The History of NKMTs partnership with The University of Manchester
- The Natalie Kate Moss Trust
- May 15
- 3 min read
When Natalie Kate Moss tragically passed away from a sudden brain haemorrhage at just 26 years old in 2011, her family were devastated but determined that her death would not be in vain. In 2012, they established The Natalie Kate Moss Trust with a mission to prevent others from suffering the same fate. That mission would soon lead to a transformative partnership with The University of Manchester, one that has helped rewrite the research agenda around brain haemorrhages.
In 2012, at the time of the Trust’s founding, there was a stark and frustrating reality: brain haemorrhage research was significantly underfunded and under-researched (in 2012, there was only one PHD student at The University of Manchester researching haemorrhagic stroke). Despite there being 4.6 million cases of brain haemorrhages every year and only 3 out of 5 people surviving one month post brain haemorrhage, there were few dedicated research programmes tackling their causes, prevention, or treatment.
The Moss family were determined to change that, and to ensure that Natalie’s legacy would be one of progress and hope. Natalie was an alumna of The University of Manchester and therefore the connection to the University was not only natural but also meaningful, and symbolic. But more importantly, it offered the opportunity to spark real scientific change.
The Trust began working closely with the University to explore how they could directly fund and shape research into brain haemorrhages. What was previously a neglected area of neurological science became a growing field of academic and clinical interest, thanks to the Trust’s funding and this collaborative vision with The University of Manchester to change the landscape of brain haemorrhage.
From the outset, this was a strategic and mission-led partnership: The Trust would provide the funding, ambition, and public engagement, while the University would provide the world-class research infrastructure and expertise.
Not only did the collaboration support significant growth within the research team (expanding from one PHD student to 30+ researchers) but it also contributed to the development of the Geoffrey Jefferson Brain Research Centre in 2021, a leading hub for translational neuroscience based at Salford Royal Hospital and linked to The University of Manchester. The Centre focuses on understanding and treating conditions like brain haemorrhages through world-class interdisciplinary research. This was a major milestone in the partnership: a dedicated centre, with the resource and vision to turn funding into real outcomes.
Another significant achievement of the partnership so far is the development of the ABC Bundle, a pioneering new approach to emergency brain haemorrhage care. This protocol is already changing how patients are treated upon arrival at hospital and is increasing survival rates and improving patient outcomes. The ABC Bundle is a real-world example of what this partnership can achieve: life-saving results that didn’t exist before. It’s proof that by funding the right research at the right time, lives can be saved.
Research Project funded by NKMT
Over the last 3 years NKMT has supported Dr Katie Murray’s fellowship and her research investigating the impact of intracerebral haemorrhage on cell-cell interactions using intravital imaging strategies. This is just one of many groundbreaking projects happening at the University.
As the partnership develops, NKMT will be supporting The University with 2 key projects.
Project 1: Developing The ABC Bundle
The ABC Bundle has seen great success throughout trial and as it has been rolled out across different regions. But there are some opportunities to advance it even further. As a charity NKMT are therefore committing £125,882.04 over the next 2 years to support a Clinical Research Fellowship. This role will not only help support the national rollout of the treatment - it’s delivery and implementation as well as data collection - but will also look at how the treatment can be optimised eg. understanding the best blood pressure medication to use when treating brain haemorrhage specifically, potentially improving patient outcomes further.
Project 2: Using Brain Imaging And Machine Learning To Improve Prognostic Models In Intracerebral Haemorrhage
This project will support a brilliant researcher at The University of Manchester, Olivia Murray, with her three year Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, where she will use machine learning to improve prognostic models in intracerebral haemorrhage. This research could help to transform the treatment received by patients, improving survival rates and lessening disability post Intracerebral Haemorrhage. NKMT will be supporting Olivia with this project over the next 3 years, funding £173,790.41
From a personal tragedy to a powerful alliance, the partnership between The Natalie Kate Moss Trust and The University of Manchester is one of purpose, progress, and possibility. In a field once overlooked, there is now momentum, innovation, and hope.
