Attomarker initiates Acceleration Round to scale immunology diagnostics

Attomarker, a UK-based diagnostics company, has commenced an Acceleration Round to support the next phase of commercial and clinical development of its immunology diagnostics platform.

Attomarker develops multiplex immune diagnostics that deliver clinically relevant immune profiling from a single, small blood sample within a matter of minutes. 

Its tests are specially designed for use in real clinical settings and are already being used by clinicians.

The company’s current focus is immune profiling in patients with Long Covid, estimated to affect more than 65 million people worldwide. 

Attomarker’s COVID Antibody Spectrum Test enables immune classification of patients into one of three distinct endotypes, supporting treatment decision-making and monitoring of disease recovery. Two additional Long Covid companion tests are also in development.

Attomarker recently signed a strategic co-development agreement with EpitogenX to combine next-generation antigen technology with Attomarker’s diagnostics platform, with the aim of extending immune profiling into other immune-mediated conditions that are currently underserved by diagnostic options. Initial target areas include Lyme disease and Hashimoto’s disease.

The company holds a strong intellectual property position, with eight granted patents and a further patent pending, covering its core diagnostics technology and system architecture.

Attomarker’s diagnostics currently operate on a CE-marked benchtop device that is approved and in clinical use. A handheld device is also in development as an additional deployment option.

The Acceleration Round is intended to support commercial rollout, regulatory progress, further clinical validation, and expansion of Attomarker’s immune profiling portfolio within Long Covid.

Retail investor participation is being conducted through Crowdcube, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. All eligibility checks, approvals, and investment activity take place on the Crowdcube platform.

https://www.crowdcube.com/early-access/attomarker

Information for non-retail investors is available via a separate information page.

https://attomarker.com/investors

Affordable Care Centres Offer Vital Break for Family Carers Across Hampshire

Age Concern Hampshire is dedicated to keeping day care affordable, ensuring older people and their families can continue to access vital support at a time when many family carers are under great pressure.

With half-day care available from £38.25, the charity’s Care & Wellbeing Centres provide a flexible and accessible option for family carers who are struggling to balance caring responsibilities with work, employment, and other family commitments, helping them to look after their own wellbeing, find time to rest, and stay supported while caring for their loved ones.

Operating from centres in Locks Heath, New Milton, Yateley and Dibden, Age Concern Hampshire offers a safe, welcoming environment where older people can enjoy companionship, stimulating activities and professional care. 

For family carers, this support provides trusted respite and peace of mind, even for just a few hours.

Sessions include engaging social and therapeutic activities, optional nutritious meals and refreshments, and personalised support from trained and experienced staff, including assistance with personal care and medication where required. Transport can be arranged for those who need help getting to and from the centres.

Hannah Park, Head of Operations at Age Concern Hampshire, told That's Health: “Family carers are often under immense strain, juggling caring responsibilities with work and other family commitments, often while facing financial pressure. 

"We are dedicated to ensuring our services remain affordable so family carers can access support before they reach crisis point. 

"Our half-day care sessions, from £38.25, help families get high-quality care without the cost of full-day or residential alternatives.”

Age Concern Hampshire recognises the vital role family carers play in supporting older people and believes affordable, preventative support is key to sustaining both carers and those they care for.

Free taster days are available at all Care & Wellbeing Centres, allowing families to experience the service before making any commitment. Call 01962 868545 or visit their website to find out more: https://www.ageconcernhampshire.org.uk/care-and-wellbeing-services-hampshire.

BWY and Parkinson’s UK partner to bring accessible yoga to people with Parkinson’s

The British Wheel of Yoga (BWY), the UK’s largest yoga charity and National Governing Body for yoga in England and Wales, has partnered with Parkinson’s UK to make yoga more accessible for people living with Parkinson’s, their families and carers.

On Friday 10 April, to mark World Parkinson’s Day (11 April), the organisations will host a free 45-minute online chair yoga class designed specifically for people with Parkinson’s, those who support them, and yoga teachers keen to adapt their classes for this community.

Led by Special Yoga Teacher and BWY Tutor Richard Kravetz, the session will share safe, practical movements and breathing techniques that can be done seated, with or without additional support.

Recent figures from Parkinson’s UK estimate that around 166,000 people in the UK are currently living with a Parkinson’s diagnosis, with figures expected to rise due to an ageing population. Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition that affects movement, causing symptoms such as tremor, stiffness and slowness.

A recent study of the effects of yoga on people with Parkinson’s disease found that yoga improved motor function, balance, functional mobility, anxiety, depression and quality of life in people with Parkinson’s.

BWY Chair, Diana O’Reilly told That's Heealth: "Yoga can be hugely beneficial for people with Parkinson’s. 

"Gentle chair-based practices can be adapted for almost everyone, which means people can participate safely whether they are newly diagnosed or have been living with Parkinson’s for many years. 

"Through this partnership, we want to give more teachers the tools they need to welcome people with Parkinson’s into their classes and to make sure no one feels that yoga ‘isn’t for them’.’

Jed Parsons, Physical Activity Delivery Manager for Parkinsons UK, commented: "I’m really excited about our partnership with the British Wheel of Yoga because it has the potential to make a genuine, lasting difference for people living with Parkinson’s. Yoga can be a powerful way to support strength, balance, mobility and wellbeing, but too often people feel that classes aren’t accessible or suitable for them.

"By working together, we can give yoga teachers the confidence, skills and understanding to adapt their practice, create welcoming environments and ensure that people with Parkinson’s feel included from the very first session. 

This partnership is about removing barriers, challenging perceptions, and making it clear that yoga is for everyone, whether someone is newly diagnosed or has been living with Parkinson’s for many years.’

For full event details and to book your place, visit the event page: https://portal.bwy.org.uk/user/events/1122. Please note, you will need to create a free account on the BWY website or log in to your existing account to complete your booking.

BWY is committed to sharing yoga’s transformative power and rich heritage through events and education. Guided by yoga’s principles and traditions, BWY’s mission is to enrich lives through yoga, increasing accessibility and inclusivity. 

Established as a registered charity in 1965 and recognised as the National Governing Body for Yoga by Sport England and Sport Wales, BWY serves more than 5,000 members and is supported by a 100-strong local volunteer network and a small central team.

https://www.bwy.org.uk

Parkinson’s UK is the leading charity for people affected by Parkinson’s, here to support every Parkinson’s journey, every step of the way. The charity campaigns for better health and care, funds groundbreaking research into new treatments and runs life-changing support services, uniting a powerful community with one mission: improving life with Parkinson’s. 

Physical activity is a key part of this, helping people manage symptoms, stay mobile, build confidence and support their mental wellbeing. Parkinson’s UK works to make sure people with Parkinson’s have safe, inclusive and meaningful opportunities to move, stay active and remain independent for as long as possible.

https://www.parkinsons.org.uk

International pharmacy body, national associations win backing from governments to develop new African College of Pharmacists

The Commonwealth Pharmacists Association (CPA) and the National Pharmacy Associations (NPA) of six African countries celebrated last Thursday evening after Ministers attending the 76th Health Ministers Conference of the East, Central and Southern African Health Community (ECSA-HC) formally adopted a resolution that promises to pave the way for the creation of an ECSA-HC College of Pharmacists.

Representatives of CPA and the NPAs of Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya and host country Eswatini – all members of the CPA – presented a proposal to Health Ministers from the nine ECSA-HC member states who gathered in Eswatini, seeking their backing to draw up a detailed proposal for the formation of a postgraduate training centre for pharmacists working in the region. Ministers subsequently adopted a resolution which includes authorisation for ECSA-HC’s Secretariat to work with CPA and other key stakeholders on the development of a comprehensive proposal for how the College could be formed and supported.

The creation of such a College would represent a significant advance in workforce training in the nine ECSA countries. Although similar colleges already exist to serve the postgraduate training needs of nurses and surgeons among others, no such provision exists for pharmacists, who across Africa play a unique and vital role in healthcare systems as the first point of contact for many patients – particularly those on low incomes or in hard to reach communities.

It would also bring the ECSA-HC region into alignment with its neighbours. Across West Africa, nearly 600 professionals have benefited from advanced training by the WAHO West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists since its creation in 1997. WAHO has also been able to use its College to support the development of new schools of pharmacy for undergraduates in countries like Sierra Leone, strengthening workforces and creating skilled employment opportunities for young health professionals.

If successfully established, the ECSA-HC College of Pharmacists would provide work-based advanced training opportunities to train pharmacists in advanced skills. Initially, the College will focus on training pharmacists in advanced leadership and practice skills needed to champion effective antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) – measures that can be taken to tackle antibiotic resistance, a health crisis that threatens to take millions of lives across Africa by 2050 without urgent intervention. International collaboration between ECSA-HC member states will be an essential ingredient of the College’s working model, taking advantage of each country’s strengths and being mindful of each nation’s challenges.

The initial offering will draw upon CPA’s expertise as a globally recognised training provider for pharmacists that has also led multiple high impact AMS training programmes across eight African countries since 2019, training almost 30,000 healthcare workers on the ground and providing digital resources for over 100,000 users with the backing of the UK’s Fleming Fund. Tackling antibiotic resistance is an area where pharmacist leadership – as clinicians who are experts in the safe, effective and sustainable use of medicines – has been shown to be critical.

Similar Fellowship offerings by CPA as part of these programmes have already had a significant impact. At one hospital in Kenya, a CPA pharmacy leadership trainee increased adherence to antibiotic best practice in pre-surgical treatment from just 20% of patients to almost 90%. In Uganda, CPA interventions saw over 80% of patients benefit from targeted therapy, helping cut order times for certain life saving emergency antibiotics from every two weeks to every two months. CPA hopes that an ESCA-HC College of Pharmacists will be able to drive similar pharmacist-led improvements across the region in a sustainable and cost-effective way.

After the resolution was formally adopted by Ministers, CPA and its national partners gathered in Ezulwini for a ceremonial counter-signing of the ministerial resolution, affirming their commitment to carrying through the project and working in partnership to make the College a reality.

Beth Ward, CPA’s Strategic lead for Workforce Capability Building, told That's Health: “We are thrilled and grateful that ECSA Health Ministers have recognised the impact that a College of Pharmacists would have on the region. Pharmacists have an absolutely critical role to play in tackling public health threats like antibiotic resistance and in managing many of the non-communicable diseases that increasingly challenge ECSA communities, but have limited access to the kind of advanced training opportunities available to doctors and nurses despite being on the frontline of patient care. The College would bring training opportunities in leadership, advanced skills and clinical expertise in line with other professions, driving improvement across health systems and strengthening the safe, effective, and sustainable use of life-saving medicines.”

Gift Chakera, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Zimbabwe, said: “The 76th ECSA-HC Health Ministers Conference represents a huge milestone moment for our profession. CPA’s successful advocacy efforts to secure endorsement for the establishment of a Regional College of Pharmacists will harmonise training and recognition across ESCA countries, ensuring consistent competencies for AMR management, and will facilitate cross-border collaboration in surveillance and regulation. We congratulate CPA on their advocacy efforts and offer our sincere gratitude to the ECSA-HC Health Ministers and all supporting partners.”

William Mpute, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Malawi, said: “A specialised pharmacy workforce will play an integral role in delivering optimal pharmaceutical care to Malawians and contribute to the efforts of the Malawi government in achieving Universal Health Coverage. An ESCA-HC School of Pharmacists offers an effective means to address the current and future needs in the pharmaceutical sector and the health sector at large.”

With Ministerial backing for the idea secured, the next step for the proposal’s champions is to develop a concrete framework for the College’s structure, educational offering and funding mechanisms, working in partnership with the ECSA-HC Secretariat to do so.

https://commonwealthpharmacy.org

Cochlear Implant Pioneers and MED‑EL Founders Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair Honoured with 2026 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering

MED‑EL celebrates a historic milestone: its founders, Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair, have been named, together with other outstanding personalities, as Laureates of the 2026 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering—one of the world’s most prestigious honours for life‑changing technological innovation.

The 2026 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering recognises the design and development of modern neural interfaces—technologies that restore lost human functions—and the visionary engineers behind them.

Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair are honoured alongside Graeme Clark and Blake Wilson for their groundbreaking contributions to cochlear implants, a technology that converts sound into electrical signals to directly stimulate the auditory nerve, restoring hearing to hundreds of thousands of people worldwide over the past four decades.

Pioneering Cochlear Implants That Changed Hearing Care Forever

Beginning in 1975 at the Technical University of Vienna, Austria, Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair launched pioneering cochlear implant research that led to the world’s first microelectronic cochlear implant in 1977, marking a turning point in hearing technology.

Their work drove critical advances in signal processing, implant miniaturisation, and long‑term biocompatibility, laying the foundation for today’s advanced cochlear implants.

By uniting rigorous engineering with deep clinical insight, the Hochmairs not only transformed hearing care but also paved the way for the founding of MED‑EL. Their vision continues to shape the company’s mission to deliver lifelong hearing solutions for people of all ages.

With recent advancements such as TICI (Totally Implantable Cochlear Implant), MED‑EL continues to advance neural interface engineering, delivering even more personalised and lifelike hearing experiences.

Engineering Guided by Compassion and Scientific Integrity

“This honour recognises not only a technological achievement, but a belief we have held from the very beginning—that engineering, guided by compassion and scientific integrity, can fundamentally change lives,” Ingeborg Hochmair, Co‑founder and CEO of MED‑EL told That's Health.

“Cochlear implants were once considered impossible by many. Today, they demonstrate what can be achieved when engineers, clinicians, and users work together with a shared purpose.”

Erwin Hochmair, Co‑founder of MED‑EL, adds: “From the earliest experiments, our goal was to create a neural interface that could work in harmony with the human auditory system over a lifetime. This recognition by the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering affirms the importance of long‑term thinking, scientific persistence, and engineering solutions that truly serve people.”

Together with Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair, the 2026 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering (QEPrize) has been awarded to Graeme Clark, Blake Wilson, John Donoghue, Alim Louis Benabid, Pierre Pollak, Jocelyne Bloch, and Grégoire Courtine for the design and development of modern neural interfaces that restore human function.

The Laureates will share the £500,000 prize and collectively represent a new era in neuroengineering and neuroprosthetics, alongside parallel breakthroughs in brain‑computer interfaces, deep brain stimulation, and electronic spinal stimulation. Together, these innovations demonstrate the extraordinary potential of engineering to restore lost functions, independence, and dignity.

On Tuesday, 3 February, the 2026 Laureates were formally announced by Lord Vallance, Chair of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering Foundation, at the Science Museum in London.

Shaping the Future of Hearing Technology

For MED‑EL, this award is also a tribute to all hearing implant users worldwide whose experiences continue to inspire innovation, as well as the global community of engineers, researchers, clinicians, and partners advancing hearing technology.

“This recognition strengthens our resolve to keep pushing boundaries,” Ingeborg Hochmair states. “Our mission has always been to overcome hearing loss as a barrier to communication and quality of life. At MED‑EL, we will continue to invest in research, accessibility, and technologies that help people participate fully in life, wherever they are.”

Awarded annually, the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering (QEPrize) champions bold, groundbreaking engineering innovation of global benefit to humanity. The prize celebrates engineering visionaries, inspiring young minds to consider engineering as a career and helping to solve the challenges of the future.

The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering is open to:

Up to ten living individuals

Of any nationality

Who are personally responsible for a groundbreaking innovation in engineering of global benefit to humanity

Self‑nomination is not permitted.

The judges use the following criteria to select the winner or winners:

What groundbreaking innovation in engineering has been achieved?

In what way has this innovation been of global benefit to humanity?

Are there other individuals who may have played a pivotal role in this development?

To find out more about this year’s winning innovation, visit: www.qeprize.org/winners

MED‑EL Medical Electronics, a leader in implantable hearing solutions, is driven by a mission to overcome hearing loss as a barrier to communication and quality of life. The Austrian‑based, privately owned company was co‑founded by industry pioneers Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair, whose groundbreaking research led to the development of the world’s first micro‑electronic multi‑channel cochlear implant, successfully implanted in 1977 and forming the basis of the modern cochlear implant.

This innovation laid the foundation for the company’s growth in 1990, when MED‑EL hired its first employees. Today, MED‑EL employs more than 3,100 people from around 90 nations across 30 locations worldwide.

MED‑EL offers the widest range of implantable and non‑implantable solutions to treat all types of hearing loss, enabling people in 140 countries to experience the gift of hearing. Its portfolio includes cochlear and middle ear implant systems, combined electric acoustic stimulation hearing implant systems, auditory brainstem implants, and surgical and non‑surgical bone conduction devices.

Website: www.medel.com/en-gb/

“My handstand challenge for best mate whose life was turned upside down.”

When illness turned Ellis Healy’s life upside down, his best mate Harry turned upside down too - by committing to doing a handstand every day in 2026 to raise money for charity.

Harry Clesham, who lives in southwest London, has already raised over £2,000 for The Brain Tumour Charity via social media and his fundraising page – and his technique has improved to the stage where he can walk a few steps on his hands too.

He posts daily videos of his activities on Instagram, and carries out his feats in locations as varied as pubs, pavements, gyms, holiday hotspots and hotel rooms.

Harry and Ellis first met when they were students at university in Leicester in 2011. They lived in the same halls of residence, hung out together during Freshers’ Week and both joined the rugby team.

Ellis, 33, who had intended to become a butcher like his dad, then worked in London for a year, as did Harry. They sat their finals in Leicester and then both moved back to London to work at tech companies. Harry was also a groomsman and the Master of Ceremonies when Ellis married his wife Hannah in 2024.

But Ellis has had health struggles since he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when he was 11. Treatment included immunosuppressant medication which stopped working when he was 27.

While waiting to have scheduled keyhole surgery, he was rushed to hospital with a blockage in his intestine. This was found to be tumour, and to his shock, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Fortunately, it had been caught early and he was treated with six rounds of R-CHOP chemotherapy – a combination of four drugs and a steroid.

That's where his good fortune ended. A PET scan to check he had the all-clear found no uptake of the contrast dye on the right side of his brain. A follow up scan identified a brain tumour.

Ellis told That's Health: “I was due to have keyhole surgery to treat my Crohn’s but ended up having four lots of surgery and two bouts of sepsis which triggered a cardiac arrest.

“I was discharged with a wearable defibrillator vest and was one of the first patients in the UK to use one. I had to wear it for 24 hours a day, including at work and at the gym which was awkward.”

Once his infection had gone, brain tumour treatment was due to start. But first he needed to have a permanent defibrillator implanted. Then, last March, Ellis had three seizures back-to-back.

Ellis continued: “I had my first seizure while I was asleep. It woke my wife who called an ambulance which arrived within 10 minutes. They gave me a sedative which stopped the seizure, but I had another one a short while later and another one in the ambulance.”

Six months after the seizures and the ICD Implant, Ellis had an awake craniotomy to remove a grade 2 to 3 astrocytoma, from which he’s now recuperating.

Throughout everything, Harry has supported Ellis as best he can – taking the mickey out of his fashion sense when he was wearing the defibrillator vest, and when he was well enough, going camping on the Dorset coast. That’s when the idea to raise awareness and funds came about.

Harry said: “Ellis has been an exceptional friend and we’ve been close pals ever since we met. His strength, humour and resilience throughout have been nothing short of inspiring - I truly haven’t met anyone like him. He’s one of a kind.

“The challenge was born after Ellis and I spent two days walking together along the Jurassic Coast. We talked about what he was going through, how he was feeling and what I could do to support him in a meaningful way. During those conversations, Ellis said that if I were to raise money for a cause, he would want it to be for The Brain Tumour Charity.”

Ellis added: “I mentioned The Brain Tumour Charity because their website and leaflets provide all the information you need to know - not just about living with the illness but also how to prepare for what’s next and how to overcome some of the challenges you’re going to face.

“It's just a really good single point of reference so I’ve used it a lot and it’s been very helpful for my family to understand it as well, in their own time.”

You can support Harry’s fundraising efforts here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/officialhandstandharry – and watch his daily handstand videos on Instagram @officialhandstandharry.

Harry said: “The rule is simple: no matter what the day brings, there is always time to show up for this cause. This challenge is about more than handstands. It is about standing alongside a friend as he recovers from brain tumour surgery, raising awareness of the impact brain tumours have on individuals and their families, and supporting the research, care and services provided by The Brain Tumour Charity. 

"I will keep going, one day, one handstand and one donation at a time, for Ellis and for everyone affected by brain tumours.”

Red Light Therapy for Nasal Passages: Does It Work?

Red light therapy (also called photobiomodulation) uses specific wavelengths of red or near-infrared light to influence cellular activity. 

It’s often promoted for skin health and pain relief, but can it help blocked or irritated nasal passages?

The ideas behind it

Supporters claim that red light may:

reduce inflammation in the nasal lining

improve local circulation

ease congestion and sinus pressure

help allergy-related nasal symptoms

Some devices are used externally around the nose, while others place a small light just inside the nostrils.

What does the evidence say?

The science is limited and mixed. A few small studies suggest possible symptom relief—particularly for allergic rhinitis, but results aren’t consistent, and study sizes are small. 

There’s no strong evidence that red light therapy can treat sinus infections or structural issues.

In short: it’s not a miracle cure, but some people do report mild improvement in comfort and airflow.

What it may help with

Mild nasal inflammation

Hay fever or allergy-related congestion

Post-cold irritation

What it’s unlikely to fix

Sinus infections with fever or facial pain

Deviated septum or nasal polyps

Severe or chronic sinusitis

Is it safe?

Generally low-risk when used correctly, but intranasal devices can cause irritation or dryness. Hygiene is important, and anyone prone to nosebleeds should be cautious.

The bottom line

Red light therapy may offer modest relief for some people with mild nasal inflammation, but it shouldn’t replace proven treatments like saline sprays, steroid nasal sprays, or medical advice. Think of it as a supportive option, not a primary solution.

If symptoms are persistent, one-sided, or worsening, it’s best to speak to a GP.

I use a red light therapy device which I have owned for several years and I have noticed improvements in my nasal passages after use.

They are available from Amazon at around £30 https://amzn.to/4rAl00m