The Research Development Fund was launched in February 2021 to fund projects that contribute to the development of clinical research, in turn leading to further research activity. Applications in this second round of funding were scored on their potential value in aiding the development of future research activity, importance and relevance of the clinical question being developed, methodological rigour, likelihood of completion and value for money.

The BHF CRC are pleased to announce that 5 applications were successful, covering a variety of clinical cardiovascular specialities and themes.

The successful projects included:

• Pilot implementation of an AI algorithm in routinely-collected UK primary care electronic health records (EHRs). This algorithm can reduce the number of screenings needed for new atrial fibrillation cases in people ≥75 years of age to 11 whilst the national AF screening programme may prevent 10% of strokes and save the NHS £200 million per year.
• Preparatory work including some initial data collection and feedback on trial design ahead of a funding application for a registry-based Randomised Controlled Trial (R-RCT) of furosemide versus bumetanide for the treatment of patients recently hospitalised with decompensated heart failure (FAB-HF).
• Development of pragmatic methodology and intervention components ahead of a proposed multi-centre randomised controlled trial that compares patient centred ambulatory care supported by remote monitoring to usual outpatient clinic care for those with ACHD, by repurposing existing resources.
• A Cochrane Network Meta-Analysis of transcatheter versus surgical treatments of secondary MR (sMR). The project will compare evidence from randomised controlled trials to better identify sMR patient subgroups who would benefit most from the respective interventions.
• The project aims at establishing a database of cardiovascular patients using HES and linked mortality data. This database will be used to model trials in silico which in turn be used to inform funding applications for clinical trials that address priority research questions in cardiac surgery.

The next round of funding for the Research Development Fund will open later in 2022