Three King's academics appointed as NIHR Senior Investigators

24 March 2026

Three King's academics appointed as NIHR Senior Investigators

Three academics from King’s College London have been appointed as NIHR Senior Investigators.

Professors Richard Emsley, Manu Shankar-Hari and Catherine Smith

Professors Richard Emsley, Manu Shankar-Hari and Catherine Smith are amongst the 43 new appointments made in this year’s awards round, which recognises the most prominent and prestigious researchers of applied health and social care. The selected Senior Investigators will help to shape the direction of health, and social care and public health research in the UK over a four-year term.

Professor Richard Emsley

Richard Emsley holds a joint appointment as Academic Director of the King’s Clinical Trials Unit and Professor of Medical Statistics and Trials Methodology in the Department of Biostatistics & Health Informatics in the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience. He was an NIHR Research Professor from 2019 to 2025.

He is the Theme Lead for Trials, Genomics and Prediction at the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre and Director of the NIHR Research Support Service Hub delivered by King’s College London and Partners, which has a specific Hub focus on Mental Health & Neuroscience studies. He is the Director of the Innovative Trials Hub in the Data and Digital Alliance Team, as part of the Office for Life Sciences Mental Health Goals Programme.

I am absolutely delighted to be appointed as an NIHR Senior Investigator. This award reflects the collective effort of many outstanding colleagues and collaborators and reinforces my commitment to improving how we design and conduct innovative clinical trials to improve mental health outcomes.
Professor Richard Emsley

Before joining the IoPPN in January 2018, Richard held a personal Chair at The University of Manchester as Professor of Medical Statistics and was Deputy Director of the then Manchester Clinical Trials Unit.

Professor Manu Shankar-Hari

Manu Shankar-Hari is Professor of Critical Care Medicine in the School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine. His internationally recognised, cross-disciplinary translational research programme spans mechanistic discovery, clinical trials, and clinical practice-changing guidelines, focused on the global challenge of sepsis and sepsis survivorship.

He is also Director of the King’s Health Partners’ Centre for Critical Illness Research in the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine. The Centre aims to improve the care and outcomes of critically ill adults and children through interdisciplinary translational and clinical research, complemented by education to develop the next generation of clinical researchers.

I am deeply honoured to receive the NIHR Senior Investigator Award. Improving outcomes for patients with sepsis and other critical illnesses requires close collaboration between patients, clinicians and researchers, and this recognition reflects the collective effort of many colleagues and partners, who have helped shape my research. I hope this award will help us continue advancing research that improves care for critically ill patients while supporting and mentoring the next generation of clinical researchers.
Professor Manu Shankar-Hari

Professor Catherine Smith

Professor Catherine Smith has been appointed as NIHR Senior Investigator for a second term, after first being appointed in 2022.

She is adjunct Professor of Dermatology & Therapeutics in the School of Basic & Medical Biosciences in the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine at King’s and Consultant Dermatologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

Professor Smith’s research aims to deliver disease remission for people with inflammatory skin disease using data-driven, proactive, inclusive precision medicine strategies, and involves national and international collaboration.

It is a huge privilege and responsibility to be part of such a prestigious group of senior NIHR research leaders. The NIHR has played a vital role in supporting skin disease research, as well as training the next generation of researchers. I very much look forward to continuing this work and driving progress that leads to improved outcomes for patients.
Professor Catherine Smith

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