Professor Ronjon Chakraverty explains the work of his Blood and Transplant Research Unit, which seeks to accelerate the accessibility and clinical use of novel cellular therapies, with a particular focus on the patients’ perspectives of these new technologies.

Our National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Blood and Transplant Research Unit (BTRU) in Precision Cellular Therapeutics is based at the University of Oxford and University of Birmingham and has been running now for 4 years. The programme supports 7 research groups, including 11 early career researchers, and is strongly aided by a committed patient group who bring expertise through their lived experience. Our research aligns to the broader NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) Strategy in relation to supporting both innovation and the development and scaling of new cell therapies that can be delivered in the NHS.

The overall aims of our BTRU are twofold: first, we are seeking to accelerate the translation of novel advanced cell therapies into the clinic, as well as ensuring their wide accessibility across the UK population; second, we want to understand the impact of these new technologies from the perspective of patients. These aims are being addressed through 3 work packages, which are explained below.