Professor Miles Witham, senior academic researcher and theme lead for the Newcastle Biomedical Research Cente (BRC), has been appointed a Senior Investigator by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)

The NIHR has recently announced the new appointment of 43 researchers to Senior Investigator, recognising the most prominent and prestigious researchers of applied health and social care across the UK.

Among the new appointments is Professor Miles Witham, a Newcastle BRC funded specialist in Clinical Trials for Older People, co-Lead of the BRC’s Ageing, Sarcopenia and Multimorbidity Theme, BRC Academic Lead for Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE), and NIHR Newcastle Clinical Research Facility co-Director.

Members of the Senior Investigator community will:

  • Influence national research plans
  • Act as a mentor and role model for early-career researchers
  • Lead impactful health and social care and public health research
  • Act as an ambassador across health, public health, and social care and public health systems
  • Help develop research capacity and talent in underrepresented groups, specialities, and areas

Responding to news of the award, Professor Witham said:

“I am delighted to be named as an NIHR Senior Investigator, and I look forward to continuing to support and grow the research community whilst leading research that improves the health and wealth of the UK. It is also great to see colleagues from across our NIHR funded infrastructure here in Newcastle named in this latest round of awards. This award reinforces the visibility and importance of our work here in Newcastle to enable more people to age in good health and to address the health and care needs of people living with sarcopenia and with multiple long-term conditions”

Professor Justin Durham, Dean of Research and Innovation for the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Newcastle University and a member of the BRC’s Skin Disease, Oral Disease and Immunogenomics theme, has also been appointed a Senior Investigator.

Further information:

NIHR Senior Investigators 2026 announcement
NIHR Senior Investigator award