UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration (UK LLC) Webinar About the Webinar:Join us for a webinar showcasing the UK LLC's brilliant resources. Learn about UK LLC’s unique pan-UK infrastructure and understand its high utility for respiratory and I&I studies. Attendees will gain insight into the production of high-quality codelists, best practices in data cleaning and harmonisation, and practical examples of applied research.The session will also clarify the UK LLC data access process, helping researchers understand how to engage with and benefit from this national resource. Speaker Biographies:Andy Boyd (University of Bristol)Andy is the Director at UK LLC and is responsible for its overall operation and strategic direction. Andy’s 22 years with Children of the 90s study (ALSPAC) has provided him an array of experience through his various roles, from Information Security Manager to Data Programmer. Thishas allowed him specialised knowledge in designing data and governance infrastructure needed for linking participants in Longitudinal Population Studies with routine records to augment cohort study databanks. Andy also works part-time with Health Data Research UK. Robin Flaig (University of Edinburgh)Robin is the Co-Director at UK LLC and holds strategic responsibility for applications, communications, public involvement and Scottish data linkages. Robin has been with the University of Edinburgh for over 20 years and has extensive experience working with Longitudinal PopulationStudies and data linkage. Robin’s previous role as a Programme Manager with UK BioBank and now as Operations Manager with Generation Scotland has allowed her to understand the complexities around linking Longitudinal Population Study data across the four nations. Prior to working with data linkage, Robin was the Audit Coordinator for the Scottish Stroke Care Audit working to improve the care of patients who have suffered a stroke. Stela McLachlan (University of Edinburgh)Stela is a Research Manager at UK LLC and is responsible for the management of the application process, lead contact for applicants and finance management responsibilities. Stela has over 17 years of research and data management experience, 14 of which with the University of Edinburgh. Managing Edinburgh-based cohorts, Stela was part of a collaboration of longitudinal population studies that looked at genetic factors influencing cardiometabolic disease (UCLEB Consortium). Stela’s research interest is in genetics of red blood cell traits and iron metabolism. As data manager,she has experience in data cleaning, QC, data harmonisation and database design. She also worked on a project that aimed to improve the recognition of patients with multimorbidity attending hospital in NHS Lothian. Professor Sir Aziz SheikhProfessor Sir Aziz Sheikh is the Nuffield Professor of Primary Care Health Sciences and Head of Department at the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences. He remains closely affiliated with the Usher Institute at the University of Edinburgh, where he previously led the development of the EAVE surveillance platform—one of the most comprehensive national-scale health data resources in the world, created in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. EAVE links GP, vaccination, testing, sequencing, hospitalisation, prescribing and mortality data across 99% of Scotland’s population, enabling rapid responses to public health and policy questions. Sir Aziz is also the Study Lead for EAVE II, which uses comprehensive health data from nearly the entire Scottish population to track COVID-19 and assess vaccine effectiveness in real time, providing evidence that has directly informed Scottish and UK government pandemic responses. Sir Aziz has served as an adviser to UK and international governments and organisations including the World Health Organization and the World Bank. He is a Fellow of nine learned societies, including the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and holds editorial roles with several major journals. He was appointed OBE in 2014 for services to medicine and health care and received a knighthood in 2022 for services to Covid-19 research and policy. Dr Luke DainesDr Luke Daines is a GP and data scientist specialising in prediction modelling, primary care informatics, respiratory disease, and long COVID. He completed his GP training in 2015 and holds a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, where he now works as a preclinical lecturer. His work has informed national asthma guidelines and led to the development of clinical decision support software for asthma diagnosis, supported by Asthma + Lung UK and Innovate UK. Dr Daines contributes to major national studies on long COVID, including PHOSP-COVID and EAVE II, and combines research with clinical practice at Murieston Medical Practice. Dr Ting ShiDr Ting Shi is a Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Edinburgh and a big data specialist in global respiratory epidemiology. She holds a PhD and MPH from Edinburgh and a medical degree from Peking University. Her research focuses on major respiratory pathogens such as RSV, influenza, and COVID-19, using large-scale linked health data and international collaborations. She currently leads projects on risk profiling, post-infection complications, early-life exposures and asthma, vaccine effectiveness, and dynamic modelling of healthcare impact.Dr Shi has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles in leading journals including The Lancet and Nature Medicine, and works closely with policy bodies such as WHO, JCVI, and the Gates Foundation. She is an Academic Editor for PLOS Global Public Health and serves on several academic and advisory committees. Resources: Visit the UK LLC website: https://ukllc.ac.uk/ Explore the data: https://explore.ukllc.ac.uk/ View the data documentation and TRE userguide: https://guidebook.ukllc.ac.uk/docs/welcome.html Apply to access: https://apply.ukllc.ac.uk/ Subscribe: Sign up for UK LLC Insights and updatesUK LLC is led by the Universities of Bristol and Edinburgh, with partners UCL, Swansea University, City St George’s University of London, and the University of Leicester. UK LLC has a key infrastructure partnership with Population Research UK and is funded by UKRI, MRC and ESRC. Nov 17 2025 09.30 - 10.30 UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration (UK LLC) Webinar This session will highlight the expert co-development between I&I/CARRii and UK LLC, designed to produce a comprehensive, well-documented resource that supports efficient, policy-responsive research across the UK. Microsoft Teams
UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration (UK LLC) Webinar About the Webinar:Join us for a webinar showcasing the UK LLC's brilliant resources. Learn about UK LLC’s unique pan-UK infrastructure and understand its high utility for respiratory and I&I studies. Attendees will gain insight into the production of high-quality codelists, best practices in data cleaning and harmonisation, and practical examples of applied research.The session will also clarify the UK LLC data access process, helping researchers understand how to engage with and benefit from this national resource. Speaker Biographies:Andy Boyd (University of Bristol)Andy is the Director at UK LLC and is responsible for its overall operation and strategic direction. Andy’s 22 years with Children of the 90s study (ALSPAC) has provided him an array of experience through his various roles, from Information Security Manager to Data Programmer. Thishas allowed him specialised knowledge in designing data and governance infrastructure needed for linking participants in Longitudinal Population Studies with routine records to augment cohort study databanks. Andy also works part-time with Health Data Research UK. Robin Flaig (University of Edinburgh)Robin is the Co-Director at UK LLC and holds strategic responsibility for applications, communications, public involvement and Scottish data linkages. Robin has been with the University of Edinburgh for over 20 years and has extensive experience working with Longitudinal PopulationStudies and data linkage. Robin’s previous role as a Programme Manager with UK BioBank and now as Operations Manager with Generation Scotland has allowed her to understand the complexities around linking Longitudinal Population Study data across the four nations. Prior to working with data linkage, Robin was the Audit Coordinator for the Scottish Stroke Care Audit working to improve the care of patients who have suffered a stroke. Stela McLachlan (University of Edinburgh)Stela is a Research Manager at UK LLC and is responsible for the management of the application process, lead contact for applicants and finance management responsibilities. Stela has over 17 years of research and data management experience, 14 of which with the University of Edinburgh. Managing Edinburgh-based cohorts, Stela was part of a collaboration of longitudinal population studies that looked at genetic factors influencing cardiometabolic disease (UCLEB Consortium). Stela’s research interest is in genetics of red blood cell traits and iron metabolism. As data manager,she has experience in data cleaning, QC, data harmonisation and database design. She also worked on a project that aimed to improve the recognition of patients with multimorbidity attending hospital in NHS Lothian. Professor Sir Aziz SheikhProfessor Sir Aziz Sheikh is the Nuffield Professor of Primary Care Health Sciences and Head of Department at the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences. He remains closely affiliated with the Usher Institute at the University of Edinburgh, where he previously led the development of the EAVE surveillance platform—one of the most comprehensive national-scale health data resources in the world, created in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. EAVE links GP, vaccination, testing, sequencing, hospitalisation, prescribing and mortality data across 99% of Scotland’s population, enabling rapid responses to public health and policy questions. Sir Aziz is also the Study Lead for EAVE II, which uses comprehensive health data from nearly the entire Scottish population to track COVID-19 and assess vaccine effectiveness in real time, providing evidence that has directly informed Scottish and UK government pandemic responses. Sir Aziz has served as an adviser to UK and international governments and organisations including the World Health Organization and the World Bank. He is a Fellow of nine learned societies, including the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and holds editorial roles with several major journals. He was appointed OBE in 2014 for services to medicine and health care and received a knighthood in 2022 for services to Covid-19 research and policy. Dr Luke DainesDr Luke Daines is a GP and data scientist specialising in prediction modelling, primary care informatics, respiratory disease, and long COVID. He completed his GP training in 2015 and holds a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, where he now works as a preclinical lecturer. His work has informed national asthma guidelines and led to the development of clinical decision support software for asthma diagnosis, supported by Asthma + Lung UK and Innovate UK. Dr Daines contributes to major national studies on long COVID, including PHOSP-COVID and EAVE II, and combines research with clinical practice at Murieston Medical Practice. Dr Ting ShiDr Ting Shi is a Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Edinburgh and a big data specialist in global respiratory epidemiology. She holds a PhD and MPH from Edinburgh and a medical degree from Peking University. Her research focuses on major respiratory pathogens such as RSV, influenza, and COVID-19, using large-scale linked health data and international collaborations. She currently leads projects on risk profiling, post-infection complications, early-life exposures and asthma, vaccine effectiveness, and dynamic modelling of healthcare impact.Dr Shi has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles in leading journals including The Lancet and Nature Medicine, and works closely with policy bodies such as WHO, JCVI, and the Gates Foundation. She is an Academic Editor for PLOS Global Public Health and serves on several academic and advisory committees. Resources: Visit the UK LLC website: https://ukllc.ac.uk/ Explore the data: https://explore.ukllc.ac.uk/ View the data documentation and TRE userguide: https://guidebook.ukllc.ac.uk/docs/welcome.html Apply to access: https://apply.ukllc.ac.uk/ Subscribe: Sign up for UK LLC Insights and updatesUK LLC is led by the Universities of Bristol and Edinburgh, with partners UCL, Swansea University, City St George’s University of London, and the University of Leicester. UK LLC has a key infrastructure partnership with Population Research UK and is funded by UKRI, MRC and ESRC. Nov 17 2025 09.30 - 10.30 UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration (UK LLC) Webinar This session will highlight the expert co-development between I&I/CARRii and UK LLC, designed to produce a comprehensive, well-documented resource that supports efficient, policy-responsive research across the UK. Microsoft Teams
Nov 17 2025 09.30 - 10.30 UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration (UK LLC) Webinar This session will highlight the expert co-development between I&I/CARRii and UK LLC, designed to produce a comprehensive, well-documented resource that supports efficient, policy-responsive research across the UK.
