At the Quadram Institute we work with policymakers and members of parliament to provide strong scientific evidence on food, gut microbiome and health. Working with policymakers is key to delivering our mission of delivering healthier lives through innovation in gut health, microbiology and food.

Here we look back on some of our policy highlights from 2025.

Visits from Members of Parliament and the House of  Lords

Earlier this year in May we welcomed Green Party MP for Waveney Valley, Adrian Ramsay to the Quadram Institute. As part of the visit, Adrian saw inside our Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Endoscopy department and Clinical Research Facility. The Endoscopy unit provides outstanding NHS clinical care and is home to the East of England Endoscopy Training Academy.

In July our local MP Ben Goldsborough visited the Norwich Research Park too, which included meeting our researchers Dr Emily Jones and Dr Steve James to learn more about their clinical seedcorn project in collaboration with Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital’s Dr Paul Simpson developing a new organ-on-chip system to study vaginal yeast infections.

Later in the year our bacteriophage researchers in Dr Evelien Adriaenssens group met with Natalie Bennett, Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle, a Green Party member of the House of Lords. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria which have potential for life-saving treatments.

Multiple mentions of Quadram Institute in Parliament

Along with visits from MPs and members of the House of Lords, we’ve been mentioned in Parliament.

At the Quadram Institute we research the debilitating condition myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). Our focus is on the interactions between the immune system and the microbiota in the gut. Our ME research was mentioned in an Early Day Motion from Norwich North MP Alice Macdonald, highlighting in particular the Invest in ME Research Ian Gibson fellowship for postdoctoral research awarded to Dr Katharine Seton.

Later in the year, local MP Steff Aquarone mentioned our research and our presence in Evidence Week. Evidence Week brings together the public, researchers and parliamentarians to discuss how evidence is used and scrutinised at Westminster.

Health Minister visits with our local MP

South Norfolk MP Ben Goldsborough, brought Karin Smyth MP, Minister of State for Health, to the Norwich Research Park and the Quadram Institute in late November.

The MPs met our Director Professor Daniel Figeys and a range of bioscience and clinical researchers working at the Quadram Institute. Karin Smyth heard directly from our researchers about the opportunities ahead, particularly around preventing disease and promoting health, innovation, and taking cutting-edge science into frontline care.

Highlighting hidden hunger to policymakers and how bioscience can help

As part of the charity Sense About Science’s annual Evidence Week in Parliament, our researchers briefed MPs and Peers on the health impacts of hidden hunger. Hidden hunger is when the body has enough energy to function but lacks important micronutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and vitamin D among others to maintain good health.

Throughout the day, our researchers presented their hidden hunger findings to members of Parliament, including Adrian Ramsay MP, Anneliese Dodds MP, Ben Goldsborough MP, George Freeman MP, Graham Leadbitter MP, Liz Twist MP, Lizzi Collinge MP, Mike Reader MP and Steff Aquarone MP, equipping them with vital information to inform the decisions they make on future public health policy.

We highlighted how bioscience is developing biofortified food, such as vitamin D tomatoes, which can help tackle micronutrient deficiencies.

Students seek out experience in policy

Some of our PhD students have gained experience working with policymakers on placements.

Early in the year our PhD student Sam Mellor chose to undertake a placement with the Food Standards Agency, uncovering the burden of infectious intestinal disease in the UK and science career options outside of academia.

Reflecting on his experience working in policy he said, “I am interested in public health, and this experience has shown me how the Food Standards Agency functions within that space. I understand how fulfilling scientific work can be outside of academia.”

We look forward to continuing to work with policymakers in 2026 to provide the latest evidence on food, health and microbiome research.