Interventional Science
Interventional Science
The Centre's ambition is to support novel technologies bringing solutions to unmet needs along the patient journey. In early detection, we focus our efforts on bringing the continued development of ultrasensitive low-cost devices to detect specific early disease signals, supported by clinical positioning and adoption strategies. We will bring to the clinic novel interventions as well as improving standards, such as in surgery to optimise surgical precision through robotics, imaging and margin monitoring tools. As modern devices need heavy data processing and analysis, we will support both hardware and software development through our Data Science initiative to connect new devices to achieve real-time analysis and smarter processing. For novel interventions, we will continue to develop technologies and methodologies to improve strategies for local control of advanced-stage cancers. Through our Clinical Development initiative, we expect to accelerate new drug and medical device approvals. To drive uptake and adoption of our innovations within the NHS, we wish to address the regulatory challenges associated with novel interventions. We provide expertise in Implementation Science, Human Factors and Health Economics.
Interventional Science focuses on creating innovative clinical devices, technologies, and tools to improve cancer diagnosis, treatment, and therapy monitoring. It emphasises precision and personalised care, aiming to enhance early detection, therapy effectiveness, and real-time treatment assessment. A key goal is ensuring these innovations meet real-world clinical needs by collaborating with patients, clinicians, and practitioners to refine designs based on their experiences. Efforts span the entire patient journey, from diagnostics to post-treatment monitoring, including technologies for home use to reduce hospitalisation and improve quality of life. It also supports methods for better clinical decision-making, such as patient stratification and diagnosis refinement. By integrating these advancements into healthcare systems, Interventional Science seeks to make a tangible impact on cancer care and patient outcomes.
Implementation science focuses on understanding and addressing the challenges involved in integrating research innovations into real-world clinical settings. This discipline ensures that evidence-based technologies, treatments, and interventions effectively transition from development to widespread clinical use, ultimately improving patient outcomes. By exploring factors like human behaviour, organisational dynamics, and systemic barriers, implementation science identifies strategies to optimise adoption, sustainability, and scalability. The Centre prioritises patient benefits through early evidence on clinical utility, cost-effectiveness, and usability. Addressing challenges in real-world implementation, we bridge engineering expertise with healthcare needs, using human factors analysis, patient engagement, health economics, and dissemination sciences to streamline adoption pathways. Key challenges include aligning technologies with specific clinical applications, adapting them for broader cancer use, meeting regulatory and trial requirements, and integrating them into healthcare systems. The Centre facilitates translation by supporting regulatory navigation, clinical positioning, and addressing barriers like funding and industrial scaling. Collaborations with commercial partners enhance scalability, intellectual property management, and market readiness, ensuring promising innovations reach patients efficiently.
If you have any questions relating to the Interventional Science theme please contact Arnaud Legrand (arnaud.legrand@icr.ac.uk / a.legrand@imperial.ac.uk)
