HealthTech at Aston

Transforming health through technology

We’re advancing health innovation that transforms lives - from pioneering new medical technologies to improving everyday healthcare systems. Our researchers are tackling the most pressing health challenges through collaboration, creativity, and cutting-edge science. Whether you’re interested in digital health, diagnostics, or biomedical innovation, you’ll find a vibrant, interdisciplinary research community that’s shaping the future of healthcare.

Shaping tomorrow's health, today

Our HealthTech researchers are making a real-world impact – improving patient outcomes, enabling earlier interventions, and transforming how healthcare is delivered; from pioneering a world-first precision formulation process for inhaled and vaccine medicines to advancing membrane science that could unlock new treatments for brain injury and disease. Each breakthrough is powered by collaboration and curiosity. Meet the people behind the discoveries.

Professor Roslyn Bill

Transforming medicine with innovative membrane science.

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Professor Jackie Blissett

Transforming approaches to healthy eating for children.

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Professor Afzal Mohammed

New technologies for medicine manufacture.

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Professor James Wolffsohn

An enhanced vision: putting patients at the heart of optometry practice.

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Professor Anna Hine

Driving a new generation of antibody research.

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Research Spotlight

Discover how our projects are delivering impact - from developing smart prosthetics and advanced eye treatments to understanding health inequalities and enhancing mental wellbeing. Aston’s research turns ideas into solutions that improve lives.

Aston University and Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust sign collaboration MoU

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SPARK The Midlands seeks health tech researchers for the third cohort of the support network

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Aston University receives funding from Muscular Dystrophy UK for overlooked muscle-wasting condition

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How toxic are softgel capsules?

Style of social media use may be connected to your wellbeing

Alzheimer’s drug Donanemab isn’t a miracle cure – and withholding it from the NHS may be the right decision

Hear from our experts

Our researchers are redefining what’s possible in health innovation. From AI-assisted diagnosis to next-generation therapeutics, their expertise bridges academia, clinical practice, and industry. Explore their insights and see how Aston is leading change across the health ecosystem.

Childhood Epilepsy and CBD Research | Prof. Gavin Woodhall and Dr Stuart Greenhill

Discover how CBD (cannabidiol) can help control seizures in children with drug-resistant epilepsy. This groundbreaking research is opening new doors for families who've exhausted conventional treatment options and could transform how we approach paediatric epilepsy care.

Improving Medication Use in Vulnerable Populations | Prof. Ian Maidment

Discover how Professor Ian Maidment is transforming medication use for vulnerable groups - older adults, dementia patients, and those with severe mental illness.

Growing Human Brain Cells to Understand and Treat Neurological Conditions | Prof. Rhein Parri

Professor Rhein Parri reveals the ground-breaking NeuChip project, where his lab grows living networks of human brain cells and records their activity to understand what goes wrong in conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and to test drugs that could lead to new treatments.

Join us as a postgraduate researcher

Hear from our current postgraduate research students and explore our PhD opportunities. Help us improve lives across the globe.

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Working with industry

Learn how we're working with healthcare providers and medtech innovators to develop cutting-edge health solutions. By combining academic expertise with clinical and commercial challenges, we help organisations improve patient outcomes, accelerate innovation, and lead in an evolving healthcare landscape.

Revolutionising hospital hygiene with the Khamsin endoscope cleaner

Aston University and PFE Medical developed a breakthrough endoscope cleaning product, improving infection control and patient safety at Birmingham hospitals.

Enabling independent living through predictive at-home monitoring

Aston University and Legrand Care developed an AI-powered predictive home-monitoring system using sensor data to foresee risks and support older adults.

Leveraging pharmacists to relieve NHS pressure and enhance community health

Partnership with the Pharmacists’ Defence Association explores how pharmacists can deliver more clinical interventions – such as blood pressure checks – to ease NHS pressures and enhance community health.

Bridging research and patient care through SPARK innovation

The UK arm of Stanford’s prestigious SPARK programme brings unmatched expertise in drug, diagnostic, and device development to the UK. Hosted at Aston University and rooted within the West Midlands Health Tech Innovation Accelerator, it connects researchers with expert mentorship, funding networks, and clear pathways to translate lab discoveries into real-world patient solutions.

With SPARK supporting innovators to move ideas from bench to bedside, this unique initiative is accelerating the development of life-changing health technologies and strengthening the UK’s position as a global leader in health innovation.

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Research institutes and centres

Learn about the research centres using technology to improve the world's health

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Research collaborations and NHS partnerships

Aston works closely with NHS partners to co-develop health innovations - from advanced diagnostics and medical devices to behavioural interventions and digital health tools - ensuring real-world impact across clinical care and public health.

Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Aston works with Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to co-create research and innovation projects that improve community health services and tackle local health inequalities.

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Birmingham Women and Children's Hospital

Aston works with Birmingham Children’s Hospital on collaborative projects, including the treatment and diagnosis of pre-school wheeze, wellbeing of paediatric critical care staff and OPM MEG joint research.

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The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust

The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust has been granted university status, recognising its hard work to drive innovation, enhance academic collaborations and invest in research partnerships, bringing a variety of benefits to patients, students, and the local community.

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Royal Orthopaedic Hospital

Aston University and the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital cemented their long standing partnership by jointly appointing their first professor of clinical practice in orthopaedics. This landmark partnership bridges academic research with clinical expertise, strengthening collaboration between both institutions to advance patient care and drive innovation in orthopaedic treatment across the West Midlands.

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Birmingham Health Partners

Aston University was the second university to join Birmingham Health Partners, a strategic alliance uniting academic and NHS institutions across the region. The partnership strengthens collaboration in translational medicine, health data, and clinical research — helping to drive innovation, education, and improved health outcomes across the West Midlands.

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