Ruth Goodridge has been announced as the new Director of the RehabHRC

Ruth Goodridge has been announced as the new Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) HealthTech Research Centre (HRC) for Rehabilitation, leading the centre’s mission to help transform the lives of patients after experiencing life-changing injury, trauma and illness.

Professor Goodridge was previously a research theme lead at the HealthTech Research Centre and has worked closely with her predecessor Professor Daniel Clark OBE, who led the NIHR HRC in Nottingham from its inception in 2024. She also previously led the EPSRC Healthcare Technologies Network+ in Rehabilitation Technologies from 2021-2025, which helped to set the direction of the HRC.

Ruth Goodridge is Professor of Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) at the University of Nottingham and holds an honorary position at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, based in Clinical Engineering and Medical Physics. She has a particular interest in the medical applications of Additive Manufacturing, including assistive and rehabilitation devices.

Professor Goodridge said: “I am delighted to be taking on the role of Director of the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Rehabilitation Technologies. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Professor Daniel Clark for his vision in establishing the HRC and for bringing together a multidisciplinary team dedicated to improving rehabilitation outcomes for patients recovering from serious injury or illness.

“Daniel's expertise in healthcare technology management and innovation, along with his supportive leadership, has made a lasting impact on the HRC and the people who work within it, and it is a privilege to build on the strong foundations he has created. I wish him the absolute best for a happy and well-earned retirement.”

She added: “As director, I will work with the HRC RehabTech team to continue to position the centre as a leading hub for rehabilitation technologies, accelerating the translation of cutting-edge research into real-world impact. We will contribute to a coherent national ecosystem that advances rehabilitation science and practice.

“Through collaboration, inclusivity, and a strong focus on reducing health inequalities, I look forward to supporting the development and adoption of new technologies for rehabilitation and delivering meaningful benefits for patients across the UK and beyond."

Ruth Goodridge has 25 years’ experience in multidisciplinary research into Additive Manufacturing, including a two-year JSPS fellowship held at NAIST, Japan. She works with a range of clinical and industrial partners through research council and industrially funded projects, with current activity working towards creating a national framework for Additive Manufacturing in Healthcare, involving academics, healthcare professionals, industry and policy groups.

Advances in medicine in recent years have led to increased survival rates for patients who need rehabilitation after experiencing significant injuries or illness.

However, this has in turn led to greater and more complex rehabilitation needs. This is where the expertise of the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre (HRC) in Rehabilitation becomes vital in ensuring better outcomes for patients.

Nottingham and the East Midlands region are among the leaders in advanced rehabilitation technology and the HRC and its network of partners and collaborators are well placed to create innovative solutions for patients using a wider range of technologies.

The HealthTech Rehab team will also work with staff at the National Rehabilitation Centre, which is due to open this year, on this mission.

About the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre for Rehabilitation

The HealthTech Research Centre for Rehabilitation brings together the researchers, companies, charities, patients and public to develop technology which helps patients rehabilitate after life changing injury, trauma and illness.

It is funded by the UK government’s health and social care body, the National Institute for Health and Social Care Research (NIHR), with a grant of £2.8 million over five years, starting in 2024.

The centre is hosted by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) and it is based at NUH. It will work closely with the forthcoming National Rehabilitation Centre on its opening. You can find details about our other partners here.

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. Its work in low- and middle-income countries is principally funded through UK international development funding from the UK government.