Scotland’s Health Research and Innovation Conference: a student perspective

In October, we had the opportunity to attend Scotland’s Health Research Innovation Conference, which brought together researchers, policy makers, and organisations working towards healthcare innovation in Scotland. As MSc students in Science Communication and Public Engagement, we were both nervous and excited for the opportunity to attend.

Some of the nerves came from a lack of background in healthcare, and some came from not knowing what to expect. Through exciting sessions on innovation, new tools and techniques, and opportunities for sector growth, these nerves melted away as we learned more about ongoing work in the space.

Diverse usage of public data

We learned about work drawing from public health data and support groups. Some of the current uses of public data are:

• To better identify people at risk for colorectal cancer.
• Prescribe the correct drugs.
• Develop less invasive methods to identify tumours.
• Develop ethical systems for tissue donation for research.

An area of particular interest in current research is using publicly available genetic data to predict the most effective type and dosage of medication for different patients. This work could potentially make medical treatments more efficient and effective.

Innovation and team science

Professor Lucy Chappell’s opening talk about public health data across the UK highlighted  the importance of collaboration in public health science. She emphasised that investments in research and development are not only profitable, but can improve patient outcomes and job retention. Hearing that Scotland is ahead of the rest of the UK in investing in research data was very exciting for us as well!

Innovation can often mean new technology, but this talk opened our eyes to the multitude of ways that researchers, decision-makers, and organisations across Scotland are redefining the term through cutting-edge partnerships and research methods. Other sessions focused on research being a tool for public good, and how “team science” contributes to better overall health outcomes

The Researcher Access Service – the public’s role in team science

What do we mean by 'team science'? Does this include only researchers and support personnel? Patients? How do science communicators and public engagement practitioners come into play? These individuals are uniquely poised to add value to research teams, maximise public good, and secure continued project support.

Outside of participation in clinical trials, how can researchers and innovators enlist the public as team members?

The public can and should involve themselves in team science, and it was a session on Research Data Scotland’s Researcher Access Service (RAS) that really drove this point home. Public sector data can be a vital tool in contributing to good, impactful research, and can allow the public to serve as team members without volunteering significant time or physical effort as in some clinical trials. As we are new to Research Data Scotland and learn more about RAS every day, this revelation really helped us to understand its impact and the potential for this tool to revolutionise data research and innovation in the UK.

The role of science communicators in health innovation

Science communication is being integrated into a variety of projects, from theatre workshops to patient feedback, and outreach to project participants has been a key part of project success. Whether carried out by a scientist or a science communication practitioner, science communication is vital to the efficacy, understanding, and continuation of public research.