Sheffield Children’s turns red to celebrate huge impact of clinical research

We’ve turned Red4Research today to celebrate everyone who makes research possible here at Sheffield Children’s and to highlight the impact research has on creating healthier futures for children and young people.

Evidence shows that being excellent at research and innovation goes hand in hand with providing the best healthcare outcomes for our patients, offering earlier access to cutting-edge care and new treatments.

Research can help with things like studying back braces for scoliosis, supporting trials to help tackle food allergies, finding new ways to measure things like stress hormones without needles and blood tests, and help find the best way to protect babies from viruses.

Here at Sheffield Children’s, we are incredibly lucky to have world-class researchers including doctors, nurses, radiographers, pharmacists, psychologists and physiotherapists, leading on world-class research in several specialties.

Our commitment to research and innovation over the past year alone includes:

• Launching the only National of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Commercial Research Delivery Centre (CRDC) in the UK dedicated to delivering commercial clinical trials treating children and young people in April 2025.
• Securing funding for research, including an incredible £5 million investment from Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity in 2024.
• Over 300 clinical trials and research studies involving nearly 1,200 patients.
• Hosting the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre (HRC) in Paediatrics and Child Health’s annual Health Technology Conference in June 2025.
• Research trials in a range of clinical specialties including Neurology and neuro-disability, Metabolic Bone, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, Rheumatology, Allergy, Oncology and Haematology, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Ophthalmology, Respiratory and Infectious Disease.

Gillian Gatenby, Associate Director for Research and Innovation at Sheffield Children’s said: “Our patients and their families know that research-active hospitals, where the latest innovations are available, are where they will receive the best care and the best outcomes.

“Clinical research isn’t just about advancing science – it’s about offering our patients quicker access to new treatments and cutting-edge therapies, while enabling clinicians to stay at the forefront of discovery. By advancing knowledge and practice, clinical research can transform the lives of children and young people now and in the future.”

Stuart Gormley, Lead Nurse for Research and Innovation added: “I want to say a huge thank you to all our staff across Sheffield Children’s for their support in making research happen – it really is a team effort.

“I also want to thank our patients and their families who take part in research every day. None of this fantastic work would be possible without you. Every research study and clinical trial helps us get closer to achieving our goal of providing a healthier future for children and young people, both here in Sheffield and beyond.”

We are currently recruiting to a number of trials. Discover how you can be part of shaping the future through research on our website at www.sheffieldchildrens.nhs.uk/research/take-part-in-research/