Dr James Scuffham, a Clinical Scientist working in the Medical Physics Department at the Royal Surrey County Hospital (RSCH), has been awarded a research fellowship by the Chief Scientific Officer for England.

The award, supported by the National Institute for Health Research, is designed to develop research capacity within the NHS, and provides funding for research for patient benefit. 

James' Fellowship is one of fifteen awarded to healthcare scientists nationwide this year. James will begin his three-year postdoctoral project in September, and will be working jointly at RSCH and at the University of Surrey.  His project will investigate the use of novel radiation detectors in functional brain imaging.  The aim is to develop new scanning technology that will aid improved diagnosis of degenerative brain disorders such as Parkinson's disease.

The CSO Healthcare Scientists Research Fellowship Programme has been established by the Chief Scientific Officer for England, supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The programme supports the development of healthcare scientist research capacity and capability building, by providing funding to undertake research for patient benefit.

The Fellowships will support NHS Healthcare Scientists in England who already have some research experience and wish to bridge clinical or service careers and research. 

There are two award levels:

• funding for individual doctoral level research and to undertake a PhD
• funding for individual postdoctoral research projects

Fellowships must be undertaken with the support of the relevant NHS line-manager and an appropriate academic partner. The research proposed must be of direct relevance to the NHS with the potential to improve service or clinical outcome.