Raft of new products accelerated through UKRI-funded programme

Seven innovative new products to tackle key infection transmission challenges have been accelerated along the development pathway following a successful programme to support novel infection innovations.

The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded Novel Technologies initiative was delivered by iiCON between 2024 and 2025. Companies and research groups with novel solutions to tackle infection transmission had the opportunity to shape the direction of the UK’s infection response and bid for funding to accelerate the development of their products and concepts.

Two successful innovation workshops were held in Liverpool and London attended by over 200 people from industry, academia, funding organisations and regulatory bodies across the UK, which helped to shape the call for proposals.

The programme then welcomed over 90 applicants from across the UK, with 11 projects eventually selected by an independent expert panel to receive a share of £1.5 million in funding from UKRI as part of its ongoing work to support innovative ways of tackling infection transmission. From the 11 funded projects, two network grants and nine research grants were awarded to a mix of applicants from industry and academia.

The seven products awarded funding include a novel sputum-free test for TB, a novel in-vitro diagnostic for AMR, and a scalable test capable of assessing both T-cell and antibody immune responses to avian influenza.  Other key innovations under development include the exploration of a new coating to prevent the contamination of fibres such as PPE uniforms and bedding from Monkeypox (Mpox) virus; and the development of a self-disinfecting coating to reduce transmission of pathogens via touch surfaces in hospitals. A project to further develop a system with the ability to model skin infections at various skin depths and observe the dynamics in real-time with advanced imaging techniques, was also funded.

The programme has also supported innovative research – four research papers have been published as a result of the programme, with several more ‘in review’. Participants have already leveraged over £1million in funding to progress their innovations, with several further applications pending.

Professor Janet Hemingway, founding director of iiCON, said: “The Tackling Infections programme was designed to supercharge emerging innovation that leveraged novel technology such as AI and machine learning to help to give the UK an edge in tackling infection transmission.

“It’s been inspiring and encouraging to see the calibre of projects that got involved and bid for funding. I’d like to congratulate all the organisations that took part – this has been a very fruitful and successful programme, and we’re delighted to have supported so many really impactful projects and initiatives, which have gone on to leverage further funding and will help to shape the UK’s response to tackling infections in the future.”

The programme also supported the development of a project to build a comprehensive data landscape on infectious diseases, focusing on AMR, mapping existing data and determining where gaps exist to help better understand, target and prevent antimicrobial resistance (AMR) led by St Georges University of London.

Dr Catrin Moore, who led the St Georges University of London project, said: “The iiCON team have been incredibly supportive of our project. With iiCON’s support we have been able to make great strides in really understanding the current quality of microbiology data and the amount of research data being shared globally in order to minimise AMR. We have collaborated as a team to build a better MLS/AI method in our pipeline which has aided in correctly treating patients in the hospitals the team are working with.

“We have discussed the work with experts in the field, been invited to international meetings to communicate our work, submitted/presented five posters, these will be submitted to peer reviewed journals in 2026. This has enabled our network to apply for further funding to hopefully continue the excellent work that began through the continued support from iiCON.”

The Tackling Infections programme also funded a project to develop a comprehensive roadmap of the microbiome eco-system within the Liverpool City Region – supporting innovators looking to engage with the microbiome capabilities available.

It enabled the creation of a multidisciplinary network consisting of experts capable of developing and validating mathematical models to create novel strategies for effective disease control. While an innovative community-based participatory research project to improve knowledge of antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance in migrant, refugee, and asylum seeker populations in Liverpool also received support and funding.

The 11 successful projects were:

1. Progression of the development of a scalable blood test to determine heterosubtypic immunity to avian influenza by start-up Immunoserv.

2. Progression of the development of a one stop sputum-free diagnostic for Tuberculosis by researchers at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

3. Mapping of an open innovation network to drive commercialisation of microbiome research in the Liverpool City Region by the innovation investment company, LYVA Labs.

4. Progression of the development of a diagnostic for AMR in bodily fluid samples by University of Lancaster spin-out CCI Photonics.

5. The development of a network to create new mathematical models and approaches to disrupt infectious disease transmission led by researchers from the University of Stirling.

6. Progression of the development of a robust self-disinfecting coating to reduce transmission of pathogens via touch surfaces in hospitals and beyond led by researchers at University of Bristol.

7. Progression of the development of a coating which has the potential to protect fibres from contamination by Monkeypox virus through a project led by researchers at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

8. Progression of The Comprehensive Understanding of disease and AI Research (CURE) project by researchers at St Georges University of London, which aims to build a comprehensive data landscape on infectious diseases, focusing on AMR, mapping existing data and determining where gaps exist.

9. Progression of the development of an infection model based on multi-layer vascularised skin-on-a-chip for the evaluation of antibacterial products by researchers at the University of Liverpool.

10. Progression of the development of the development of a novel class of inorganic immune therapeutics by SME iuvantium.

11. Delivery of a community-based participatory research project to improve knowledge of antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance in migrant, refugee, and asylum seeker populations in Liverpool by researchers at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.