About The DEVOTE Programme
A multidisciplinary collaboration bringing together academic and clinical excellence from across Greater Manchester's innovation ecosystem.
Why Time Critical Genomic Testing Matters
The DEVOTE Programme, which stands for Development and Validation of Technology for Time Critical Genomic Testing, is a multidisciplinary collaboration that draws on academic and clinical expertise from across Greater Manchester. The initiative was created in response to a fundamental challenge in modern healthcare: while genetic information can significantly improve clinical decision-making, the tests required to obtain that information are frequently too slow for practical use in urgent care settings.
Traditional genetic tests often require weeks before results become available. For patients in time-sensitive situations, such as those who have just experienced a stroke, this delay renders conventional genomic approaches impractical. Emerging technologies now offer the possibility of delivering clinically relevant genetic results in minutes rather than weeks, but translating these innovations from laboratory prototypes into validated, deployable NHS tools demands coordinated effort across many specialisms.
The programme addresses this translational gap by creating a structured pathway that connects research discovery with clinical implementation. Based at The University of Manchester, and supported by Health Innovation Manchester in partnership with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, the programme builds on the region's established strengths in genomics, precision medicine, and health innovation.
Connecting Discovery to Patient Benefit
The programme's vision is to create a replicable model for translating genomic technologies into routine clinical practice. By demonstrating that rapid, accurate genetic testing can be integrated into existing NHS workflows, the DEVOTE Programme aims to establish a blueprint that can be adopted across other healthcare systems and disease areas.
Central to this vision is a commitment to reducing health inequalities. Greater Manchester is home to diverse communities, and the programme recognises that genomic diagnostics must be inclusive, affordable, and accessible to all patients regardless of ethnicity, geography, or socioeconomic status. Each project within the programme incorporates this principle into its design, development, and evaluation phases.
The programme also seeks to strengthen Greater Manchester's position as a global centre for health innovation by creating jobs, attracting investment, and fostering partnerships between the public sector, academia, and the life sciences industry.
A Consortium of Clinical and Academic Experts
The DEVOTE Programme brings together a consortium of clinical and academic experts whose combined experience spans genomics, health economics, implementation science, material sciences, health informatics, organic chemistry, regulatory science, and research governance. With decades of collective experience in the development, validation, assessment, and implementation of new technologies within the NHS, the team is uniquely positioned to navigate the complexities of translational research.
The programme is coordinated by Health Innovation Manchester and led by The University of Manchester. Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust serves as a key clinical partner, providing access to patient populations and real-world testing environments across its network of hospitals and specialist centres.
Industry partners, including diagnostics companies and biotechnology firms based in and around Manchester, contribute commercial expertise in product development, manufacturing, and regulatory certification. This close integration between academic, clinical, and commercial stakeholders ensures that every technology developed through the programme has a clear pathway to market and to patient benefit.
Supported by Innovate UK
The DEVOTE Programme is funded by Innovate UK, the United Kingdom's national innovation agency, as part of the Greater Manchester Innovation Accelerator programme. This initiative invests in transformative research and development projects designed to accelerate regional economic growth and strengthen the UK's position in high-value sectors including health, advanced materials, and artificial intelligence.
Significant additional investment has been leveraged through partnerships with businesses across life sciences, digital industries, and creative sectors. This co-investment model reflects the collaborative spirit that underpins the programme and demonstrates the confidence of industry partners in Greater Manchester's capacity to deliver meaningful health innovation.
Interested in Collaborating?
The DEVOTE Programme welcomes enquiries from researchers, clinicians, and industry partners who share the goal of advancing genomic diagnostics for patient benefit.
Contact the Team