International Day of Women & Girls in Science

Across the UK, women in the Inflammation and Immunity Driver Programme are spearheading critical research into respiratory and allergic diseases, helping to improve patient care and address global health challenges.

One such trailblazer is Professor Jennifer Quint, Professor of Respiratory Epidemiology at Imperial College London, who is Programme Co-Director (alongside Sir Aziz Sheikh) for the I&I Programme. The programme, funded by Health Data Research UK, is focused on improving data recording and the use of advanced analytics to improve outcomes for people affected by inflammation-mediated diseases.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to improve the quality of data recording and use of data to better respiratory outcomes for people in the UK and to expand this learning to other diseases,” said Professor Quint. “Ultimately, this will have a broad impact on improving healthcare delivery and reducing inequalities.”

The I&I Programme aims to develop a comprehensive system for mapping the epidemiology, healthcare utilisation, and outcomes of common respiratory and allergic conditions across the UK. By integrating machine learning, genetic data, and environmental factors such as pollution and climate, researchers hope to advance predictive algorithms that will improve diagnosis, treatment, and disease management.

Professor Gwyneth Davies, Training Lead for the programme at Swansea University, is dedicated to tackling health inequalities and supporting the next generation of researchers.

“My work focuses on understanding the drivers for health inequalities so that we can develop interventions to target those. The longer-term aim is to reduce inequalities and improve respiratory health. This is relevant to me in my clinical role as lead for a severe asthma service. I also enjoy my role as co-lead for Training for our driver programme, where I draw from my 10 years of experience of leading a UK-wide doctoral training programme in applied asthma research.”

Inflammation-mediated diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), present a significant challenge globally, both in terms of patient well-being and economic burden. The work of researchers in this field is vital in identifying variations in care and health outcomes and finding solutions to bridge these gaps.

Public involvement is also a key aspect of the programme, with experts like Karen Mooney, PPI Lay Lead, highlighting the importance of community engagement.

“Through my involvement in community health training, I gained firsthand insight into the vital role of health data research and its impact. I witnessed the profound influence of women in their communities, as well as their expertise and passion for communication and empowerment within their families."

Similarly, Anna Grosse, PPI Lay Lead, emphasised the impact of public involvement in research:

"The skills I have gained and opportunities I have received through PPI are invaluable. I am lucky to work with such an incredible PPI team that ensures patient and public members are meaningfully incorporated in the research process and beyond. My PPI work has also provided me with vital insight into conducting research, particularly the importance of using lay language for dissemination, as research should be available to all, especially to those who will benefit most.”

Chancellor’s Fellow Dr. Ting Shi is particularly passionate about leveraging big data to improve health outcomes.

“I am an Infectious Disease Epidemiologist and passionate about using big data to understand disease patterns as well as to assess intervention strategies, such as vaccine evaluation. I have been leading the work streams of winter respiratory disease prediction, including the integration of meteorological data to alleviate NHS pressure. As a woman in science, I have learned to multi-task to maintain myself in this fast-moving world with dozens of commitments elsewhere. I also know that it makes a big difference when you do something you love.”

Dr. Holly Tibble, Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, is also contributing to improving respiratory care through data-driven insights.

“My research is primarily focused on how routinely collected health data can be repurposed to improve the efficiency, quality, and consistency of asthma care. I was able to apply my knowledge of respiratory prescription data to help out during the Covid-19 pandemic, which was an incredible opportunity. I am now an affiliated researcher of the I&I driver programme, which gives me the opportunity to network with experts across the UK and to share my learnings to ensure high-quality research is conducted efficiently and with impact. I am lucky to be surrounded by strong, inspiring women who guide me in how to strike the balance between research excellence and a well-rounded personal life.”

For Laura Gonzalez Rienda, Patient & Public Involvement Research & Operations Assistant, ensuring patient voices are heard is a deeply meaningful mission.

“The fact that the team and I give a voice to patients and members of the public in research, who otherwise would have never had anything to do with science, makes me proud. We act as a link between researchers and the people who will benefit from that research. We help our patients and their families realise that what they go through in life, and the conditions they live with, their individual experiences—often of suffering and anguish—matter. We give hope.

I think that being a woman and a mother doing this job really helps. I feel that my nurturing and caring instinct is put to work every day within the job I do.”

Finally, Dr. Hannah Whittaker, Inflammation and Immunity Research Fellow based at Imperial College London, reflected on the importance of representation and mentorship in scientific careers.

“My interests lie in understanding how and why the burden of chronic respiratory diseases differs between groups of people, particularly men and women. My journey as a woman in science has been shaped by working alongside inspiring women, particularly within the Inflammation and Driver Programme, where their dedication and expertise continues to motivate me.”