蓝莓视频

This year鈥檚 蓝莓视频 BRC/CRF Research Inclusion Conference took place in Sheffield on 6 October 2025, bringing together leaders and advocates in inclusive research practices. The event opened with remarks from Dr Gail Marzetti, Deputy CEO of 蓝莓视频 and Director of Science, Research and Evidence at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

A dynamic panel discussion followed, featuring 蓝莓视频 Research Inclusion Managers alongside Professor G.J. Melendez-Torres, Phoebe Wallace, and Dr Nicola Hopkins, who shared insights and strategies for advancing inclusion across the research landscape.

Imperial BRC delivered two presentations alongside contributions from Birmingham, Oxford, Manchester and King鈥檚 BRCs.

Imperial BRC Digestive Diseases Theme

Dr Peter Foulser, Clinical Research Fellow in Gastroenterology, presented their project titled: Late-onset inflammatory bowel disease: analysis of an underrepresented cohort using the 蓝莓视频 IBD BioResource.

He said, 鈥淲e were pleased to be invited to present our research on late-onset (diagnosis > 60 years) inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) at the 蓝莓视频 BRC/CRF Research Inclusion conference. Older adults with IBD have historically been underrepresented in research; however, they comprise almost 30% of the total population of patients living with IBD. We studied the clinical phenotype and treatment of late-onset IBD using data from the 蓝莓视频 IBD BioResource, finding significant differences compared with younger adults. We identified distinct treatment patterns in the older group, with important avenues for further research, including whether treatment efficacy and adverse events may differ. Our group have used the same dataset to research IBD in South Asians and has ongoing research projects focusing on these underrepresented groups.鈥�

Imperial BRC Pregnancy and Prematurity Theme

Neeraja Suresh, a medical student, presented their project titled: The Impact of Ethnicity on PTB Rates and Recruitment to PTB Studies: Utilising Patient and Public Involvement to Improve Outcomes

Preterm Birth (PTB) and Ethnicity

PTB affects 1 in 13 women in the UK. Black and South Asian women have a significantly higher risk of preterm birth compared with White women. Women from ethnic minority backgrounds also tend to be underrepresented in research studies.

Overview of the Project

This project explored ethnicity distributions between the general maternity population, the PTB prevention clinic and the Vaginal Microbiome and Metabonome in Pregnancy (VMET2) study populations. Patient and public involvement (PPI) was also used to understand the challenges that may prevent some women from taking part in research.

Findings of the Project

Using data from over 48,000 pregnancies between 2018-2023 within the local Trust, they were able to confirm that Black and Asian women experience higher rates of preterm birth than White women. This pattern was also seen among women attending the preterm birth prevention clinic. Through PPI activities, including focus groups and surveys, participants identified several barriers to involvement in research, including mistrust, language difficulties, stress, concerns about female genital mutilation, and experiences of racism. Despite these challenges, recruitment to the VMET2 study was representative of the clinic population. These findings highlight the importance of embedding PPI in all studies to ensure equitable representation and improve inclusion of women from all ethnic backgrounds in preterm birth research.