Poster: UK-CIC PPI Panel

At the UK-CIC virtual conference, 'Collaborative Covid Immunology', members of the UK-CIC Patient and Public Involvement panel presented a poster on the role of PPI within UK-CIC. Members of the consortium and wider immunology community attending the conference were able to ask our PPI representatives, Robert Jasper and Lynn Laidlaw, about their role and the impact they have had on the research taking place.

Title

Patient and Public Involvement: Providing a bridge between lived and lab experience in UK-CIC

Summary/Abstract

Given the widespread impact of COVID-19, ensuring the research of UK-CIC is relevant and accessible to the public is crucial to the overall success of the project. The Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Panel have led this effort, with their lived experiences and knowledge providing an invaluable source of expertise to UK-CIC researchers, demonstrating the importance and benefits that PPI can bring to basic research.

Research direction in UK-CIC has been influenced by interactive discussions with the PPI panel, ensuring outputs provide relevant public benefit in a constantly evolving situation. By actively engaging with their communities, the PPI representatives have brought UK-CIC research to a much wider audience in an accessible way highlighting the usefulness of basic immunology research to the public.

Here we present the ways through which collaboration between patient and public representatives and research is fostered along with evidence of the impact that this collaboration can achieve within and beyond UK-CIC. We hope this inspires UK-CIC researchers to continue engaging with the panel.

Authors

Lynn Laidlaw, Patient & Public Involvement representative
Bob Jasper, Patient & Public Involvement representative
Laura Anderson, British Society for Immunology
Erika Aquino, British Society for Immunology

Patient and public involvement (PPI): Providing a bridge between lived and lab experience in UK-CIC

Methods: Our PPI panel has ten members with a diversity of knowledge and experience. They engage with UK-CIC researchers at monthly meetings and are represented on the Advisory Board.

Results: 'For the public' section on the UK-CIC website; Platform for two-way dialogue; Public summaries for research papers; Public webinar; Informative videos; Research that is aligned with public interests

Conclusions: PPI can impact greatly on basic immunology research when given the opportunity to do so.

For more information on the Patient & Public Involvement panel, go to our About section on PPI. For any other questions on the role of PPI within UK-CIC, you can contact Erika Aquino by email.