Research News

AFIRM Study

AFiRM Study Participant Newsletter - Summer 2026

The AFiRM study has reached an important milestone, with all MRI scans now completed. This marks a significant stage in the study, and the research team is now concentrating on analysing the imaging data collected from participants throughout the project.

New research study led by outstanding UHDB colleague aiming to address health inequalities in Deaf communities

Researchers at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (UHDB) are leading a new study to tackle long-standing health inequalities in the Deaf* community - having been awarded over £100,000 from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). 

Led by Dr Anna Selby PhD, Research and Postgraduate Manager at the Pulvertaft Hand Centre, the research will bring together a partnership between UHDB, the University of Leeds and University of Sheffield, and two Derby-based charities – Communication Unlimited and the Royal School for the Deaf Derby (RSDD). The study is taking a fully participatory approach, ensuring that Deaf people are not just research subjects but active partners in shaping healthcare improvements.

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