The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has announced the first recipients of the Tessa Jowell Allied Health Professionals (AHP) Research Fellowships, marking the launch of the United Kingdom’s first national programme dedicated to AHP-led research in neuro-oncology.

The fellowships are managed by the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission and funded with Euro 400,000 by NIHR. The initiative aims to strengthen research in rehabilitation and supportive care for brain tumour patients—areas that have historically been under-researched despite the significant physical and psychological challenges faced by people living with the disease.

Introduced in 2025, the fellowship programme is designed to equip allied health professionals with the skills, resources and protected time needed to conduct high-quality applied research in neuro-oncology. The inaugural cohort represents a significant step toward addressing evidence gaps and improving care standards for brain tumour patients across the UK.

Two researchers have been selected for the first cohort following a competitive selection process supported by a multidisciplinary committee including experts in neuro-oncology, allied health practice, research and patient experience.

The fellows include Alice Franklin, Senior Specialist Physiotherapist at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Senior Lecturer at Teesside University, and Sharon Fernandez, Research Radiographer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Each fellowship will run for up to four years.

Franklin’s research will focus on improving rehabilitation support for patients with high-grade brain tumours. Her work will examine how interventions delivered before and during treatment can better prepare patients for therapy, enhance quality of life and contribute to more consistent, evidence-based care across the UK.

Meanwhile, Fernandez’s project will address gaps in patient education surrounding radiotherapy, a core treatment for glioblastoma. Her research will collaborate with patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals to co-design a more personalised and accessible radiotherapy education framework.

According to NIHR leadership, the fellowships represent an important investment in research capacity aimed at improving outcomes for patients living with brain tumours. The programme also aligns with broader efforts to transform cancer care under the UK government’s national cancer strategy.

The fellowship initiative attracted 13 expressions of interest from applicants representing eight UK centres and five allied health disciplines. Four candidates advanced to the project development stage, resulting in two fellowship awards, while two additional projects were directed toward other NIHR funding pathways.

Programme leaders emphasised that the initiative is designed to be highly developmental, providing applicants, particularly those with limited research experience with structured feedback, mentoring and patient and public involvement support through the charity brainstrust.

By strengthening the research capacity of allied health professionals, the programme aims to build a new generation of clinical academics while improving the evidence base for rehabilitation and supportive care in neuro-oncology.