BHP’s health inequalities lead awarded prestigious NIHR Research Professorship
Our health inequalities theme lead Professor Joht Singh Chandan – from the University of Birmingham’s Department of Applied Health Sciences – has been awarded one of six prestigious NIHR Research Professorships by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
As the NIHR’s flagship award for leading researchers, this Professorship is highly prestigious and supports individuals with an outstanding track record of applied health and care research to undertake high-impact work that will shape the future of healthcare in the UK and beyond.
Professor Chandan was recognised last year as the youngest clinical professor in the UK, bringing extensive expertise across the fields of violence against women and girls, maternal health, and public health, especially addressing health inequalities in underserved communities. Most recently, he has been announced as the co-lead of the NIHR’s new Challenge Maternity Disparities Consortium bringing together nine UK universities with the aim of tackling inequalities in maternity care. Professor Chandan retains a longstanding commitment to advancing research, policy and practice in these critical areas, with work that has shaped national conversations for vulnerable populations.
“I’m deeply honoured to receive this NIHR Research Professorship,” Professor Chandan said. “Violence against women and children is one of the greatest public health challenges of our time, and survivors deserve a healthcare system that truly listens, understands, and responds to their needs. This award will allow me to work alongside individuals, families, and communities affected by violence to co-produce a more trauma-informed and equitable NHS – helping to build safer, more supportive services for everyone affected by violence.”
The five-year Research Professorship award includes funding for research costs, a leadership development programme, and support for building a research team. It is designed to strengthen the UK’s capacity for world-leading applied health research and ensure that discoveries are rapidly translated into practice.
This new professorship will enable Professor Chandan to work closely with survivors of violence to close the gaps between them and avenues of support such as local authority settings and the NHS. This work is undertaken with a view to expanding this work nationally, building research capacity, and helping to create safer, more supportive, and informed healthcare services for survivors of violence.
Despite growing awareness, significant gaps remain in the support of survivors of violence within healthcare systems. Further research is urgently needed to develop evidence-based interventions, improve service accessibility, and ensure that care is both trauma-informed and culturally sensitive for those from underserved communities. Professor Chandan also co-leads the NIHR Global Health Research Group on Violence Against Women and Children, which brings together researchers and practitioners across eleven countries to share learning and develop scalable solutions, ensuring that insights from the UK inform, and are informed by, global efforts to tackle violence.
Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Executive Officer of the NIHR and Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care, said: “I am delighted to welcome this new cohort of NIHR Research Professors. As well as recognising individual excellence, these awards are a strategic investment in our research leadership across health, social care and public health.
“I look forward to seeing the positive impact of these awardees’ research and leadership across major health and care challenges.”
NIHR Research Professorships are among the UK’s most prestigious career development awards. The awards are focussed on translating into real world impact. The 10 Year Health Plan recognised the need for research and innovation to be integrated into health and care practice.
NIHR Research Professors combine their academic roles with professional practice. They provide a crucial link between research and the delivery of health, social care and public health services, driving the implementation of evidence-based improvements that address key health and social care challenges.