Knowledge Synthesis is a research methodology that aims to provide reliable summaries to
- identify which care interventions work best, for whom and at which cost;
- identify 'proven changes' that should occur within the care services; and
- identify gaps where further research is required.
Our Knowledge Synthesis Programme focuses on high-quality research, including patient experiences, to inform healthcare professionals, policymakers and service users across a wide range of healthcare, social care and public health interventions. The programme relies on skilled research staff with well-established expertise in the conduct of complex evidence syntheses, comprising mixed-method and multi-method designs, and health technology assessments, which incorporate economic modelling.
Our research activity is generally multidisciplinary involving partners from a range of disciplines and institutions. Patient involvement is actively encouraged particularly through the integral involvement of consumer groups. Among our clients there is the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Current Project Highlights
- Aberdeen Health Determinants Research Collaborative (AHDRC). Award ID: NIHR150995 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR150995
- Evaluating the Development and Impact of AI-Assisted Integrity Assessment of Randomised Trials in Evidence Syntheses. Funder ESRC.
- Factors that influence free school meal uptake and subsequent dietary choices in children: A systematic review based on the Socio-Ecological Model Framework. Award ID: NIHR170809 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR170809
- Improving hormonal treatment for men with infertility due to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Award ID: NIHR207215 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR207215
- Improving pre-funding peer review to increase the informativeness of randomized trials (INFORM)
- Interventions to reduce the impact of flooding on people with long-term health conditions in high-income countries. Award ID: NIHR177974 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR177974
- NIHR Challenge: Maternity Inequalities – innovating to improve inclusive intersectional individualised informed care, the ’i6 Project’ https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/nihr-challenge-maternity-disparities-consortium-members-announced
- Planning mode of birth in routine Antenatal care development of a decision-aid (Plan-A). Award ID: NIHR150979 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR150979
- Research in Europe and Diversity Inclusion (READI) is public-private partnership funded by the Horizon Europe Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) and driven by meaningful co-leadership with patients.
- Risk Stratification in Breast Cancer Screening. Award ID: NIHR177152 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR177152
- Acalabrutinib with bendamustine and rituximab for untreated mantle cell lymphoma [ID6155]. Award ID: NIHR170786 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR170786
- Sotatercept for pulmonary arterial hypertension [ID6163] Award ID: NIHR166802 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR166802
- Zanidatamab for treating HER2-positive advanced biliary tract cancer [ID6388] Award ID: NIHR176697 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR176697
Recently Completed (only those most recently completed are listed below)
- Better collaboration for better health: building trustworthy and sustained collaboration with diverse ethnic communities to improve equity and health outcomes. Award ID: NIHR205177 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR205177
- Clinical utility of biomarkers for outcomes prediction in adults with suspected sepsis presenting to the emergency department. Award ID: NIHR159912 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR159912
- Digitally enabled therapy for chronic tic disorders and Tourette Syndrome in children and young people. Award ID: NIHR136022 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR136022
- Duration of Wound coverage for the prevention of surgical site infections after surgery. Award ID: NIHR167859 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR167859
- Risk-adapted breast imaging in population breast cancer screening programmes. Award ID: NIHR164221 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR164221
- Fruquintinib for previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer [ID6274]. Award ID: NIHR136274 https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR136274
- Tislelizumab for treating unresectable advanced oesophageal squamous cell cancer after platinum-based chemotherapy [ID4070] https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/TA1068
