Winner of our David Bromham Seed Research Fund 2022 competition announced

We're pleased to announce the winning research project of our David Bromham Seed Research Fund competition.

Dr Michelle Cooper, working alongside Liz Hughes and Lois McKellar, at NHS Lothian/University of Edinburgh, have won £4,500 to support their research project that focuses on the creation of a mental health and menopause expert group. 

Michelle explains how she will be using the funding to support her aims: 

"The funding will be used to establish a new UK-wide interdisciplinary research network with a specific focus on menopause and mental health, and to conduct preliminary research through a national survey of specialist clinicians.

The network will bring together a group of clinicians, researchers and individuals with experience of living with menopause and mental illness from across the UK. This seed funding will allow us to formally establish the network, engage people with lived experience and host exploratory and priority-setting workshops."

We asked Michelle to explain why funding this project is so neccesary:

"Menopause is a condition that affects half the population but its effect on mental health and pre-existing mental health illness is poorly understood, and current management does not adequately meet the needs of individuals affected by these conditions."

The competition aims to support the development of sexual and reproductive healthcare research ideas. Dr David Bromham was a previous President of the FSRH and left us a gift after his death, so an award could be given in his name.

"We are really honoured to have been awarded this year’s David Bromham Seed Research Fund. Our hope [with the network] is that this could lead to better health information and treatment options for individuals affected by these conditions."
Dr Michelle Cooper

Keep an eye on our website awards page and our social media channels for more information on our awards and bursaries.