Interview with Hayley Morris

With a background in medical device development working at the University of Oxford, Hayley has joined the NIHR Devices for Dignity team to work on incorporating mental health and wellbeing research across the existing D4D portfolio Mental Health Funding Boost – NIHR Devices 4 Dignity MIC (devicesfordignity.org.uk). We spoke about Hayley’s background and new role at Devices for Dignity.

“Welcome to the Devices for Dignity team! You’ve worked in a number of different roles throughout your career, what led you to work in MedTech innovation?”

I started my career with an undergraduate in Biomaterials Science and Tissue Engineering, which gave me a solid background in Regenerative Medicine and interdisciplinary approaches to assist repair or replacement of damaged tissues of the body, and restore normal function.

Following on from this I worked in small SME’s in medical device development, notably working with implantable silk biomaterials on the development of vascular grafts for haemodialysis, primarily these appointments were based in an early-stage R&D setting where the design and development of the product is being established.

I then progressed to working on the translation of two novel medical implants (intended for rotator cuff repair) at the University of Oxford. Aims were to take the product from academic research setting to the Clinic, establishing Quality Management System procedures for the products and navigating the relevant regulatory and design and development pathways to effectively evidence the pre-clinical safety and performance of the devices.

“What are you looking forward to in this role?”

I’m incredibly excited by the opportunity to be part of D4D, to broaden out my experience into the wider MedTech space and be positioned at the interface between healthcare services, academia and industry.

I’m especially excited in the crossover between our core themes looking at how technology interventions can help individuals with interconnecting conditions, in particular strengthening the connections between mental and physical health.

At devices for dignity there is a real focus on improving health care outcomes for individuals over a long duration, not just the acute phases of a condition. I’m motivated by this approach to help people live life well, for longer.