Shaped in Sheffield, improving lives everywhere
6 March 2026
The city of Sheffield’s world-leading invention and ingenuity are being celebrated in a new campaign by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which aims to showcase the impact of public investment in research and innovation.
The projects have all received investment from UKRI, the UK’s largest public body investing in research and innovation, with a budget of around £9bn a year to advance knowledge, improve lives and drive growth in the UK.
One of the projects featured in the campaign is Professor Jim Wild’s pioneering MRI technology using xenon gas, which is been used to make scans safer and more accurate for children with lung conditions. It is also paving the way for faster diagnosis and better treatment for conditions such as asthma and cystic fibrosis.
The new technique uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with xenon gas to create scans of the air in the lungs in unprecedented detail, with no radiation.
Children and young people being cared for at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust are the first in the UK to access this breakthrough technology as part of cutting-edge research being undertaken at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital.
Sarah, whose five-year-old daughter Zoe lives with bronchiectasis, said:
"Having access to the MRI lung imaging facility before and after her treatment allowed us to gain a much clearer understanding of what was happening in her lungs and, crucially, how effective the treatment was at that time.
"The results guided us in a different direction, meaning Zoe was spared unnecessary invasive procedures that could have impacted her life. We now have a clearer picture of how Zoe’s lungs are functioning, and this advanced imaging allows us to track changes with far greater precision, giving us the tools to support the best possible outcomes for her lung health as she grows into adulthood."
Groundbreaking advancements
This technology and its translation is the result of over 25 years of research by the POLARIS MRI team and the Insigneo Institute, is a collaboration between the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust and Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Decades long partnership between the university and NHS organisations has led to this groundbreaking advancement, helping children, young people and adults receive world-class care.
Also featured is the S-Press, invented by Sheffield-based physiotherapist Jennifer Turner who came up with the idea after more than 22 years working in NHS rehabilitation.
The S-Press is a portable leg strengthening device helping patients recover leg strength quicker and earlier, helping to reduce hospital stays.
Her work to develop the concept was supported by focus groups, design reviews and trials with clinicians and researchers across the region. This included Devices for Dignity: The NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in long term conditions, a national innovation organisation hosted by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, whose advice shaped the design of key components and helped ensure the device was safe, practical and comfortable for vulnerable patients.
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has a strong track record of research and innovation, and continues to be at the forefront of many medical advancements which are adopted across the UK and internationally.
