The University of Westminster and its partners have been awarded £1 million to create a new Centre of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation (CERSI). The Centre will explore the potential of digital health and AI healthcare solutions and investigate how to use them safely in order to push the field forward.
Funded by Innovate UK, the Medical Research Council, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the Office for Life Sciences, the new Centre, named the Regulatory Science Empowering Innovation in Transformative Digital Health and AI (RADIANT), will address the critical need for an evidence-based regulatory framework that supports businesses and innovators, while ensuring that digital health products are safe, secure, inclusive, trusted and sustainable.
The interdisciplinary consortium behind this CERSI, led by Dr Gabriella Spinelli, Reader at Brunel University of London, is comprised of the University of Westminster, King’s College London, University College London, the Imperial College NHS Trust, and three key business collaborators, namely Helix Data Innovation, the venture builder Zinc and the global knowledge provider British Medical Journal Group.
Launching this month, the Centre will focus on building collaborative networks, advancing regulatory innovation and delivering targeted training programmes for innovators, healthcare leaders and regulators to navigate the evolving landscape. The partnership will ensure the Centre’s work extends beyond its initial year and makes lasting contributions to the healthcare sector.
As part of the consortium, Westminster’s Dr Alexander Bolotov, Reader in AI in the School of Computer Science and Engineering, and Dr Emanuela Volpi, Professor of Molecular Cytogenetics and Chromosome Biology in the School of Life Sciences, will be involved in expanding the RADIANT network, connecting key stakeholders and supporting community-led pilot projects.
Dr Bolotov, the Westminster team lead and Academic Turing Liaison, is set to contribute his expertise in software systems, engineering and AI systems, while Professor Volpi will offer insight into precision medicine and interdisciplinarity. Together they will support knowledge-sharing and training initiatives for digital health and AI innovators, particularly in regulatory compliance and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) needs. They will also act as key coordinators for the project's inclusive, cross-disciplinary knowledge exchange networks.
RADIANT is one of seven nationwide CERSIs and its work will be guided by the needs of patients, clinicians, innovators, regulators, policymakers, service providers and academics, ensuring its outputs are inclusive and relevant. The team is supported by an advisory board, including the Association of British HealthTech Industries, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s Healthtech Research Centres and a patient advisory group.
Dr Bolotov said: “This is an exciting opportunity for Westminster to explore new horizons of knowledge exchange within an already quite large RADIANT network of universities, businesses, regulators and other stakeholders.”
Dr Volpi added: “Westminster’s involvement with RADIANT will generate new connections, not only with leading UK universities but also with industry and regulatory bodies. It will mean new opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration and potential funding in the important area of AI and digital health.”
Westminster’s contribution to this CERSI reflects the University’s history of research and innovation for societal benefits and aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3: Good Health and Wellbeing, 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about studying at the School of Computer Science and Engineering and the School of Life Sciences at the University of Westminster.
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