New Theme Leads appointed at NIHR ARC East Midlands

Professor Elizabeth Orton: Building Community Resilience and Enabling Independence

Professor Elizabeth Orton has been welcomed as the new lead for the Building Community Resilience and Enabling Independence theme, succeeding Professor Adam Gordon. Her research focuses on injury epidemiology and prevention across the life course, with a strong emphasis on practical implementation in real-world settings.

Previously, Professor Orton was the lead researcher for the PhISICAL study, investigating the implementation of the Falls Management Exercise (FaME) Programme, leading to the development of the Falls Management Exercise (FaME) Implementation Toolkit, which was funded by the predecessor of NIHR ARC East Midlands.

In addition to her new role, Professor Orton serves as the Chief Investigator for the NIHR PHIRST-Light team and is the Unit Director for Lifespan and Population Health. She also contributes her expertise as a Consultant in Public Health for Leicestershire County Council, enhancing local health initiatives and providing academic support to the Leicestershire NIHR-funded Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC).

Professor Gregory Maniatopoulos: Translating and Implementing Sustainable Service Improvement

Professor Gregory Maniatopoulos has also been announced as the new lead for the Translating and Implementing Sustainable Service Improvement theme, taking over from Professor Natalie Armstrong.

As the Director of the Centre for Healthcare Innovation, Policy and Management at the University of Leicester, Professor Maniatopoulos is committed to improving healthcare practices. He leads a research group focused on fostering collaboration among researchers and healthcare professionals, aiming to implement effective changes in health and social care.

Professor Kamlesh Khunti, Director of NIHR ARC East Midlands, expressed his enthusiasm for the new appointments: “As we begin our 18-month extension period, the expertise of Professors Orton and Maniatopoulos will be vital in helping us implement our projects effectively across both health and social care sectors. 

“Their leadership will be crucial in ensuring that our initiatives not only advance research but also translate into practical improvements for patients and the public.

“We look forward to their leadership in driving our commitment to improving health and care across the region.”