The School of Biological Sciences recognises the importance of participatory research with lived experience partners. Engaging equitably with end users to co-develop research proposals lays the groundwork for more meaningful research outcomes.
We were pleased to organise a number of meetings and workshops with lived experience participants. In June 2023, the Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour Research Theme organised a workshop on 'Lived Experience and Co-production of Research', a training event for scientists to consider how to engage with partners with lived experience of clinical conditions as part of their research programmes.
The workshop included talks from Patient and Public Involvement Leads from Cancer research UK and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundations Trust and an engaging discussion with four panel members with lived experience of clinical conditions.
Panel discussion, 'Lived Experience and Co-production of Research. Illustration by Alex Cagan
Participatory Research Support Fund
In 2023, we launched a new fund to enable our researchers to engage equitably with lived experience participants upstream of funding. The fund is open to all researchers in the School on a rolling basis.
"The input of people with lived experience was really helpful in deciding which projects to include in my grant application. It also helped me to choose between applying to the MRC and the BBSRC. Furthermore, I now have a list of people who have offered to be part of a Lived Experience Advisory Committee if the project gets funded." - Professor Amy Milton (Psychology)
"The meeting with patients and their lived experience was vital to helping answer questions about how to frame our research questions. There was also an emphasis on the importance of studying sex as a variable. Although I was probably going to do it, it was really interesting to hear it so emphatically stated." - Professor Ewan St. John Smith (Pharmacology)
Members of the School can find out more on the School Information Hub.
