Award is incredible milestone “but the real reward is saving lives”
08 Oct 2026
Manchester cancer research team awarded prestigious NIHR20 Impact Prize for transformative contributions to the health and wealth of our nation.
The Team Womb collective has been awarded a prestigious NIHR20 Impact Prize for their work’s real-world impact, including directly influencing new national clinical guidelines.
The team includes researchers at our University and at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC): Manchester.
Their research led to the roll out of a new genetic testing programme that identifies people with Lynch syndrome who are at higher risk of womb, bowel and other cancers.
“Winning the NIHR20 Research Team Impact Prize is an incredible milestone for our team, but the real reward is knowing that our work on Lynch syndrome is actively saving lives,” said Professor Emma Davidson, Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Co-Theme Lead at NIHR BRC: Manchester and head of the Team Womb collective.
“Moving from research to real-world clinical practice means fewer missed diagnoses and a clearer pathway to cancer prevention for families affected by womb cancer. We are extremely grateful to the NIHR for this honour and for supporting research that delivers a tangible, lasting impact on families.”
She added: “This award belongs to the entire team and the patients who inspire our work every day.”
Research excellence to impact
Team Womb’s work directly supports our University’s strategy, From Manchester for the world, namely the leaps: Research excellence to impact and A university to partner with. And it's a perfect example of our Research Delivery Plan priority to catalyse outstanding research and impact by working with partners locally, nationally and globally and use our research strengths and scale to create new knowledge that tackles world problems, delivers meaningful benefit and leads to transformative change.
Lynch syndrome is a genetic condition that runs in families and can significantly increase the risk of developing cancer. It affects around 1 in 300 people, with most unaware that they have it.
The team’s research led to new NICE guidance recommending Lynch syndrome testing for everyone with womb cancer and eligible family members. This has increased testing rates and reduced waiting times, enabling around 1,000 more people each year to access cancer prevention strategies, such as bowel cancer screening.
Most importantly, it is allowing people to make informed decisions about their health. Helen, who tested positive for Lynch syndrome, said: “I can now take steps to reduce my chance of getting other cancers and, crucially, my family have all been tested too."
Team Womb includes Dr Rhona McVey, Dr James Bolton, Dr Louise Gorman, Ms Nadira Narine, Professor Emma Davidson, Professor Katherine Payne, Dr Neil Ryan, Professor Gareth Evans, Dr Durgesh Rana and the late Professor Ray McMahon who sadly died in 2025.
For more details of the research, read the full story at: NIHR20 Impact Prize