Genomics has the potential to transform healthcare by enabling faster, more precise diagnosis and treatment. Yet for many genomic technologies, the challenge lies not in discovery but in translation, moving innovations from the lab into routine clinical care quickly, safely and at scale.

DEVOTE is addressing this challenge by accelerating the development, validation and adoption of rapid genomic testing technologies across Greater Manchester. Funded by Innovate UK through the Innovation Accelerator programme with £2.1 million, DEVOTE brings together academic, clinical and industry partners to create a joined-up translational pathway that supports technologies from early development through to real-world NHS implementation.

Led by The University of Manchester, and delivered in partnership with Health Innovation Manchester, the programme is helping to embed genomics into routine clinical decision-making while strengthening the UK’s life sciences ecosystem.

Inspiration

Despite rapid advances in genomic science, many clinically valuable tests still take years to reach patients. Development pathways are often fragmented, with limited coordination between technology developers, academic researchers, clinicians, health economists and regulators.

DEVOTE was created to address this gap by establishing a single, integrated translational pathway – bringing together laboratory expertise, digital and informatics capability, clinical validation, implementation science and health economics within one coordinated programme.

The model was developed by Dr John McDermott, an internationally recognised leader in pharmacogenomics at The University of Manchester. Recognising that promising technologies often stall due to disjointed development processes, he designed DEVOTE to ensure clinical need, regulatory requirements and implementation planning are embedded from the earliest stages – reducing risk and accelerating adoption.

By doing so, the programme supports the UK government’s ambition to expand the role of genomics in healthcare, while helping the NHS move towards its long-term goal of embedding genomics into routine clinical care.

Innovation and impact

DEVOTE’s core innovation lies in its process, not just its products. The programme provides companies with access to the full range of expertise needed to take genomic technologies to market – ensuring user needs, clinical workflows, regulatory requirements and economic evidence are considered from the outset.

To date, DEVOTE has delivered strong early impact:

• £2.1 million Innovate UK grant funding
• Over £6.4 million in private sector co-investment, achieving a co-investment ratio of more than 3:1
• A portfolio of validated genomic technologies moving into real-world clinical use
• A strengthened ecosystem supporting time-critical genomic testing across the UK

Rather than operating in isolation, DEVOTE’s exemplar projects demonstrate how a coordinated pathway can accelerate adoption and deliver measurable health benefits.

Customers and partners

DEVOTE supports three exemplar projects that showcase its translational approach:

• Rapid genetic bedside testing for stroke prevention

  Working with Genedrive, DEVOTE supported the development and validation of the Genedrive® CYP2C19 assay, enabling clinicians to tailor antiplatelet therapy for stroke patients at the bedside. The test has now received NICE approval and is being implemented across stroke centres in Greater Manchester and internationally, with the ambition of becoming a nationally commissioned NHS test.

• Ultra-rapid genomic testing for antibiotic guidance

  Through collaboration with industry and NHS partners, DEVOTE has contributed to technologies underpinning the PALOH-UK programme, which has already tested over 4,000 newborns across 14 UK centres to guide antibiotic treatment. While supported through additional funding routes, this work stems directly from DEVOTE’s translational pipeline.

• Comprehensive pharmacogenomic testing and quality assurance

  Working with APIS Assay Technologies and EMQN, the programme has supported the development of pharmacogenomic tests alongside the creation of new external quality assurance frameworks – a critical step for regulatory approval and clinical confidence.

Key delivery partners also include Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, ensuring technologies are developed and validated within real NHS environments.

Regional Collaboration

DEVOTE is a flagship project within Greater Manchester’s Health Innovation Accelerator, leveraging the region’s global leadership in genomics, diagnostics and clinical research.

By aligning universities, NHS organisations, innovators and industry partners, DEVOTE positions Greater Manchester as a national and international testbed for time-critical genomic technologies. Alongside product development, the programme supports skills development and infrastructure, helping to prepare the workforce needed for genomics to become a routine part of care.

Conclusion

DEVOTE demonstrates how place-based innovation support can transform the way healthcare technologies reach patients. By creating a joined-up translational pathway for genomic testing, the programme is accelerating clinical adoption, unlocking private investment and delivering tangible patient benefit.

As genomics becomes an increasingly central part of routine healthcare, DEVOTE provides a powerful model for how innovation, evidence and implementation can be brought together to deliver impact at scale.