AI diagnosis, Global MBA success and Royal honour for Rein: News from Imperial

Professor Rein (L) received the Order of Isabella the Catholic in Spain

Here’s a batch of fresh news and announcements from across Imperial.

From AI diagnosis to a new scholarship for Sikh students, and research linking COVID and asthma, here's some quick-read news from across Imperial.

Guillermo reigns in Spain

The King of Spain has awarded an Imperial Professor the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic.

This is a prestigious honour recognising outstanding contributions to Spain and its international presence. Professor Guillermo Rein, a leading fire scientist at Imperial and Head of Research in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has been recognised for his pioneering research in fire science and fire engineering.

During the ceremony at the Spanish Embassy in London, Professor Rein said: “I am immensely proud that the work of an engineer is being recognised with this distinction. Engineering transforms the world and helps build a safer and better future”.

Technician representation

Aneesha Bhumber, Teaching Technician in the Faculty of Medicine, has just been appointed as Technical Representative to the UK Technical Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Network (TEDIN) Committee, which is part of the UK Institute for Technical Skill & Strategy (ITSS). This important group ensures that the work of the ITSS (the national institute for technicians) reflects the EDI needs of the technical workforce in the Higher Education sector.

Aneesha co-chairs Imperial 600, the university’s LGBTQIA+ staff and postgraduate student network and represents technical staff on Imperial’s EDI Forum. She is currently working with the People and Organisational Development team as the first Technical Staff Specialist. In this role, thanks to Enhancing Research Culture funding, Aneesah is focusing on Technician Commitment initiatives that aim to build greater visibility and connectivity across our technical community.

Sikh students’ scholarship

A new scholarship will support financially disadvantaged Sikh students pursuing a Master's degree at Imperial.

The scholarship honours Imperial Alumnus Dr Narinder Singh Kapany (PhD Physics 1955) - widely known as the ‘father of fibre optics’, whose pioneering work laid the foundation for high-speed internet and pulse oximetry - and his wife Satinder Kaur.

"My parents dedicated their lives to education, innovation and service to the community. Their belief in the power of knowledge to uplift and transform lives is at the heart of this scholarship,” said daughter Kiki Kapany.

“I hope it provides aspiring Sikh students at Imperial with the support they need to pursue their dreams and continue the legacy of curiosity, creativity, and generosity that defined their lives.”

Search “The Satinder Kaur and Dr Narinder Singh Kapany Scholarship” at our scholarship page or contact student.funding@imperial.ac.uk.

Menosense wins Hackstarter 2025

A hormone monitoring device has won Hackstarter 2025, with a compact bone health scanner named runner-up.

Hackstarter prototyping programme enables students and staff to develop early-stage products that address real-world challenges. Teams refine their ideas at Advanced Hackspace, before presenting them to a panel of judges to secure follow-on support.

Professor Nick Jones, Director of I-X Centre for AI in Science and Professor of Mathematical Sciences, said: “The creativity and technical skill on display were impressive. We are confident that these innovations have the potential to progress further and look forward to seeing how they develop."

Developed by Karina Cheng and Donna Pu, winning idea ‘Menosense’ is an at-home menopause hormone monitoring device using saliva-based testing to provide real-time results. Inspired by Cheng’s mother’s experience with menopause, the team aims to make hormone tracking more accessible.

The runner-up is a compact, low-cost osteoporosis scanner that uses laser precision technology to improve early diagnosis by Alessandro Liuzzi-Jones.

Learn more how both projects reflect Imperial’s mission to drive real-world impact through innovation.

COVID-19 lung damage

Scientists have mapped how lung damage progresses during COVID-19 at cellular level, offering hope for more effective therapies. Using single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, researchers analysed lung tissue from patients to uncover the molecular changes driving the disease.

The study revealed distinct phases of damage, starting with early-stage immune responses that later lead to scarring (fibrosis). A key finding was the dysfunction in mechanisms that break down blood clots, leading to vessel blockages - a hallmark of severe disease.

Dr Sam Barnett, co-first author from Imperial’s National Heart and Lung Institute, explained, “This defect in clot breakdown offers a potential therapeutic target to restore blood flow to lung tissue.” Dr Michela Noseda, co-senior author added, “This successful study is the result of a strong culture of team-science, bringing together diversity of thought required to explore disease effectively”.

Read the study in Nature Communications and about previous work.

Asthma, COPD link

Having asthma increases the risk of developing irreversible lung impairment and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) - a potential long-term scenario for asthma patients.

Researchers from the National Heart and Lung Institute analysed data from 3,701 participants across 15 countries over nine years. People with bronchodilator responsiveness, a key asthma diagnostic marker, had a 36% higher risk of developing COPD later in life, even where initial lung function was normal. The effect was mainly seen in women, where the risk was 45% greater. Lifelong non-smokers were also affected.

Study author Dr Ben Knox-Brown said, “Our findings reveal a crucial link between asthma and COPD, emphasising the importance of early, effective asthma management to prevent long-term lung damage.”

Co-author Dr André Amaral said, “This is the first population-based study to show even lifelong non-smokers with asthma can develop COPD later in life. Finding ways to prevent it is crucial.”

Read more in The Lancet eClinicalMedicine.

Blood infection AI diagnosis

AI models could support healthcare professionals to make decisions about which patients are at greater risk of bacterial bloodstream infections while being treated in hospital.  

Researchers used over 20,000 blood samples from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust data to investigate whether these models could predict who is at greater risk of developing infections. 

Identifying patients who are higher risk of infections more quickly than standard tests would help doctors to use the most appropriate treatments. Since one of the main treatment routes is antibiotics, this would help to reduce unnecessary prescribing as a strategy to help tackle antibiotic resistance.

Dr Damien Ming, first author from Imperial’s Department of Infectious Disease said: “We analysed routine healthcare data to train our AI model, which allows us to predict serious bacterial infections in patients quicker than existing lab tests. This could mean faster diagnosis, quicker treatment and smarter antibiotic use – crucial for better patient care and fighting antimicrobial resistance." 

Read more in Lancet Digital Health.

Global Online MBA is world #2

Our Global Online MBA has been ranked 2 in the world in the Financial Times' Online MBA 2025 rankingfor the second consecutive year in a row. The programme is also ranked #1 in the UK for international mobility, reflecting its global reach and impact.

Students access Imperial’s renowned expertise in business and technology through an online learning environment from anywhere in the world. Alumnus David Weir shared with the Financial Times how the diverse student community enriched his experience, and Imperial has the highest percentage of international faculty in these rankings.

“We are delighted by this recognition of the immense value and success of our students, faculty, and alumni. Their contributions continue to drive our excellence as we work together to shape the next generation of global leaders,” said Leila Guerra, Associate Provost for Digital Lifelong Learning at Imperial College London and Vice Dean (Education) at Imperial College Business School.

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