in Glaucoma: can we predict which patients are most at risk of losing sight and potentially most suitable for novel targeted treatments for glaucoma by improving gut health?
  • Joseph Wilson - Autotaxin inhibition in severe alcohol-related hepatitis: an ex vivo prospective observational mechanistic cohort study;
  • Laura McCabe - Pregnancy outcomes in endometriosis – Evaluating evidence and current practice to inform care pathways. A systematic review and audit;
  • Michael Warwick - Joint forces in children with haemophilia – an indication of joint degradation?
  • Yorissa Padayachee - DNMT3A clonal haematopoiesis in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI): validation of a cytokine biomarker and association with left ventricular recovery.

The Centre for Translational Medicine brings together the organisations of King’s Health Partners and generous funding from the Guy's and St Thomas' Charity to work in partnership to improve the health of people locally, nationally, and globally, accelerating targeted, sustainable and more equitable health outcomes for patients and communities across south east London and beyond.

Find out more about funding opportunities from the KHP Centre for Translational Medicine.