The Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) are proud to announce the inaugural Tessa Jowell Allied Health Professionals (AHP) Research Fellows. As the UK’s first national programme dedicated to AHP-led research in neuro-oncology, the Fellowships mark a pivotal step in strengthening brain tumour care across the UK.
People living with brain tumours face profound physical and psychological challenges, yet rehabilitation and supportive care remain under-researched and inconsistent across the UK. Launched in June 2025, with £400,000 of funding by the NIHR,the Tessa Jowell AHP Research Fellowships aim to address this by equipping AHPs with the skills, confidence and protected time to lead high-quality applied research in neuro-oncology. This inaugural cohort marks an important step towards closing long-standing evidence gaps in brain tumour care.
The two successful Fellows are Alice Franklin who is a Senior Specialist Physiotherapist at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, Teesside University; and Sharon Fernandez who is a Research Radiographer, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
Both Fellowships will last up to four years. They were awarded following a highly competitive, national and deliberately developmental application process, supported by committee with expertise across neuro-oncology, allied health practice, research and lived experience.
About the Fellows: Research focused on unmet needs in brain tumour care
People diagnosed with high-grade brain tumours often face intensive treatments with significant physical and psychological impact. Alice Franklin’s research will explore how prehabilitation — support delivered before and during treatment — can better prepare patients for treatment, improve quality of life, and inform more consistent, evidence-based approaches to care across the UK.
Radiotherapy is a core component of treatment for glioblastoma, yet patients and caregivers often report feeling under-prepared for what to expect. Sharon Fernandez’s project will work with patients, caregivers and professionals to co-design a framework to support more personalised, meaningful and accessible radiotherapy education, addressing a critical gap in supportive care.
Professor Waljit Dhillo, Dean of the NIHR Academy and NIHR Scientific Director for Research Capacity and Capabilities said: “This is a vital investment from the NIHR, and we’re delighted to welcome two AHP fellows to help make a real difference in improving brain tumour care across the UK.
“It’s a devastating disease that impacts patients and families and NIHR’s partnership with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission supports the government’s National Cancer Plan to transform cancer care.
“Upskilling the workforce to increase research will play a key role in improving treatment and driving innovation. I’m excited to see the impact this research will have on improving patients’ quality of life by providing more personalised and supportive care.”
Dr Helen Bulbeck, Director of Services brainstrust said: “People affected by brain tumours consistently tell us that supportive care matters just as much as treatment. brainstrust is proud to support the PPIE for this programme, making sure lived experience meaningfully informs research that will change how people live well with a brain tumour.
A uniquely developmental programme
A defining feature of the Fellowships is the developmental application process, designed not only to identify and develop high-quality research projects, but to actively support applicants with limited research experience. A select group of applicants received detailed verbal and written expert feedback to refine their proposals, alongside funding and Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) support delivered by programme partner brainstrust. All applicants who submitted an expression of interest received tailored feedback and guidance on next steps to support their ongoing research development.
Thirteen expressions of interest were received from applicants across eight UK centres and five AHP disciplines. Four candidates progressed to intensive project development, culminating in two Fellowship awards and two projects being re-routed to NIHR funding pathways with competitive projects.
Applicants consistently described the process as confidence-building and uniquely supportive:
“Feedback was incredibly useful and the depth and time given by the committee to give the feedback was really appreciated and seemingly unusual. My supervisors were delighted to have such clear feedback and stated they wished other applications gave this.” – Applicant
“The process helped to re-ignite my passion for research to improve patient outcomes and made me feel like this is possible in the clinical context.” – Applicant
Reflecting on the inaugural cohort, Dr Stephen Wootton, committee member, said:
“These Fellowships represent an ambitious and important step forward for neuro-oncology. By investing in Allied Health Professionals and supporting them through a genuinely developmental process, we are building the next generation of clinical academics and strengthening the evidence base for rehabilitation and supportive care.”
The Tessa Jowell AHP Research Fellowships will continue to play a central role in TJBCM’s mission to improve quality of life for everyone affected by brain tumours, ensuring that, in the words of Dame Tessa Jowell, patients can “live well with cancer, not just die of it”.
About the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission
The Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission is a non-profit dedicated to improving treatment, care and research for brain cancer. We bring together medical and health professionals, charities, industry, the NHS and Government, to deliver change. Our Centres of Excellence programmes recognise and share best practice in neuro-oncology. Our Academy, with more than 1,500 members, provides training and networking in the sector. We have a programme to accelerate new treatments, and offer fellowships. We are data driven, and were founded in 2018, following a campaign by the late Dame Tessa Jowell.
The Mission is funded by and partnered with: ACT for Cancer | Brain Tumour Research | The Brain Tumour Charity | Brain Tumour Support | brainstrust | Brainwaves NI | Cancer Research UK (CRUK) | Cancer Research Wales | Ymchwil Canser Cymru | Children with Cancer UK | Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity | Tessa Jowell Foundation | NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) |
About the National Institute for Health and Care Research
The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research.
We do this by:
- funding high quality, timely research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care
- investing in world-class expertise, facilities and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services
- partnering with patients, service users, carers and communities, improving the relevance, quality and impact of our research
- attracting, training and supporting the best researchers to tackle complex health and social care challenges
- collaborating with other public funders, charities and industry to help shape a cohesive and globally competitive research system
- funding applied global health research and training to meet the needs of the poorest people in low and middle income countries
NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care.
Our work in low and middle income countries is principally funded through UK international development funding from the UK government.
