Giving to Glasgow

Cutting-Edge Spaces Power Ground-Breaking Research 

Tackling health inequalities is a key priority for the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, and donations like yours are helping teams at UofG by supporting spaces and research that have the potential to close the gap and build a fairer future. 

Professor Deborah Cairns is the Director of the Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory, a multidisciplinary research group focused on understanding the health inequalities experienced by people with learning disabilities. The group also develops, evaluates and implements interventions to address these challenges and collaborates with colleagues across MVLS to improve health outcomes, as well as delivering a programme of world class, post-graduate teaching. 

“People with learning disabilities face substantial health inequalities, dying 20 years prematurely, with a higher proportion of avoidable deaths compared with the general population,” explains Professor Cairns.

 “One of the most common avoidable mortalities in people with learning disabilities is cancer, as many cancers are considered either preventable or treatable.”   

Professor Cairns has recently been awarded the Cancer Research UK Early Detection and Diagnosis Primer Award, together with Professor Yang Wei at Nottingham Trent University, to develop an innovative Smart Bra that can detect breast cancer. 

The successful development of the Smart Bra could significantly impact healthcare equity by addressing a known barrier faced by many women with learning disabilities – engaging directly with mammography machines. This device has real potential to offer a pathway to earlier detection and improved outcomes for women with learning disabilities and broader populations facing similar challenges when accessing life-saving healthcare. 

Supporting Life-Changing Research 

“Philanthropic funding drives pioneering research on health inequalities by supporting high-risk, early-stage and community-centred projects that are often overlooked by funders,” says Professor Cairns.

“Philanthropy can also support novel research, such as trialling the Smart Bra, which could lead to significant breakthroughs in cancer screening and improved detection and survival."

Photo Credit: Ian Georgeson Photography

“We are leading the way in addressing health inequalities faced by marginalised populations and creating a more equitable society. Philanthropic efforts are vital for supporting research that focuses on marginalised populations, who are often forgotten about. It can also fund long-term initiatives that integrate the perspectives of people with lived experience throughout the research process, building trust, collegiality and valued relationships.” 

World-Changing Spaces 

Professor Cairns is based in the Clarice Pears Building on the Gilmorehill campus. This building, which opened in 2023, is the home of UofG’s School of Health and Wellbeing and its creation was generously supported by our donor community.

As well as providing a collaborative environment designed to support interdisciplinary research, the building houses the Byres Community Hub. The Hub welcomes local community groups and enables them to get involved in world-leading research. Professor Cairns explains how this community-focused approach has the potential to transform health inequalities. 

 “The Clarice Pears Building and Byres Community Hub are instrumental in the research we do” 

 “Having access to this fantastic public-facing space supports our work to address health inequalities experienced by the population with learning disabilities," says Professor Cairns. 

 “The building offers facilities to accommodate people who may be limited in their mobility or require support by carers which ensures that everyone can be a part of the community here. It is a welcoming and unintimidating space where research contributors with lived experience can enjoy working collaboratively with the teams to make a difference.” 

Discover more about the incredible work taking place in the Byres Community Hub