Paediatrics and Child Health Technology Conference

2-3 December 2026 | Sheffield, UK & Online

Please note that this event is supported by industry sponsorship, including pharmaceutical and medical technology companies. Sponsors have no influence over the agenda or the selection of speakers, except for sponsored sessions which will be clearly labelled in the programme.

Confirmed Speakers

DAY ONE

PROFESSOR PAUL DIMITRI

Director
NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Paediatrics and Child Health

Director of Innovation
Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust

Vice President for Science and Research
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

CHAIR

Professor Paul Dimitri is the Director of Innovation and a Consultant in Paediatric Endocrinology at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. He is Professor of Child Health Technology at the University of Sheffield and Professor of Child Health at Sheffield Hallam University. Professor Dimitri’s research spans child health technology, paediatric endocrinology, and skeletal development, and he is widely published in these fields.

Professor Dimitri is the Director of the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Paediatrics and Child Health and the Vice President for Science and Research at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, shaping the national research agenda and policy for child health across the UK through strategic partnerships. He was the NIHR National Children’s Specialty Lead from 2016-2024 leading 15 networks to position the UK as a global leader in child health research.

Professor Dimitri is leading on the development of the National Centre for Child Health Technology, a global first 42,000 ft2 centre bringing together industry, universities, healthcare professionals, children and young people and their families to develop the most advanced healthcare technologies for children worldwide.

PROFESSOR ANDREW TAYLOR

Director of Innovation
Great Ormond Street Hospital

Professor of Cardiovascular Imaging
University College London

SEMINAR
“AI in Paediatric Health – How do we see through all the hype and noise?”

Professor Andrew Taylor is the Director of Innovation at GOSH, responsible for the Digital Research, Innovation & Virtual Environments (DRIVE) unit, the Cell & Gene Therapy manufacturing facility, and a new Paediatric Innovation hub. He has recently been appointed as the lead for the Applied Child Health Informatics Theme in the NIHR GOSH Biomedical Research Centre.

He has held University and Hospital leadership and management roles over the last decade.

Clinically, he is an expert in cardiovascular imaging and has established the Centre for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging at GOSH, and has held a variety of University and Hospital leadership and management roles over the last decade.

Areas of expertise:

  • Use of data and AI in healthcare (including data & AI governance)
  • Use of virtual reality, computer modelling, and 3D rapid prototyping in healthcare
  • Development of new cardiovascular medical devices
  • Cardiovascular imaging in congenital and acquired heart disease
  • Medical leadership and management

DR TAMSIN HOLLAND BROWN

Clinical Lead
NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme

Paediatrician
Cambridge East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust

SEMINAR
“Innovations emerging from the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme (CEP) and how to join the CEP for those with new ideas”

Tamsin is a paediatrician in Cambridge, and clinical lead for the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme. She is founder of Paediatric HealthTech Ltd and the Hear Glue Ear app and product which led to work in Malawi and joining the World Health Organisation’s ‘world hearing forum’. She is Entrepreneur in Residence at Anglia Ruskin University and part of the RCPCH (Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health) digital committee.

ALEXANDRA NORRISH

Managing Director
Children’s Hospital Alliance

Development Director
Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust

SPOTLIGHT
“Child Health in England and the Implications for Research”

Alexandra Norrish holds a dual role as Development Director at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, and as Managing Director of the national Children’s Hospital Alliance, which brings together specialist children’s hospitals in England and Northern Ireland. She has worked in the NHS since 2014, with a focus on innovation, collaboration between acute providers, and improving access to care. Prior to moving to the NHS she worked for 15 years in the civil service, in the Department of Health, Cabinet Office and Number 10.

DR LUIS FERNANDEZ-LUQUE

Research Director
Adhera Health, Spain

SPONSORED SEMINAR
“Supporting the Journey: Digital Health for Children and Families in Diabetes and Growth Hormone Care”

Luis Fernández-Luque, PhD is co-founder of Adhera Health where he leads the company’s activities across Europe. He has two decades of experience in digital health, combining artificial intelligence, behavioral science and human-centered design to build solutions for families managing chronic pediatric conditions, including type 1 diabetes and growth hormone disorders.

His career spans research roles in Spain, Norway, Qatar and the United States, alongside close collaboration with pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and universities across Europe, Asia and North America on digital health research and implementation. He holds an h-index of 41 with over 100 publications in the field.

At Adhera Health, this experience translates into digital programs that support families through the emotional and practical dimensions of chronic-condition care, combining clinical grounding with real-world partnerships and everyday usability for children and caregivers.

DR PAULA VAN DOMMELEN

Scientist
The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO)

SPONSORED SEMINAR
“From Conversations to Clinical Insights: Using AI to Support Patient Care”

Dr. Paula van Dommelen is a scientist at The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). Her work focuses on developing technological innovations and data-driven solutions to improve child health worldwide. She develops innovative statistical methods, personalized child healthcare applications, decision support systems, youth healthcare guidelines, and implementation strategies, and conducts research on both mental and physical child health.

DAY ONE

PROFESSOR PAUL DIMITRI

Director
NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Paediatrics and Child Health

Director of Innovation
Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust

Vice President for Science and Research
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

CHAIR

Professor Paul Dimitri is the Director of Innovation and a Consultant in Paediatric Endocrinology at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. He is Professor of Child Health Technology at the University of Sheffield and Professor of Child Health at Sheffield Hallam University. Professor Dimitri’s research spans child health technology, paediatric endocrinology, and skeletal development, and he is widely published in these fields.

Professor Dimitri is the Director of the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Paediatrics and Child Health and the Vice President for Science and Research at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, shaping the national research agenda and policy for child health across the UK through strategic partnerships. He was the NIHR National Children’s Specialty Lead from 2016-2024 leading 15 networks to position the UK as a global leader in child health research.

Professor Dimitri is leading on the development of the National Centre for Child Health Technology, a global first 42,000 ft2 centre bringing together industry, universities, healthcare professionals, children and young people and their families to develop the most advanced healthcare technologies for children worldwide.

PROFESSOR ANDREW TAYLOR

Director of Innovation
Great Ormond Street Hospital

Professor of Cardiovascular Imaging
University College London

SEMINAR
“AI in Paediatric Health – How do we see through all the hype and noise?”

Professor Andrew Taylor is the Director of Innovation at GOSH, responsible for the Digital Research, Innovation & Virtual Environments (DRIVE) unit, the Cell & Gene Therapy manufacturing facility, and a new Paediatric Innovation hub. He has recently been appointed as the lead for the Applied Child Health Informatics Theme in the NIHR GOSH Biomedical Research Centre.

He has held University and Hospital leadership and management roles over the last decade.

Clinically, he is an expert in cardiovascular imaging and has established the Centre for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging at GOSH, and has held a variety of University and Hospital leadership and management roles over the last decade.

Areas of expertise:

  • Use of data and AI in healthcare (including data & AI governance)
  • Use of virtual reality, computer modelling, and 3D rapid prototyping in healthcare
  • Development of new cardiovascular medical devices
  • Cardiovascular imaging in congenital and acquired heart disease
  • Medical leadership and management

DR TAMSIN HOLLAND BROWN

Clinical Lead
NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme

Paediatrician
Cambridge East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust

SEMINAR
“Innovations emerging from the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme (CEP) and how to join the CEP for those with new ideas”

Tamsin is a paediatrician in Cambridge, and clinical lead for the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme. She is founder of Paediatric HealthTech Ltd and the Hear Glue Ear app and product which led to work in Malawi and joining the World Health Organisation’s ‘world hearing forum’. She is Entrepreneur in Residence at Anglia Ruskin University and part of the RCPCH (Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health) digital committee.

ALEXANDRA NORRISH

Managing Director
Children’s Hospital Alliance

Development Director
Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust

SPOTLIGHT
“Child Health in England and the Implications for Research”

Alexandra Norrish holds a dual role as Development Director at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, and as Managing Director of the national Children’s Hospital Alliance, which brings together specialist children’s hospitals in England and Northern Ireland. She has worked in the NHS since 2014, with a focus on innovation, collaboration between acute providers, and improving access to care. Prior to moving to the NHS she worked for 15 years in the civil service, in the Department of Health, Cabinet Office and Number 10.

DR LUIS FERNANDEZ-LUQUE

Research Director
Adhera Health, Spain

SPONSORED SEMINAR
“Supporting the Journey: Digital Health for Children and Families in Diabetes and Growth Hormone Care”

Luis Fernández-Luque, PhD is co-founder of Adhera Health where he leads the company’s activities across Europe. He has two decades of experience in digital health, combining artificial intelligence, behavioral science and human-centered design to build solutions for families managing chronic pediatric conditions, including type 1 diabetes and growth hormone disorders.

His career spans research roles in Spain, Norway, Qatar and the United States, alongside close collaboration with pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and universities across Europe, Asia and North America on digital health research and implementation. He holds an h-index of 41 with over 100 publications in the field.

At Adhera Health, this experience translates into digital programs that support families through the emotional and practical dimensions of chronic-condition care, combining clinical grounding with real-world partnerships and everyday usability for children and caregivers.

DR PAULA VAN DOMMELEN

Scientist
The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO)

SPONSORED SEMINAR
“From Conversations to Clinical Insights: Using AI to Support Patient Care”

Dr. Paula van Dommelen is a scientist at The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). Her work focuses on developing technological innovations and data-driven solutions to improve child health worldwide. She develops innovative statistical methods, personalized child healthcare applications, decision support systems, youth healthcare guidelines, and implementation strategies, and conducts research on both mental and physical child health.

© 2026 NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Paediatrics and Child Health